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Deselection Policy

Philip Weltner Library Deselection Policy

Deselection, or deaccessioning, is the removal of library materials that are no longer useful, appropriate, used regularly by patrons. Just like regularly adding new items, the removal of material is a standard practice in managing a library’s collection. An overcrowded library collection with outdated and irrelevant materials makes it difficult for patrons to find the resources they need.

Objectives of Deselection: The Philip Weltner Library deselects to ensure a collection that is credible, useful, timely and accessible, and to align our patrons’ needs and the university’s current academic programs and offerings.

The Philip Weltner Library faculty and staff review, evaluate, and deselect materials regularly to ensure collection vitality. Aside from this routine deselection, other, more substantial projects may be undertaken periodically. Circulation and other statistics may be examined. Items that are not in demand may be eligible for deselection. Disciplinary faculty will be consulted regarding larger-scale projects or when the library subject specialist deems appropriate. If no feedback is received within the designated review period (generally two weeks), the items will be withdrawn from the collection. Materials that are withdrawn from the collection may be offered for sale in the regular library book sale, recycled, or transferred to a more appropriate library.

The Philip Weltner Library may, at its sole discretion, remove and withdraw any item based on the criteria identified below.

Criteria for Possible Deselection:

  • Duplicate copies of the same title and edition may be withdrawn unless the work has recognized importance or is a high-use title.
  • Materials may be withdrawn if they are factually inaccurate or have information that is out of date.
  • Textbooks that are not currently used in courses may be withdrawn.
  • If a newer edition of a title is available in the collection, the superseded editions are subject to deselection; however, if they are of historical value, earlier editions may be retained.
  • Materials in damaged or poor condition (missing pages, unreadable text, water damage, poor paper quality, musty, beyond repair, or other factors that prohibit re-binding) may be withdrawn, unless items are rare or difficult to obtain from other libraries. Rare and difficult-to-obtain items may be considered for replacement if they are available for purchase in good condition.
  • Materials that do not support current or anticipated courses or academic needs may be withdrawn.
  • Single or scattered issues of serial titles may be withdrawn.
  • Titles with low circulation or that have never circulated may be withdrawn.
  • Titles available in other formats in the library or online may be withdrawn, especially when they are low use and not rare.
  • Media materials in obsolete formats may be considered for preservation, replacement, or withdrawal.
  • Areas such as travel guides, medicine, technology, law, and science are of a date-sensitive nature. Items in these subject areas whose information is not current will be withdrawn.
  • Individual items under consideration for deselection should not be removed from multi-volume sets. Either the complete set should be withdrawn or all items in the set should be retained. In the case of incomplete series, the library may either order the missing volume or discard the set.
  • Items listed as missing in the catalog for more than one year will be withdrawn.

 

Deselection Guidelines of Date-Sensitive Areas:

  • Items in the following areas may be considered for deselection on a specific schedule.
    • Technology and applied science: 3 years
    • Library and information science: 3 years
    • Occupational guides, résumé guides, etc.: 3 years
    • Financial management: 5 years
    • Travel: 3 years
    • Health, medicine, nutrition and nursing: 3 years
    • Psychology: 10 years
    • Physical education: 10 years
    • Atlases: 3 years
    • Study prep guides: 3 years

For any questions or concerns about the Philip Weltner Library deselection policy, please contact the University Librarian at [email protected].

Portions of this policy were adapted from the Oxford College Library of Emory University and the Stafford Library of Columbia College.

This policy was presented to, and endorsed, by the Academic Program Committee on December 12, 2024.