Keywords

collection weeding, collection evaluation, human factors, interviews, academic libraries, collection management, professorial faculty, deselection

Abstract

Following a Science and Engineering collection weeding project of over 350,000 print items, our research team conducted interviews with 20 library employees and 19 teaching faculty involved in the project. The purpose of the interviews was to assess the interviewees’ perspectives and feelings relating to the time required to complete the project, inter- and intra- library communication, the decision-making processes, and their personal assessment of the costs and benefits of the project. The interviewees also offered their views of the overall project’s successes and areas for improvement. Drawing from a qualitative analysis of the interviews, we provide guidance for other academic libraries preparing to undertake their own collection weeding projects including suggestions for what to expect and what to manage throughout the process.

Original Publication Citation

Broadbent, D., Goates, M.C., Frost, M., Nelson, G.M., Pixton, D.S. (2022). In Their Own Words: Perspectives on Collection Weeding from Library Employees and Teaching Faculty. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 48 (published online 3 June 2022). doi: 10.1016/ j.acalib.2022.102563

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2022-6

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/8560

Publisher

Journal of Academic Librarianship

Language

English

College

Harold B. Lee Library

University Standing at Time of Publication

Assistant Professor

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