Not a Special Project Anymore: Creating a Culture of Sustainable Deselection and Gifts-In-Kind with Limited Staffing

Abstract

ABSTRACT Deselection and removal of materials (a.k.a. weeding) and gift acquisition of materials (a.k.a. gift books) are two essential practices for librarianship, yet may not be as routine as other aspects of collection development. These practices often become special projects that require more effort and time than routine practices. In June of 2022, the Christopher Center Library Technical Services Department opted to transition from special project weeding and sporadic gift acquisition to an alternating schedule of deselection and gift acquisition. Due to personnel changes and a smaller workforce within the library, creating a routine practice for collection management was not only best practice, but also was necessary to prevent burnout and bottlenecks within workflows. This article will reflect the first 12 months of the newly developed and implemented policy and explore the successes, obstacles and best practices for libraries interested in routine collection management.