Abstract
This paper is based on results from qualitative research into Scotland’s public libraries collection development practices and the thoughts of library staff in regards to deselection (referred to in this paper as weeding). An open-text online survey promoted through professional newsletters, word of month, and social media, solicited rich, personal input from practicing library staff on the role, practice, and future of deselection in public libraries. From 36 responses, three main themes were developed: public perception, the role of governance, and continunity concerns. With pressure to provide the latest technology and published works for users, all in safe, usable spaces, Scotland’s libraries are weeding to remain relevant and responsive. Governance structures controlled policy and implementation of weeding practices, with respondents from Scottish public libraries overwhelming weeding via stock exchanges or with assistance from library headquarter teams/professional staff. The larger concern for collection development staff was having the budget, time and staff to make weeding a continuous, efficient process.
Highlights
When material becomes damaged, irrelevant, or libraries are pressed for space, deselection becomes necessary and someone has to make a decision
Scotland’s weeding projects could be major influencers when it comes to how the public view and use public library spaces
5 Conclusion & Recommendation In conclusion, the literature review showed that weeding research has been neglected, especially in the case of public libraries, and giving voice to Scotland’s library staff highlighted
Summary
Irrelevant, or libraries are pressed for space, deselection becomes necessary and someone has to make a decision. While the argument that circulation increases as a result of weeding has not been borne out in research (Dilevko & Gottlieb, 2003; Banks, 2002), there is a need for relevant, attractive stock This was identified by a study in New South Wales, Australia, which found condition of stock an importanct factor in how public libraries and communities can interact successfully with each other to improve library use and relevance. Those libraries with majority collection holdings aged fewer than five years recorded higher than state average circulation statistics (Jones, 2007). A final note on evaluation from a Norwegian weeding project found their adult non-fiction collection to be “the most obsolete category,” holding irrelevant material like “‘Daily Life Computing’ from 1982” (Røgler, 2014, p. 384)
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