The weeding policy is intended to guide librarians in the periodic or continual evaluation of resources in order to remove items from the collection that are no longer useful. Working within the framework established by the Selection Policy, materials which no longer meet the stated objectives may be withdrawn from the collection according to accepted professional practices.

Materials may be weeded from the collection based on the following criteria:

• Content is misleading, factually inaccurate, trivial, or irrelevant.

• Physical condition is poor. In print materials, paper may be yellowed or torn, covers may be warped, bindings broken or ragged, etc. Non-print materials may be scratched, stretched, broken, etc.

• Format is inappropriate. In print materials, type set may be difficult to read, illustrations may be poor. Format of non-print materials may be outdated, perhaps superseded by another format.

• Use is limited. Circulation and in-house use are considered.

Responsibility for withdrawing materials from the library collection rests with the Library Director. He or she may delegate this authority to other staff members. Subject specialists from the faculty may be consulted.

Materials withdrawn from the collection may be replaced and/or destroyed or given away to other school departments, other libraries, students or the general public.