LIBE+463+Assignment+4

=**__Weeding Project__**=

//Wynter Oakes//
__The Task:__ For this project I focused on the area of the LMC that relates to Science 9. Primarily those resources are included in the non-fiction section of the collection. However, there are resources in the reference section and audio-visual section that needed to be considered during this process.

__The Results:__ The chart below includes information about 12 of the 143 books I am choosing to remove from the collection at this time.



__My Reflection:__ I made three main discoveries about the collection and myself as I went through the process of this assignment: the physical aspect of the collection, the state of the collection and the response of myself and others to the process.

First, I was again reminded that the physical aspect of the science collection in the LMC is uninviting. The reference section is unmarked and behind some furniture that made it difficult to access, the audio-visual section was difficult to look through because it was tucked behind a doorway that is frequently used, and I found the non-fiction stacks dirty, dusty and dark. Although this assignment focused on weeding, I am acutely aware that lighting and shelf arrangement needs to be addressed. Even if the collection is continuously weeded (which, in my case, was not) and has quality resources, users need to be able to easily access those resources. I had no desire to go into a dark stack, get on my hands and knees and look for a resource among stuffed, dirty and dusty shelves. Thus, it would not be surprising if my users (students, teachers and parents alike) would not want to search through these resources either. As stated in the School District No.36 (Surrey) Teacher-Librarian Handbook (2007, p.12) "[s] ystematic weeding is not an irresponsible disposal of school property; rather, it is a necessary service that enhances the credibility and usability of the school library". By weeding I can achieve two goals: 1) finding gaps in the collection and ensuring quality resources are more readily available, and 2) enhancing the usability of the physical space so remaining resources can be easily accessed. Thus, if a user is searching the bottom shelf, they will at least know the item they are looking for will be easy to find among other appropriate, quality resources.

I also think the general cleanliness of my physical collection needs to be addressed. One of the first things I noticed was how smelly many of the books were. I felt dirty in the short period of time I spent weeding and have decided that in the future I will be using gloves (until the weeding process is further along and the shelves have been cleaned as a result). I was itchy and had sneezed numerous times, which leads me to consider the health of my users. If for no other reason, I need to weed the stacks in order to provide a cleaner, healthier research environment.

Even though the process of physically going through the stacks was a dirty job, it was motivating to see the immediate improvement in appearance of the sections I had completed. The stacks were inviting and looked cleaner. I actually spent more time weeding than I had planned because of this motivating aspect. However, I will need to be mindful of this in the future. As Dickinson (2005) states, weeding is a "professional responsibility", however I need to ensure I balance it with all the other tasks/responsibilities that I have as TL. Initially the task of weeding will certainly be a priority for me because of the volume of the collection that is in dire need of weeding. However, over time, I think it will be possible to balance weeding and other administrative responsibilities if I follow the CREW guidelines Dickinson (2005) outlines. By following these guidelines I will also be able to reduce the instances that I may encounter resistance to removal of items from the collection because it is easier "to discuss with [others] the few books that are being weeded rather than the many thousand" (Dickinson, 2005).

Second, I became even more aware of the large number of dated/irrelevant resources and the gaps in available resources supporting the science area of the curriculum taught in our school. I actually found some of the books easy to decide to remove merely because of their copyright date (astronomy resources from the 1980's) or their content/reading level (advanced placement biology and physiology textbooks). In general, many of the resources were at a reading level above my clientele and for content from when our school used to be a high school (it is now a middle school). Because of the irrelevance to my users, the decision to remove some items was fairly easy. However, books on topics in which concepts have information that remains current/relevant over a longer period of time (chemical reactions/elements and electricity concepts) presented a more difficult decision for me. Through the process I had to continually remind myself of the MUSTY guidelines and try to remove any emotional attachment I had to the items when deciding to keep or remove it. It also was apparent that the process of weeding needs to be done continuously to stay current with the items in the collection. As Dickinson (2005) states, "the act of weeding in itself creates opportunities to learn the collection". Since I am moving into my library in September it was a great process for me to familiarize myself with what we have, as well as what we need, for resources.

Finally, the last discovery I made through the process was about the emotion that weeding elicits in myself and others. At times I had feelings of strength and satisfaction and, at other times, a lack of confidence. Similarly, I found that individuals I encountered during the process had different reactions, some did not approve while others were pleased. Through completion of the academic readings and discussion with other TL's (online and in my district) I intellectually understood issues surrounding weeding. However, this assignment really helped me understand the process emotionally.

Personally, I really enjoyed the task of physically weeding. I found it cathartic to evaluate the resources and tidy the shelves during the process. I was very satisfied with the end result of the process (during my short time and in the small scope of the collection). I also found that I became more confident during the process and gained momentum as I spent more time weeding. However, while I became more confident over the course of the assignment, I still would not say I am fully confident with my ability. I followed the commonly accepted MUSTY guidelines. However, I think that developing a more formal collection development policy for my site (my school and district currently do not have one) will further increase confidence in my decisions. I also found it easier to discuss my decision to remove an item from the collection with the retiring TL. It was almost as if I needed her approval to ensure that I was making a good decision. While it is important to consider the input of others in all area of collection development, including what to remove (Bishop, 2007), in the future I must be able to make most of the decisions about what is brought in, or removed from, the collection, and generally oversee the process.

I was also a little surprised at my reaction to some of the items I found in the collection. I was appalled at some of the books about health information from the 1980's that was inaccurate today. I felt such a strong sense of dismay that students had been able to access these resources. This was also accompanied by a sense of protection for my users, and urgency to weed the resource and acquire an appropriate alternate item. However, realistically, I need to balance this feeling of protection with the fact that another responsibility I have as TL is to ensure students have information literacy skills that will enable them to identify an outdated, irrelevant resource when they encounter it. This is just another example that illustrates the important role a TL has within the learning environment of a school.

I did find dealing with others during the process of weeding somewhat difficult. I am fortunate because my clerk is supportive of weeding and helped in the process. For the purposes of this assignment, and my own knowledge for when she is not available, I did go through the process of removing a few items from the catalogue with my clerk. However, ultimately she will be the one removing most of the 143 items from the catalogue. My clerk has experience with databases so she removes items from our system more thoroughly than other clerks in the district because she likes our database to remain "clean". When she explained what this meant I was happy to complete the removal of an item from the system in the same manner as she does. It made sense to me and it also helped me to realize that we have a similar view and method of organization, which will help us work well together in the future. The process of learning removal from the catalogue definitely helped me realize how fortunate I am to have the help of a clerk. Her presence will allow me to spend more time on decisions and programming and less time on the clerical aspect of the program.

My clerk was also a personal cheerleader for me. Although she raised her eyebrows when I discussed my goal for how many items to remove from the collection next year (based on the collection mapping assignment), it was not out of resistance. She is supportive of the goal, but understands the amount of work it involves. I am pleased to have her support because it contrasts with some of the experiences I had in the short time I was weeding for this assignment. Since the science area of the collection has not been weeded for decades (literally) many items were quickly identified as appropriate for removal. Because of timing in the school year, I was only able to access the LMC for weeding one particular evening. Although I did not see many teachers, the two teachers that did come in the LMC during the process had similar reactions. Essentially, they both questioned why I was removing the books I had selected. Fortunately, they allowed me to explain that the resources did not fit the criteria to remain in the collection. One teacher accepted the rationale; however, the other teacher whole-heartedly disagreed and requested the books that were being removed for her classroom library. I explained I was removing many of the items because they contained misleading or inaccurate information and that if she wanted non-fiction print for her students to read I would be happy to pull and sign out quality books that she could keep in her classroom library for that purpose. Although the interaction was pleasant, unfortunately, I do not think she really "heard" what I was saying. While I know, intellectually, the weeding decisions I made were correct, it was an upsetting experience for me because I do not particularly like confrontation and I do not have a lot of confidence because of my inexperience as a TL. I know that this will not be the only time I will have to justify decisions as a TL and it definitely left me wondering if I have the ability to do the job. I imagine that through experience, and by developing (with the input of others) policy and procedures that I can stand behind, these feelings will lessen. Although weeding is part of the administration of a school library and the process should be transparent, I am now challenged by how to do that in my situation. I am both having to learn the process of weeding as well as educate others on why weeding is important and why I am making the decisions that I am. A part of me wants to avoid confrontation by weeding at night and hiding when I am boxing up the books so no one can see what I am removing. However, I know that my program will be stronger if I involve others in the process of collection development, including the aspect of weeding.

Although I experienced some discomfort (physically and emotionally), in general this process was a positive one for me. It was really enlightening to go through this assignment and learn more about my reactions. I enjoyed removing books from the shelf that were not appropriate for my users (for whatever MUSTY reason). This assignment also highlighted the fact that it is important to go through the physical process of weeding because it is the next step in evaluating the collection, after reviewing it on paper (from circulation statistics). I am definitely looking forward to getting back into my space and continuing the task of weeding the science section and starting on other sections of the collection.

__ References: __ Bishop, K. (2007). //The Collection Program in Schools: Concepts, Practices, and Information Sources//. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Dickinson, G. (2005, April/May). Crying over spilled milk. //Library Media Connection//, 24-26.

School District No. 36 (Surrey). (2007). //Teacher-librarian handbook//. Retrieved June 22, 2012, from http://fcweb.sd36.bc.ca/~guilmant_s/Documents/Handbook%2007-06-22%203.pdf