Purpose

The Library’s circulating collections are ever-changing. Library staff, using available collection tools, professional judgement, and knowledge of community trends, as well as through ongoing examination of quantitative and qualitative data, evaluate materials and resources for the collection. New materials are purchased and older materials may be removed through attrition and deselection by librarians or trained staff under the supervision of librarians. Staff who participate in the deselection process are trained in professional principles and best practices. Additional staff support the physical handling of deselected materials. Maintenance of the collection through continuous staff review and evaluation is critical to ensuring the quality, usefulness, and relevancy of the collection.

Procedure EVALUATION FOR DESELECTION

1. Staff will utilize existing and emerging tools to identify materials for deselection. These tools supplement professional judgement by prioritizing materials for evaluation. These tools also will expose items of lasting value and long term access.

2. Staff are provided tools to help identify items that are likely to meet established standards for deselection. Individual librarians must use their professional judgment when determining which items to deselect or transfer to another location.

3. Consideration for review by librarians or trained staff includes but is not limited to:

   1. availability of more current information through online sources

   2. availability to borrow through interlibrary loan

   3. items that are out of date or contain outdated information

   4. items that have been superseded by new editions

   5. items that have poor circulation or in-house use

   6. materials in poor condition

   7. subject areas needing to be refreshed with newer, more attractive titles

   8. time sensitive materials or other items that do not reflect current community interests

   9. titles for which newer copies should be purchased due to condition

Physical Handling of Deselected Materials

BRANCH LOCATIONS

1. Branch staff utilize the Circulation – Discarding Items Procedure to remove the item from the database.

2. Items must have a discarded item sticker applied over any existing ACPL barcodes, and on the top front cover.

3. Stickered items are collected and may be retained in the branch for the Friends of the Library. Remaining items are sent to DISCARD LL1 via the courier system. Bins that are sent to DISCARD LL1 are zip tied shut.

MAIN LIBRARY

1. Items identified for deselection are placed in designated deselection bins. The deselection bins are periodically retrieved by the Materials Support Services (MSS) department and taken to DISCARD LL1 for processing.

2. MSS staff process items identified for deselection through the Circulation – Discarding Items Procedure to remove the item from the database.

3. MSS Staff apply discarded item stickers over any existing ACPL barcodes, and on the top front cover.

Redistribution of Deselected Items

After all deselected materials have been processed, designated MSS staff under the direction of the Main Library Manager will redistribute materials in the following ways:

1. Friends of the Library – Materials in good condition and suitable for resale.

2. Digitization through Internet Archive – Materials in fair condition suitable for digitization.

3. Recycling – Materials in poor condition, or containing grossly out of date information.