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Collection Development Plan: Deselection

Deselection of Materials

To assure an effective collection that best serves the educational mission of the College, the library systematically removes obsolete, damaged, and little-used materials from the collection.  De-selection is the responsibility of the faculty librarians, however teaching faculty are invited to help them with this process.  The following criteria are considered when weeding:

  • Obsolescence
  • Physical condition
  • Significance
  • Usage
  • Faculty recommendation
  • Duplication
  • Program profiles
  • Accreditation requirements
  • Availability of newer materials
  • Availability in an alternate format
  • Collection analysis and evaluation

Deselection of Electronic Resources

Evaluation and de-selection of electronic resources is an ongoing process using the following criteria:

  • Currency
  • Cost
  • Usage
  • Another source offers more comprehensive coverage
  • Reliability of the resource’s information