All About Deselection for Librarians
Deselection Policy (a.k.a. 'weeding')
There comes a chapter in every book's shelf-life when it must be 'closed' for the last time. The following policy has been designed to ensure that a strict protocal will be adhered to during these delicate and sensitive times. Below are three links to the sections of the 'All About Deselection for Librarians' page: the first details how librarians may determine that material is ready for deselection, the second covers the deselection process, and the third is our archive of F.A.Q. regarding deselection. Following these three sections is a comment/remarks/question archive; all e-mailed comments and questions will be reviewed and shortly added to our archive (under construction). Enjoy!
III. F.A.Q.
concerning Deselection
To be considered for 'file fourteen,' all material should meet a minimum of one of the following criteria:
Once selected, the process for deselection is as follows:
The following is a collection of responses to frequently asked questions about deselection:
Question: What is the best
method to document or record deselections? -- Rich / Louisville,
KY
Answer: Really the best way is to find some wall space and, with a black pen, make a single vertical line to represent the first book deselected (like | ). The second, third, and fourth can be represented by similar vertical lines marked parallel to the first (like ||||). Then the system makes an unexpected turn, the fifth book deselected should then be indicated by a diagonal line which cuts through all four vertical lines along a NW and SE axis. This process is repeated in sets of five. After carefully experimenting and researching various methods we have found that this one serves best.
Question: What if someone confronts you 'deselecting' a book into the trash? -- Janet / Anchorage, AK
Answer: If you failed to observe step three 'secure the perimeter' while following protocal or if you were simply deceived by an interloper, follow the three d's: distract, deter, deny. Distract: change the subject; you might counter attack with something like, "My horoscope predicted that I would meet a very special friend today, are you that friend?" Deter: blackmail, apologize, pretend to be a foreigner, act blind, any such ignomious method to contain the incident. Deny: Flat out lie in the face of any accusation; after all, it's one individual's word against yours right? Fifty-fifty chance. Now if a group of spectators is involved you're pretty much screwed.
Question: What about having a bonfire? -- Smokey / Atlanta, GA
Answer: Bonfires are a great way to have fun and deselect at the same time. Remember the best time is late fall and early winter. Make sure to bring a lot of gasoline in case the fire dies and plenty of hot dogs and marshmellows. Also a wonderful opportunity for drumming and tribal dancing. Make sure you go somewhere remote, preferably an old growth forest, so no one sees you as it is quite illegal in some places. Better to be safe than sorry right?
Question: Like, do they, like, have 'weed' during this 'weeding' thing at libraries, and if so, like, can anybody stop by? -- Jerry / street corner, NYC
Answer: Good question, the answer is no. 'Weeding' has nothing to do with hemp, marijuana, botany, or gardening; may be that is a goal you and your librarian can work towards. Good luck friend.*
Question: We have an entire
floor of material, PZ to Z, where it would be easier to remove the salvageable
books than to weed out the garbage. What do we do? --
Sandy / Columbus, OH
Answer: In
cases like these, a little 'accidental' fire might come in handy.
This way, you get to kill two birds with one stone: you not only
rid your institution of the books, but you also get to rebuild the library
with your newly acquired insurance money. Make sure to pull those
good books before the big burnout, bokay? Also, try to move away
from Ohio, that's not an interesting place to live.
COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ARCHIVE:
Please e-mail
all questions and comments to: mmcnal1@lsu.edu. All questions
and comments will be briefly reviewed for addition to the archive.
That means no propaganda or inflammatory statements. Will only include
full name and location if provided (e-mail address will not be used).
Updated daily; check back soon:
| 3/3/99
|
Final Ideas (not to be confused with J. Springer's 'Final Thoughts'):
Well, we hope
you've had a good experience at the 'All About Deselection for Librarians'
web page. This is all absurdist humor of course; we apologize to
any genuinely offended parties. We hope you may have had some degree
of enjoyment from this site, and, yes, may be even learned a thing or two.
Deselection is not a laughing matter; everyday thousands of books get that
last 'check out.' It is unfortunate that our appreciation of the
written word is as undeveloped as this web site. Only you can help
us change that in the world. That's it. Oh yeah, and remember,
look after your books...and each others.
suggestions/comments/complaints
send to: mmcnal1@lsu.edu
(all messages will be reviewed
for addition to the website archive.)
* A.A.D.L. web page does not endorse or support illegal drug use of any kind. This is merely a comedic statement designed to produce laughter--albeit weak.