Inventory should be done at the end of every year. The purpose of inventory is to assess the media center's needs to enrich readers with quality books, weed books that no longer hold interest or relevance, develop skills or knowledge, and support the curriculum. Media specialists goals for inventory include:

• Purge damaged books from the collection

• Discover any books missing or shelved incorrectly

• Weed books that are outdated or irrelevant.

• Check for books that are poorly circulated.

• Re-shelf any materials in the incorrect area.

Inventory steps include:

1. Checking holding against the catalog system, using Follett Destiny.

2. Attempt to find any missing books

3. Take any damaged books out of circulation.

4. To re shelf any books placed on the incorrect shelf.

Resources:

“Library Media Program: Inventory.” The School Library Media Specialist: Library Media Program: Introduction, eduscapes.com/sms/program/inventory.html.

“LibGuides: WCPS Library Media Policies and Procedures Guide: Collection Development.” Collection Development - WCPS Library Media Policies and Procedures Guide - LibGuides at Washington County Public Schools, libguides.wcps.k12.md.us/LMGuide/CollectionDevelopment.

“LibGuides: WCPS Library Media Policies and Procedures Guide: Follett Destiny.” Follett Destiny - WCPS Library Media Policies and Procedures Guide - LibGuides at Washington County Public Schools, libguides.wcps.k12.md.us/LMGuide/destiny.

Weeding is an integral part of the media center. In order to make room for newer, updated books, there must be a process in place to clear out books no longer relevant to our library. The media specialist weeds the following kinds of books each year:

• Damaged

• Irrelevant/outdated

• Worn

• Not being circulated in the media center for more than a school year.

Tips for weeding

• Design a plan that includes a schedule and a goal for the weeding process.

• Schedule weeding during an uninterrupted time.

• Have post-its, carts and boxes available.

• Look at each book and apply your criteria.

• If pulling the book, note the reason and place on a cart for mending or in a box for disposal.

• Remove records from circulation system.

CREW

A schedule is maintained by the CREW system:

Continuous

Review

Evaluation

Weeding

MUSTY Formula

The media specialist at Dream Elementary School will use the MUSTY formula to determine if books need to be weeded.

M=Misleading and/or factually inaccurate information

U=Ugly, worn and beyond mending

S=Superseded by a new edition or a much better book on the subject

T=Trivial of no discernible literary or scientific merit

Y=Your collection has no use for this book. It is irrelevant to the needs and interests of your community.

Resources:

Kpekoll. “Collection Maintenance and Weeding.” Tools, Publications & Resources, 29 Dec. 2017, www.ala.org/tools/challengesupport/selectionpolicytoolkit/weeding.

Casigo, Keri. “Culling Your Collection: The Fine Art of Weeding.” Http://Downloads.alcts.ala.org/Ce/0323_11_fine_art_of_weeding_slides.Pdf, ALCTS.

"Weeding Brochure.: California School Library Information: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/lb/documents/weedingbrochure.pdf

“Weeding Policy.” Http://Www.meredithlibrary.org/Uploads/5/3/8/8/5388903/weeding_policy.Pdf, Meredith Library.

Larson, Jeannette. “ CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries.” CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries | TSLAC, www.tsl.texas.gov/ld/pubs/crew/index.html.