[ISLMA-Share] Early Childhood Library Advice Needed

[Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association]

A lot of teachers don't understand weeding as a way to help your collection evolve and grow. I recommend that you ask for a list from each teacher of either specific titles that they use every year or themes that are taught. That way you can start to identify "classics" that might be worth keeping and titles that are just taking up shelf space. As you have an opportunity to weed and replace older titles, you could offer a few select, choice weeded materials to teachers for classroom use.


Also use your circulation data if you have it to inform your weeding decision making. No matter what an educator thinks, a "classic" no student checks out is just a space holder. Data can help back up your decisions if challenged.


Saving a few choice weeds that have ethnic or gender stereotypes and/or misinformation to share will help support your cause.


Hope this helps!
Gretchen Zaitzeff
Librarian
University High School
Normal, IL

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From: islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info <islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info> on behalf of Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info>
Sent: Friday, February 3, 2017 7:50:53 AM
To: islma at list.railslibraries.info
Subject: [ISLMA-Share] Early Childhood Library Advice Needed

Hey all…I was wondering if there are any guidelines pertaining to collection development in Early Childhood libraries. I did an inventory at one of my centers and the average publication year of my collection was 1997. The average age of books suggested for weeding was 1977! Some books in the collection are so archaic looking... but I have been warned by teachers that these are “classics” and shouldn’t be removed. Sigh. I am a first year librarian so any help would be greatly appreciated.

--
Nicole Gasparini
Librarian: Rockford Public Schools
nicole.gasparini at rps205.com<mailto:nicole.gasparini at rps205.com>

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