The Times Australia
The Times World News

.
Men's Weekly

.

Librarians have good reasons to ‘weed’ books from their shelves. Why is book removal so controversial?

  • Written by Sarah Polkinghorne, Research Fellow, Social Change Enabling Impact Platform, RMIT University
Librarians have good reasons to ‘weed’ books from their shelves. Why is book removal so controversial?

Earlier this year, the removal of thousands of books to make room for renovations[1] at Melbourne’s City Library[2] prompted an outcry. Removing the books was “an absolute act of vandalism,” librarian Alice Bluer told The Age.

The City of Melbourne argued the space was needed for other in-demand uses, such as “community meetings, study and co-working”. The collection would be “refreshed”, taking into account “community feedback and borrowing trends”. Books not retained would be dispersed across the library network, donated or recycled.

Such disagreements bubble up periodically in the media, whether in schools[3] or in national libraries[4]. But where there are libraries, there is always “weeding”. Librarians select books for library collections, and over time, some of these books are deselected (or weeded) and removed.

As a practice, weeding is not quite as old as libraries. Famously, the ancient Great Library of Alexandria strove to be a “universal library[5]” collecting all existing knowledge (on papyrus scrolls). But it existed in a profoundly different time, when knowledge we take for granted was only just being discovered.

The cover of The Da Vinci Code.
There can be too many copies of The Da Vinci Code. Goodreads[6]

With public libraries mandated to support literacy, recreational reading, and free access to information, today’s librarians make decisions about removing books amid competing pressures on their spaces and budgets. Even as libraries increasingly collect digital publications alongside print, weeding remains necessary.

But, as the recent Melbourne example shows, even professional librarians can disagree when difficult choices are made. So what drives those decisions?

The books most likely to go

Books most likely to be weeded include:

  • Duplicate copies. Public libraries often purchase numerous copies of hot, new bestsellers. While demand is high at the start, often with long lists of waiting readers, demand recedes over time. To create space for new titles, some copies (of, say, The Da Vinci Code) will eventually be deselected.

  • Copies “loved to death”. Library staff want people to borrow books (and other materials, like games and magazines), to take them home, and enjoy them when riding the tram or train. Wear and tear is expected. People drop books in bathtubs and yes, sometimes a dog will eat the latest Raina Telgemeier[7] graphic novel. Worn-out or damaged books are often replaced.

  • Copies that aren’t loved enough. At times, books fall out of favour with borrowers. Books that were once regular book club titles, or a hit with young readers, now gather dust on the shelf. Librarians use professional judgement to weed such books.

  • Outdated books. In public libraries, consider how quickly technology manuals (Windows 95 for Dummies) or travel guides (Europe on $10 a Day) go out of date. In a university library, books supporting learning in medicine or engineering, for example – where the community needs state-of-the-art knowledge – may be replaced with new editions.

  • Print copies collected in digital form. For more than 20 years, libraries have increased their collections of digital books. Many patrons now have e-readers and want to browse and borrow at home. Although digital books remain problematic in terms of licensing costs and publisher access models, they do enrich accessibility in important ways.

Libraries are for much more than reading and borrowing books. They are the hubs of their communities, providing spaces for children to study, for language learners to attend conversation classes, for job seekers to receive career support, for people to try 3D printing or sewing or mixing a record – the list goes on. All of these activities require a mix of rooms and open spaces, putting significant pressure on space for books.

Sadness and outrage

Weeding is often controversial[8]. Even when books are weeded for good reasons, and despite libraries and librarians being highly trusted[9], public outcry is common. Reactions often range from sadness to outrage.

In 2011 major weeding projects at University of Sydney and University of New South Wales resulted in a “mass book-borrowing action[10]” by concerned students, with one critic[11] comparing the weeding to “book-burning”. As with the recent Melbourne City Library case, weeding in these university libraries was being done to create space for other services and activities.

Unfortunately, these controversies are often only known to us through media reports, which cannot capture the complexities of each case.

Yet weeding outrage clearly reflects disagreements and misunderstandings about the nature of libraries, rooted in beliefs about their purpose. Weeding is a lightning rod for core concerns that run deep.

Many people continue to equate “libraries” primarily with “books”, rather than understanding contemporary libraries are hubs for community connection[12], learning, literacy, safety, encounters with technology, and so much more.

Yes, books are at the heart of libraries. However, books are not the only things that matter in libraries. Libraries shoulder an ever-increasing, diverse set of responsibilities[13] in their communities, patching holes in the social safety net, and providing services to address social crises from misinformation to homelessness.

Meanwhile, the quantity of new books published annually continues to rise, now estimated between 500,000 and one million titles each year[14]. Many of these books will be hotly requested, especially at local public libraries. Librarians must make tough decisions balancing book borrowers’ needs against many other demands on limited resources.

Books in bins?

Of course, one aspect of weeding controversy is bigger than the libraries themselves. What happens to all those weeded books? One reason the Melbourne case made the news was the confronting idea of “recycled” books being trucked away to be turned into pulp[15].

While some books may be sold or donated to charity[16], the harsh reality is the number of weeded books headed to recycling generally far outweighs those that can be re-homed.

A pile of books beside a rubbish bin. The idea of books in bins can be confronting. azazello photo studio/Shutterstock[17]

This is also true of unsold “remainders” in bookshops[18] and of books people discard from personal collections[19]. Despite the rise in little free libraries outside people’s homes at the height of the pandemic in Australia, many of these have now been replaced by little food pantries[20].

The optics of books being tossed into bins may echo concerns around book bans, which librarians have long fought against[21]. But a key difference between the two is the reason why a book is being removed. Book bans are a violation of professional standards. But weeding a book is not censoring a book.

Librarians often compare collections across library systems so enough copies are available into the future. Weeding is governed by decades of professional guidance and upheld by international expectations for effective collections management. As the Australian Public Library Alliance and Australian Library and Information Association state in their guidelines for public libraries[22], “Collection size is not of itself a sufficient indicator of collection quality.”

The key criterion is whether and how the library serves the needs of its community. Libraries continuously evolve to support diverse needs, today and for tomorrow.

References

  1. ^ renovations (x.com)
  2. ^ Melbourne’s City Library (www.theage.com.au)
  3. ^ schools (www.cbc.ca)
  4. ^ national libraries (librarylearningspace.com)
  5. ^ universal library (momaa.org)
  6. ^ Goodreads (www.goodreads.com)
  7. ^ Raina Telgemeier (goraina.com)
  8. ^ controversial (x.com)
  9. ^ highly trusted (www.ifla.org)
  10. ^ mass book-borrowing action (www.smh.com.au)
  11. ^ one critic (www.smh.com.au)
  12. ^ hubs for community connection (amazinglibrarydesigns.org.au)
  13. ^ ever-increasing, diverse set of responsibilities (www.theguardian.com)
  14. ^ 500,000 and one million titles each year (ideas.bkconnection.com)
  15. ^ trucked away to be turned into pulp (www.theage.com.au)
  16. ^ some books may be sold or donated to charity (medium.com)
  17. ^ azazello photo studio/Shutterstock (www.shutterstock.com)
  18. ^ unsold “remainders” in bookshops (www.inspired-quill.com)
  19. ^ from personal collections (www.mentalfloss.com)
  20. ^ replaced by little food pantries (www.abc.net.au)
  21. ^ which librarians have long fought against (theconversation.com)
  22. ^ guidelines for public libraries (read.alia.org.au)

Read more https://theconversation.com/librarians-have-good-reasons-to-weed-books-from-their-shelves-why-is-book-removal-so-controversial-232163

Times Magazine

Effective Commercial Pest Control Solutions for a Safer Workplace

Keeping a workplace clean, safe, and free from pests is essential for maintaining productivity, protecting employee health, and upholding a company's reputation. Pests pose health risks, can cause structural damage, and can lead to serious legal an...

The Science Behind Reverse Osmosis and Why It Matters

What is reverse osmosis? Reverse osmosis (RO) is a water purification process that removes contaminants by forcing water through a semi-permeable membrane. This membrane allows only water molecules to pass through while blocking impurities such as...

Foodbank Queensland celebrates local hero for National Volunteer Week

Stephen Carey is a bit bananas.   He splits his time between his insurance broker business, caring for his young family, and volunteering for Foodbank Queensland one day a week. He’s even run the Bridge to Brisbane in a banana suit to raise mon...

Senior of the Year Nominations Open

The Allan Labor Government is encouraging all Victorians to recognise the valuable contributions of older members of our community by nominating them for the 2025 Victorian Senior of the Year Awards.  Minister for Ageing Ingrid Stitt today annou...

CNC Machining Meets Stage Design - Black Swan State Theatre Company & Tommotek

When artistry meets precision engineering, incredible things happen. That’s exactly what unfolded when Tommotek worked alongside the Black Swan State Theatre Company on several of their innovative stage productions. With tight deadlines and intrica...

Uniden Baby Video Monitor Review

Uniden has released another award-winning product as part of their ‘Baby Watch’ series. The BW4501 Baby Monitor is an easy to use camera for keeping eyes and ears on your little one. The camera is easy to set up and can be mounted to the wall or a...

The Times Features

Running Across Australia: What Really Holds the Body Together?

How William Goodge’s 3,800km run reveals the connection between movement, mindset, and mental resilience As a business owner, I’ve come to realise that the biggest wins rarely com...

Telehealth is Transforming Healthcare Services in Australia

It has traditionally not been easy to access timely healthcare in Australia, particularly for people who live in remote areas. Many of them spend hours on the road just to see a...

Launchd Acquires Huume, Strengthening Creative Firepower Across Talent-Led Marketing

Launchd, a leader in talent, technology and brand partnerships, has announced its acquisition of influencer talent management agency Huume from IZEA. The move comes as the medi...

Vietnam's "Gold Coast" Emerges as Extraordinary Investment Frontier and Australian Inspired Way of Life

$2 Billion super-city in Vung Tau set to replicate Australia's Gold Coast success story A culturally metamorphic development aptly named "Gold Coast" is set to reshape Vietna...

Choosing the Wrong Agent Is the #1 Regret Among Aussie Property Sellers

Selling your home is often one of the largest financial transactions you’ll make, and for many Australians, it’s also one of the most emotional. A new survey of Australian home se...

Travel Insurance for Families: What Does it Cover and Why it’s Essential

Planning a family trip is exciting, but unexpected mishaps can turn your dream vacation into a stressful ordeal. That’s where travel insurance comes in—it’s your safety net when ...