Weeding

WEEDING

Weeding the School Library from the California Department of Education Awful Library Books

Thriftbooks will take some used books: Lisa Pollock Western Regional Library Account Manager 7631 N Upland Drive Portland, OR 97203 cell: 541.778.3852 office: 253-275-2241 X 7168 fax: 253.322.6164 email: lpollock@thriftbooks.com http://www.thriftbooks.com/library/

Newsletter article: Ever wonder why libraries "throw books away?" While shelving books at Western's library, I came across a book titled //Computers: Their Operation and Applications// by Edmund Callis Berkeley. This book was published in 1956, and was shelved in the Mathematics section (before the Dewey Decimal System was revised to hold computers in the 004-006 section). Here's a gem of information on "Miniature Computers and their use in Training:"

"**Access to a Computer** One main requirement in every undertaking to teach persons about automatic computers is access to one. Obviously, those schools that have automatic computers are the ones that offer courses in their operation. Ideally, every school that teaches mathematics should possess an example of an automatic computer, so that students might be trained not only in the process of doing arithmetic by hand, but also in the process of doing arithmetic by automatic computer. However, most automatic computers are monopolized by "VIP's -- very important problems....An automatic computer may rent for $300 an hour, and it is hardly possible to allow individual students a couple of hours of actual instruction and experiment on such a machine, as if it were a desk calculator. A second factor is that many schools can afford to spend not more than a few hundred dollars towards an automatic computing machine, while the current lowest cost of a digital computer is about $40,000." (pp. 172-173)

=Spring Cleaning = When we discard our back issues of magazines, we are completing a process called weeding or de-selection. Materials that no longer meet the District’s selection criteria must be discarded to avoid giving students false information. Although libraries used to keep extensive archives of magazines for research purposes, the Internet and availability of electronic resources makes archives obsolete.

Do you have old books and magazines piling up at home? If you have books and magazines that you will never read again or use for reference purposes, consider donating your old books and magazines to the school. Books and magazines appropriate for high school can be brought to the library. We have a bin for magazines (black out your name and address first), and paperbacks can be used in classroom libraries (you may even want to start your own). There is also a faculty bookshelf in the mail room where you can donate books appropriate for teachers. Take the rest to your local public library. Keep a list for your tax records and use it as a charitable contribution (estimate fair market value for used books based on used book store prices—up to 50% of the cover price, depending on the condition of the book.).

These forms were developed by Western High School Librarian, Heather Gruenthal



These forms were developed by La Entrada Library:

Student TA weeding assignment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7IOsB_ztqU&sns=em
 * "Weed It" Book Cart Drill Team Winners CSLA/CLA 2010**

Weed It!

They told me they don't want to read around here. Don't wanna see your books, they're so yesteryear. The boredoms in their eyes, and their words are really clear.

So weed it, just weed it.

Can't find the new books. Patrons have to ask. 'Cuz they're buried in those overstuffed, sagging stacks. If you want 'em to read, you better clean up your act. So weed it. 'cuz you wanna be read.

Just weed it. Weed it. If it's gettin' old, delete it. If it smells funky. If it's all jacked. If it says "negro" where it should say "black," Just weed it. Just weed it. Just weed it. Just weed it.

Pluto 's a planet, and pandas are racoons. And someday a man is gonna walk on the moon. Your items that don't circ should be cleared out real soon. So weed it. Just weed it.

You have to show them that libraries aren't lame. You're playing with their minds. This ain't some kind of game. Outdated information's a professional shame. So weed it. 'Cuz you wanna be read.

Just weed it. Weed it. If it's gettin' old, delete it. If it smells funky. If it's passé. If it shows how to do macramé.

Just weed it. Weed it. If it's gettin' old, delete it. If it's been taped up and superglued, If it says Berlin is still split in two..

Just weed it. Weed it. Just weed it. Weed it. Just weed it. Weed it. Just weed it. Weed it.

Thank you, Michael Jackson, for the inspiration. Thank you, Jack Baur of Berkeley Public Library, for the amazing vocals.