Guidelines for reviewing print monographs across campus libraries

This guideline aims to ensure that Library monograph resources: (1) remain current and relevant to the teaching, learning and research activities within the University (2) are responsive to changing client needs (3) best utilise library space and alternative storage/archiving arrangements.

Materials are identified for de-selection based on the defined criteria in these guidelines.

General principles of de-selection

• The Library collection should be relevant and responsive to the teaching, learning and research activities of the University. The collection is regularly reviewed and outdated, inaccurate, irrelevant materials are considered for possible de-selection
• The currency of information is particularly important in some disciplines such as health sciences, information technology, business & law. The Library implements a weeding schedule to check these discipline areas against the de-selection criteria to ensure an up to date and relevant collection
• The following monograph materials is evaluated regularly for possible de-selection:
  • Titles that are no longer relevant to the teaching, learning or research of the University
  • Material that is out of date, inaccurate, damaged or badly worn
  • Material that has low use over recent years (this may vary according to the discipline)
  • Multiple copies of reading list materials once their relevance to the teaching curriculum ends
  • Superseded editions of monographs
  • Superseded editions of Deakin course materials
  • Resources in formats that have become technologically redundant and their research value does not justify transcription to another format or if copyright restrictions prohibit this. Examples include some audio-tapes, 5¼ inch floppy discs or older video-tape format
• Some monograph material is ineligible for de-selection. These include:
  • items on current reading lists
  • items that are deemed core or seminal works
  • items whose conditions of ownership do not allow de-selection, e.g. Cultural Gifts Scheme (previously Taxation Incentive for the Arts Scheme)
• The Library relegate weeded items that are scholarly in nature and last copy in major Australian university libraries to the CARM facility whenever possible.

Procedures for last copy review of the book collection

• Last copy review is undertaken on targeted areas identified by Dewey ranges.
• Areas for last copy review will be determined in by consultation with each School. This consultation will focus on the age of the collection, collection needs to support research and teaching, areas no longer of interest, potential areas of new interest and specific parts of the collection such as conference proceedings.
• This consultation contributes to the refinement of guidelines for collection development and management specific to discipline areas which are added to the Library's subject/discipline collection guidelines
• Subject Librarians review the book collection in these targeted areas using the developed guidelines.
• Academic staff are invited to access removed material that Librarians have identified as being in doubt over their ongoing retention in the collection
• CARM guidelines are applied to de-selected materials to ensure that last copies not held in other libraries will be archived to the CARM storage facility

Relegation to CARM Archival Storage

• All items identified for de-selection are checked for holdings in other major Australian university libraries. Any scholarly items not held in another major Australian university library will be relegated to the CARM archival storage centre.

• The CARM Centre is located at the CAVAL headquarters in Latrobe University grounds at Bundoora, Victoria. CAVAL (Cooperative Action by Victorian Academic Libraries) is owned jointly by the Vice-Chancellors of the Victorian universities (including Deakin) and the State Library of Victoria. The CARM centre provides environmentally controlled archival and preservation storage for valuable archival and research material. Material located in the CARM centre is available for closed access use and interlibrary loans. The CARM centre allows universities throughout Victoria to collaborate on archiving activities and centralise access to a wide range of research materials.

Disposal of unwanted materials

• All items identified for de-selection and not relegated to CARM are disposed of in an appropriate manner. Items with value or significance will be assessed by the Special Collections Coordinator for relegation or re-sale. All other materials (consisting of mainly non-current, duplicate or superseded items) will be discarded according to the Library's disposal procedures.

Targeted selection of new materials

• Information obtained from consultation with academics informs the targeted selection of new material to support the Strategic Research Centres and Faculty Research Centres.
• Librarians are encouraged to order new monograph material to improve the relevancy of the collection for the Strategic Research Centres and Faculty Research Centres.
• Areas of the collection which need building are identified and targeted for improvement.
• Orders are welcome from all academics.

Librarians

• Program Delivery Leads and Scholarly Services Librarians are available to discuss any issues relating to this policy. Experienced librarians will check every item before a de-selection decision is made.  Any queries regarding a book's continued relevance to the teaching, learning or research program of the University will be referred to a relevant academic for comment.

Feedback

• Comments or feedback on these guidelines are welcome.