Serials Deselection

This study postulates that too little discarding is being practiced and that library shelves contain quantities of unused and unwanted materials. It finds that few practicing librarians feel that sufficient weeding is being done. It finds also that most deacquisitions research is carried out in college and university libraries, since serious problems exist in such libraries. Finally, it indicates that deacquisitions is one of the best techniques available for the long-range building of useful collections, as weeding improves the efficiency and vitality of a collection in the same way that unnecessary items weaken it.