[R3librarians] Wednesday's Weeding Tip

[knelson at mail.esc3.net]

Why Weed Religions?

The religion section of most school library media centers may
seem small and relatively inactive compared to the rest of the collection.
Why bother to weed? Because different religions and religious beliefs have
been in the news lately, and students need current unbiased information in
these sensitive times. Your students may turn to your collection to try to
understand current conflicts and issues. Weed any old and misleading
titles and offer them attractive works with a contemporary perspective.
The AV
collection should also be checked for older titles and formats.

Specific Criteria for Weeding:

First, apply the standard physical criteria to weeding the
religion section. Look at the overall condition of each title. Since this
is a section that doesn't have heavy circulation, physical wear and tear
might not be as obvious as other conditions such as smell and feel. (Pick
it up and do the "sniff" test!) 

Now look at
the content. You probably have some weighty encyclopedias or atlases of
religion, but if they are from the 1970s or 1980s (or even earlier!) they
should be replaced with a newer edition. Any work that professes to
address the beliefs of "today's" youth must be a current
publication. If the title implies that it is a review of contemporary
religious life and thought, be sure it was published within the last ten
years. Then review the topics covered to see if they include what would
appeal to students today. There are many post 9-11 books that address
current religious concerns and interests. 

Finally,
look at format. That old filmstrip surveying the world's religions might
be in good physical shape but it must be discarded.

For more
information, visit: http://www.sunlink.ucf.edu/weed/archive/religion.html



Kristy Nelson 
Region III ESC 
Education Specialist for Library Services 
& Technology 
knelson at esc3.net 
(361)573-0731 ext. 277
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