Weeding for Success
Course
Disposing of the Discards [5:57]
In this lesson, we will discuss what to do with materials that have been weeded out of a library collection.
You may need to work on how you actually word your request to do what would seem to be the most logical thing. For example, many districts, cities and counties stipulate that surplus, unwanted and unneeded materials must be sold at public auction. In reality that works for surplus school buses but not for books which may bring bids of a dollar a box or no bids at all. So if the answer that you get is that everything has to go to bidding you might want to discuss that with your purchasing people.
Selling is often regulated to ensure that there are no sweetheart deals where materials are withdrawn to sell cheaply to a friend. This has happened with expensive encyclopedia sets and media that may actually have real value. Surprisingly, even things you know are worthless can be fuel for a scandal when someone decides you are acting inappropriately in giving away materials.
In some places only recognized groups like Friends of the Library or the PTA can sell discarded library resources. The idea is that the money these support groups raise comes back to help the library whenever possible share the wealth. I don't recommend saving materials that are in truly hard condition. No one really wants the bug infested book or thoroughly scratched up CD with missing disks. But you may be able to donate unneeded material to other organizations that use books and other library resources. In some cases you may be able to trade your excess items with another library. You may no longer need 20 copies of a particular book, but newer libraries in your area might be missing that title and would welcome a book either as a donation or in trade.
Old picture books can be used by the art teachers for collages or you can use them to create flannel board stories. Childcare centers may appreciate getting extra copies of older books while afterschool care centers might like extra copies of paperbacks. Some materials can be shared with less fortunate schools if the items are still usable. Be cautious about sending really outdated items to schools in Third World countries. Organizations like Libraries of Love which builds libraries in Africa have guidelines for what books they can accept. You don't want to pay to ship books that would be discarded because no one needs a 1948 book on nutrition or a 1968 title on computers. Another way to share the wealth is by selling excess stock. If there's not a friends group to hold used book sales, look for vendors like Discover Books that will take your ex-library books, sell them and directly or indirectly give funds back to libraries.
Some items may be sellable on eBay or Craigslist but in most cases if they're worth that much your district will want to handle the sales. And again, old library books that are marked up and heavily used are rarely worth anything to collectors.
Books can be reused in very creative ways. Look at Pinterest or sites for altered books like Go Make Something and other craft websites for ideas. There actually is a society of altered book artists and this is an art form that goes back to medieval times. There are some great artistic uses for books. In addition to simply using pictures to create art or flannel board sets, the full book can be used to create something nifty. Art books may also have plates that could be pulled and framed. Everything from purses to hidden compartments can be made from old books. One of my favorites uses the covers and a few pages with added blank pages to make notebooks. Ask the shop teacher or a parent who is handy with tools to jigsaw cut the books that have patterned covers into letters to extend up a sculpture. The PTA may even want to sell these items. Even some media like CDs can be repurposed into craft projects.
Recycling is often harder than you think it will be. Even places with good recycling centers may not accept books. Most will take magazines, newspapers and paperbacks, but the buck room covers from hardbacks don't usually recycle. That means that hardback books can only be accepted if the covers are pulled off, something that can be very time consuming.
Destruction is the last resort for bibliophiles. If you can't stand the idea of throwing away a book you will try everything else first, but ultimately some items are doomed for the dumpster. Be sure that the items are marked ‘discard' and to the extent that it's feasible, remove property markings. Failing to do this may mean some kind soul brings you back that were accidently thrown away or were put in the trash by vandals.
Austin Public Library in Texas has a nice page on their recycled read section that focuses on green weeding. Ultimately the goal is to keep books and other library materials out of landfills. Check out some of these ideas before you throw away your discards.
I know that you have more questions and will face issues that we have not addressed. The learning support materials include details about some of the support resources discussed here and of course, the Crew manual offers much more detail and specifics and support than we can cover here and I urge you to get the free download of that manual.
The disposal of weeded items is a process for which it is imperative to know and follow district and/or government policies regarding materials purchased with public funds. (Such policies may apply to independent or private schools, as well). Selling may have regulations regarding who can sell and how funds may be applied. Donation to charity is a popular idea for weeded books, but it is a potentially limited solution; just as librarians are likely to weed books with inaccurate or outdated information, some book donation organizations may reject unacceptable donations. Creative maker projects with discarded books may be an option, with numerous ideas for student and/or teacher projects available online.
Skim websites for ideas on creating art projects (a few examples in Resources below) and student learning materials from discarded books. Some examples of projects are blackout or page poetry; folded page art, and journals or blank books with used book covers. Using a weeded book, make a project to share with a classroom teacher or art teacher. What curricular connections can you make? Or, how might you facilitate the creation of student artwork to display in the library?
Bates, Naomi. "Informal Learning, Creative Archiving, and the Library." School Library Connection, May 2017
Pinterest (search terms: altered books, blackout poetry, folded book page art): https://www.pinterest.com/
Go Make Something, Altered Books: http://gomakesomething.com/category/ht/ab/
MLA Citation
Morris, Rebecca J. "Weeding for Success: Upcycle & Create Book Projects." School Library Connection, September 2017, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/1964554?learningModuleId=1964556&topicCenterId=2247902.
Entry ID: 2128221
Additional Resources
About the Author
Jeanette Larson is a semi-retired librarian and adjunct professor at Texas Woman's University. She earned her MLS from the University of Southern California. Larson is the author of several books for librarians, including CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries, Children's Services Today: A Practical Guide for Librarians, The Public Library Policy Writer, and El día de los niños/El día de los libros: Building a Culture of Literacy in Your Community through Día, as well as a book for children, Hummingbirds: Facts and Folklore from the Americas.
Known as a ruthless weeder, Larson recently culled her personal library prior to moving to a smaller home in Rockport, TX.
MLA Citation
Larson, Jeanette. "Weeding for Success. Disposing of the Discards [5:57]." School Library Connection, ABC-CLIO, September 2015, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/1964554?learningModuleId=1964556&topicCenterId=2247902.
https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/1964554?learningModuleId=1964556&topicCenterId=2247902
Entry ID: 1964554