Collection Maintenance

Collection management and maintenance is part of the bigger picture of the role and value of libraries to the academic community. We are working in a rapidly changing environment. It is important that we refine our collections to appropriately meet users’ needs. The practice of research and learning is changing and outputs are diversifying. The library needs to organize itself around the workflows of research and learners, including print and digital resources. De-accession work is part of right-scaling management of print resources. We still want books, but to get new books in areas where the intent is to retain them for an extended period of time (regional history, local authors, foundational works in literature or history, etc.), we need to make room for them where it is not appropriate to keep old, outdated, superseded, damaged, or duplicate materials, especially when we have newer resources or accessible formats online.

Policy and Procedures for De-accessioning and Disposition of Materials, Chester Fritz Library

Policy

The policy for an on-going evaluation of the Chester Fritz Library Collections results in the de-accessioning of materials from collections by library staff advised by bibliographers’ knowledge of their respective fields and awareness of teaching, research and service needs, and as appropriate in consultation with appropriate faculty members in their subject areas, primarily in the following categories:

1. Materials containing inaccurate, obsolete, or superseded information.
2. Worn, damaged, or badly marked items. If the bibliographer determines the item to be of significant value to the collection, and if beyond repair, the library will attempt to obtain a replacement. Interlibrary Loan is always available to patrons.
3. Duplicate copies of rarely used materials. “Rarely used” is defined as 10 or fewer circulations (check-outs) across all copies in the past 20 years.

Disposition

Procedures for the disposition of Library materials are subject to factors such as potential value beyond the Library:

• Items that fall under the above policy (#1 and #2), will be identified for Bibliographer review or sent to Technical Services.
• Staff conducting inventory in the circulating stacks or conducting collection maintenance will pull duplicate items (#3). Items that are brought to Technical Services are checked by a cataloger for usage statistics. Duplicate items are de-accessioned if there are less than 10 combined circulations in the past 20 years. 
• In instances where it can reasonably be expected that libraries in the North Dakota, or subsequently in the MINITEX region, may be interested in acquiring de-accessioned materials, a list of appropriate materials will be periodically provided to them, indicating a closing date.
• UND Surplus policy requires that de-accessioned materials be posted to the Surplus website for 1 week.
  • Administrative Assistant submits a Surplus Property Disposal form to the UND Surplus process. Use a generic photo identified as duplicate or superseded materials, reposting as necessary. The Assistant directs callers to the Policy website.
  • De-accessioned materials from the Library can be requested by faculty and staff for use in offices or classrooms but cannot be retained as private property.
  • Once the item is transferred to a faculty member or department, it cannot be returned to the library. It must be disposed of as required by UND policy.

Any concerns will be addressed by the Head of Collection Strategies or the Dean of Libraries and Information Resources.