Abstract
Weeding is taking place because we are running out of space – we have accrued/acquired duplicates by donation, sometimes it would appear to replace missing items, which subsequently turn up … The result has been multiple copies of often old, out of date, and little used texts. [Usage can be demonstrated by the date of the database ‘update’ when I enhanced the record: material that was borrowed/used was updated at that time, whereas material not so used was only updated in my systematic database update].
Following a meeting of interested parties, rather than re-activate a ‘library committee’ [attempts at which had failed three times] we convened the ‘LSG’ – Library support group - comprising a GASi member, an IGA member, and the Librarian, to check and confirm deletions.
These deletions have been withdrawn – in a comparatively small number of instances, sole copies, which can be demonstrated as unused over at least the past six years, and excess multiple copies, retaining one, or more copies. Of less interest to GASi, but of interest to IGA students, we continue to retain multiple copies of heavily cited texts.
The withdrawn items have been put up for disposal to members/students as a book sale with ‘honesty box’ for donations, and this has netted to date [June 2014] over £870.00 [inclusive of a duplicate set of the Standard Edition of Freud] – which will be spent on purchase of new stock, and ensuring that we hold hard copies of items needed for reading lists and to mount on the VLE.
The LSG has so far met twice, in January and March, 2014, and at time of writing, has another meeting planned for June. This should enable us to complete an overview of the stock, for the time being.
The withdrawn material has been indicated on the database as ‘disposed’, so please be aware of this when searching the database.