Weeding Kerfuffle at Urbana Free Library

This blows my mind!

http://www.smilepolitely.com/culture/do_you_ever_read_any_of_the_books_you_weed/

Both UFL staff and the public (who were alarmed at the rapidly emptying shelves) spoke out, but the weeding continued until a library board meeting (and Mayor Laurel Prussing) was called. JP Goguen, a university library employee, was at the meeting, recorded it, and sent the recording to me (the board normally does not record meetings). The conversation at this meeting is alarming. Urbana Free Library’s director, Deb Lissak, made a unilateral decision to weed books in the print collection by date alone. It seems that the Adult Services staff’s expertise and knowledge of the collection was neither consulted nor welcomed. In fact, Anne Phillips, Director of Adult Services, was not even in the country when the project began and was unaware that it was happening at all. 

Bolding mine. Read the comments after the full article.

Here’s another:

http://will.illinois.edu/news/story/urbana-free-library-scrutinized-over-book-weeding

The breakdown in communication and lack of transparency in the process is concerning to me. In the comments on both articles it’s reported that resolutions have been initiated. I hope the outcomes are positive: some books returned, better policies, and a much more open and collaborative process of communication.

Update:

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