Dismantling the Reference Collection

Abstract

In 2008, the University of Louisville’s (UofL) Ekstrom Library printed reference collection numbered almost 30,000 volumes. Copious collecting and sparse weeding built up the collection during the era before the Internet. There had been considerable reluctance to address its more outdated sections due to competing priorities and inertia. A change of leadership as well as the recognition of changing use patterns had lessened the need for such a large collection. In 2011, three librarians began a title-by-title review process that resulted in an 86% reduction of the reference collection by 2014. This article describes that process, summarizes the results, and discusses the benefits and disadvantages of this approach.

KEYWORDS:

• Academic libraries
• collection development
• print collections analysis
• print reference collections
• reference collections
• use studies
• weeding