How to Feed and Weed Your Collection | Weeding Guidelines

Things We've Dug Up While Weeding | Reader Comments

Why Weed Biography?

It's easy to bypass the biography sections when critically weeding a collection according to the areas most subject to change. After all, a good number of biographies in school libraries are on historical figures long since dead. But current developments and research often change our perception of historical as well as contemporary figures. And a title that was chosen for its "contemporary" value 10, 20, or even 30 years ago, probably has no meaning or interest for today's students.

The Biographical Dictionary (http://www.s9.com/) "This dictionary covers more than 28,000 notable men and women who have shaped our world from ancient times to the present day. The dictionary can be searched by birth years, death years, positions held, professions, literary and artistic works, achievements, and other keywords."

Suggested Dewey Numbers to Check:

Most school library collections keep their biographies in a separate shelving area with collection codes such as 92, 921, BIO, or B. Collective biographies may be found in the 920 section. But you will also have to check for biographies classed with the individual subject areas, such as sports biographies in the 796s. Also check your audiovisual materials, vertical file, and poster collections.

Specific Criteria for Weeding:

Review your biography titles with particular attention to gender/race awareness, changes in perception over time, and currency of interest. Look at collective biographies with titles that imply only men had an impact on the development of science, medicine, or politics while women impacted only fields such as nursing. Titles that target the achievements of racial and gender groups must also be checked for sensitivity. Look also for titles on personalities such as Pete Rose and Richard Nixon who have undergone changes in public perception due to personal or legal issues. And finally, look for currency in your collection. A reader interested in popular music may be drawn to a biography of a performer like Gloria Estefan but not someone popular a few years ago like Cyndi Lauper or many years ago like Kate Smith!

Consider Weeding Titles Like These:

• 40 presidents, 1968.
• 50 great Americans : their inspiring lives and achievements, 1948. LCCN 48006370
• 50 great modern lives : inspiring biographies of men and women who have guided mankind to a better world, [1956]. LCCN 56007089
• 100 great modern lives : makers of the world today from Faraday to Kennedy, 1966. LCCN 66010866
• 100 greatest football heroes, 1954.
• The 100 most important people in the world today, [1952]. LCCN 52008335
• The 100 most important people in the world today, [1970]. LCCN 75081649
• 100 years of Negro freedom, 1961. LCCN 61011716
• 150 [i. e. Ciento cincuenta] biografias de mexicanos ilustres, 1962.
• 400 outstanding women of the world, and costumology of their time, 1933.
• 4192! : a celebration of Pete Rose, baseball's record-breaking hitter, c1985. LCCN 85200824
• A. J. Foyt : the only four time winner, c1978. LCCN 78105549
• Adolf Hiter, c1936.
• AFL dream backfield, [1969]. LCCN 70087089
• African heroes and heroines, [c1969]. LCCN 76105703
• Afro-Americans : then and now, [c1969]. LCCN 73082265
• Akbar of India, c1951.
• America and its presidents, c1959.
• America and its presidents, 1969.
• American composers today : a biographical and critical guide, 1940.
• American demagogues : twentieth century, [1954]. LCCN 54008428
• American feminists, 1963. LCCN 63017010
• American heritage book fo the Presidents and famous Americans, [1967]. LCCN 67012999
• American heroes and hero-worship, 1943. LCCN 43014328
• American heroes of Asian wars, [1968]. LCCN 68021902
• American Indian women, [1974]. LCCN 73000362
• American labor leaders, personalities and forces in the labor movement, [1950].
• American made : men who shaped the American economy, c1979. LCCN 79015971
• American men of science, a biographical directory, 1938.
• American men of science, a biographical directory, c1960.
• American negro musicians, c1969.
• The American political tradition and the men who made it, 1948. LCCN 48008258
• American sports heroes of today, [1970]. LCCN 70117545
• American women of nursing, c1955. LCCN 47002474
• Americans by adoption : brief biographies of great citizens born in foreign lands, c1920.
• America's Black congressmen, [1971]. LCCN 70146280
• America's explorers of space, including a special report on project Apollo, [1969]. LCCN 7013740
• America's twelve great women leaders during the past hundred years as chosen by the women of America, [1969]. LCCN 74090600
• Anne : portrait of a princess, 1970. LCCN 71527993
• Architects of aviation, [1951]. LCCN 51010403
• Authentic biographies of the world's greatest people, c1955. LCCN 55025888
• Auto racing's young lions, c1977. LCCN 76053824
• Automotive giants of America, c1926. LCCN 26013009
• Babe Ruth : one of baseball's greatest, 1986, c1954. LCCN 86010957
• Billie Jean, 1974. LCCN 73004099
• Carol Heiss : olympic queen, c1961. LCCN 61000829
• The value of facing a challenge : the story of Terry Fox, c1979.
• The value of tenacity : the story of Maurice Richard, c1979.