The librarian has more responsibilities than you might think. Ms. Harward may scan books and enter fines, but she also is in charge of adding to, and sometimes subtracting from the media center’s collection. ‘Weeding’ is the process of selecting irrelevant or outdated books to be removed from the collection.

“I probably should have a more regular schedule for weeding, but I would say weeding is going on constantly, just sometimes we’re weeding more heavily than others,” Ms. Harward said. “We are constantly in the process of shelf reading, making sure that the books are in order… you might see a book from 1924 that hasn’t ever been checked out, and that’s probably something to get rid of.”

Weeded books end up in the Library’s free book box, which gives the students a chance to take them home.

“Two years ago we [weeded] fiction heavily, and it was kind of fun, because kids would come in every day looking for the free book that day,” Harward said. “Every once and a while there is something I put out that people want.”

However, the unwanted books sometimes are just that: unwanted.

“Last year I did a significant weeding of the non-fiction, and that was not as fun for students. They would come in and there would be a geography book from 1913,” Harward said. “Right now I’ve got a bunch that have been sitting for a while.”

If books don’t make it out of the free book box, they are donated or sometimes even recycled. Still, Ms. Harward enjoys watching what books people get excited about.

“It’s amazing to see what books they won’t check out, but are glad to take home for free.”