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Appendix C: Collection Weeding Guidelines and MUSTIE Criteria
Collection Weeding Guidelines and MUSTIE Criteria (PDF)
| LC | Category | Formula | Recommendations |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | General Works | 10/3/MUSTIE | General encyclopedias: 5/3/MUSTIE. Stagger replacement sets over a seven-year period. General statistics: 2/X/MUSTIE. Almanacs are seldom of much use after two years. Add one, discard one every year, keeping only the last three years in the collection. |
| B | Philosophy Psychology Religion | 15/5/MUSTIE | Replace works on clinical, comparative, and developmental psychology within eight years. Logic and ethics: 10/3/MUSTIE. Replace worn classics with attractive new editions. Religion: Include timely and comprehensive information on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism. Use 5/3/MUSTIE for areas of rapid change. |
| C, D, E, F | History American History | 5/15/MUSTIE | Main factors: demand, accuracy of facts, and fairness of interpretation. Consider discarding personal narratives and war memoirs in favor of broader histories unless the author is a local person or the book is cited in a bibliography as having outstanding style or content. |
| G | Geography | 15/5/MUSTIE | Include oversized atlases when evaluating this category. |
| H | Social Sciences | 10/X/MUSTIE | Ensure that controversial issues are represented from all viewpoints and that information is current, accurate, and fair. Discard career materials after five years; pay close attention to revisions in standard test books (GED, ACT, etc.). |
| J | Political Science | 10/3/MUSTIE | 5/3/MUSTIE for topical books; judge historical books more based on use. |
| K | Law | 10/X/MUSTIE | Replace when more current data become available. Never keep superseded editions. |
| L | Education | 15/5/MUSTIE | Keep historical materials only if used. |
| M, N | Music; Fine Arts | X/X/MUSTIE | Keep all basic materials, especially histories. Replace with new editions when they become worn and unattractive. |
| P | Language, Literature | 10/3/MUSTIE | Keep classical authors and dictionaries of major foreign languages and any other languages taught. Literature: X/X/MUSTIE. Keep basic materials, especially works and criticism of classical authors; discard minor authors no longer read. Collaborate with English faculty. |
| Q | Science | 10/3/MUSTIE | Pay particular attention to physics, environmental issues, and astronomy sections with respect to currency. Keep basic works of significant historical or literary value, such as Charles Darwin's Origin of Species or Michael Faraday's Chemical History of a Candle. Geology books (X/3/MUSTIE) should be kept indefinitely, or until superseded by newer editions. Anatomy and physiology (X/3/MUSTIE) change very little. |
| QA | Math; Computers | 10/3/MUSTIE | Replace older materials on algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus with revised editions. Computers: 5/3/MUSTIE. Works on computers are seldom useful after three years. Works on software have an even shorter life span. |
| R | Medicine | 5/3/MUSTIE | For health-related items such as PDR and diseases and conditions, keep the most recent year or within five years. For Health Science disciplines, as a rule keep within five years except in disciplines where updates are less frequent. Exam guides should be most current, within two years or less. Materials on rapidly changing fields of research such as AIDS, genetics, cancer, and infertility: 2/X/MUSTIE. |
| S | Agriculture Forestry | 5/3/MUSTIE | |
| T | Technology | 5/3/MUSTIE | View any materials over five years critically. Check closely for outdated photography techniques and equipment. |
| U, V | Military Science, Naval Science | 15/5/MUSTIE | Include veteran topics of interest, particularly for veteran students, and local history of naval bases. |
| Z | Bibliography, Library Science | 13/3/MUSTIE | Bibliographies are seldom of value after 10 years from date of copyright. Discard library science materials that do not conform to current, acceptable practice. |
| Periodicals | These are weeded at the discretion of the campus libraries. |
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