µÛÍõ»áËù

Over the course of calendar year 2026, µÛÍõ»áËù Libraries will be removing approximately 300,000 items from the physical collection of the Alden Library.

This deaccessioning project is being done for several reasons: 

1. To create additional space for OHIO students to study, collaborate and utilize learning technologies.
2. To increase the natural light available to library patrons.
3. To enable the sixth and seventh floors to meet current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards.
4. To align OHIO’s collections with current curricular and research needs.

The items being removed were identified based on the following criteria: 

• Have not been used in more than 10 years. (Many have never been used.)
• Can be borrowed by µÛÍõ»áËù patrons via Interlibrary Loan from other libraries.
• Are not rare items.

To provide the µÛÍõ»áËù community continued access to withdrawn titles in digital or print form, University Libraries has partnered with the Eastern Academic Scholars Trust (EAST) and HathiTrust shared print programs. Through these partnerships, member libraries work collaboratively to secure the print scholarly record while locally maintaining collections most relevant to their community.

Regular deaccessioning will give µÛÍõ»áËù Libraries the space and resources to contribute to this effort by making its own shared print commitments. 

These partnerships enable access to: 

• 11+ million books
• 3.5 million full-text digital titles
• 37,000 journals

Additional information from University Libraries

I thought libraries are supposed to buy books?

That is our reputation. We have purchased — and continue to purchase — books. The current collection consists of over 2.7 million volumes. However, last year only 21,629 physical items were used (less than 1% of our collection). Most content is now consumed digitally, and our current purchasing strategy aligns with this user behavior. 90% of our Collections budget is spent licensing eBooks, subscription journals and databases, streaming video collections, research software tools, etc. 

Is this a response to political pressure?

No. These items were selected because they meet low usage criteria and are readily available from other libraries, not because of their subject matter. All libraries must curate their collections from time to time, clearing out items no longer being used. 

What will happen to these items?

We have a tiered discard policy. First, we will try to find a home for these items by offering them to any interested faculty, staff and students. We will publish a list of items, from which you can pick up as many as you like. Second, we will offer items to Better World Books, a reseller of former library books. Third, we will recycle items using campus recycling. 

Why so many books?

Best practice in libraries is to deaccession on an ongoing basis. Because this practice has not been followed at the µÛÍõ»áËù Libraries, we are catching up on 10+ years of overdue work. 

Why now?

Our shelves have grown crowded and difficult to browse, while space has remained fixed. This project improves access for current users, while also preparing us for the Alden Library Master Plan by clearing room for future renovations. 

What will success look like?

An accessible, browsable, and relevant collection; reclaimed spaces for student learning; and a replicable framework for ongoing collection curation. 

What if I spot a book on the list that has a connection to an µÛÍõ»áËù community member?

We will do our best to programmatically identify these titles, but will inevitably miss some. We plan to offer a short online form where you can report these titles and then we will ensure that they remain in the collection.