Withdrawing Items from the Physical Collection

Scope: The final step of physically removing an item from the collection - after the decision has been made to remove an item and the metadata has been processed in Aleph and/or OCLC.

Contact: Candice Brown

Units: Collection Strategy & Development, Resource Description, Metadata & Discovery Strategy

Date created: 07/12/2023

Date last reviewed: 08/17/2023

After the decision has been approved by Collection Strategy & Development to withdraw an item from the collection AND the Resource Description department or the Metadata & Discovery Strategy department has taken the necessary steps in Aleph and OCLC to process that withdrawal; these are the things to do to the physical item to finalize the withdraw process.

Stamp the item with the withdrawn stamp.
1. Head of the book
2. Inside cover
3. Over the barcode
Write an “X” over the call number with a black permanent marker.
Discard in one of the following ways:
1. Include in our Thrift Books shipment if in good condition (contact Candice)
2. Recycle it
  1. Duke will recycle paperback books but not hardcover
    https://facilities.duke.edu/services/waste-reduction/duke-recycles/what-can-be-recycled
3. Throw it away
4. If an item is part of a shared print commitment, it may be placed with another library following terms of the agreement.
5. In exceptional cases, withdrawn items may be given away directly to users. This requires permission from Collection Strategy & Development.
What not to do with it:
1. Sell it for personal gain