Stinky, Grubby, Graffitied, and WEIRD: A Visual Arts Weeding Success Story

Ah the joys of weeding. Time to review our collections, take stock of what is and isn't moving, and embrace the mantra: out with the old and in with the new! While essential to managing our collections, weeding presents unique challenges, particularly with visual arts collections. From handling heavily used or damaged materials to navigating faculty communication and staff fatigue, the process can be both daunting and unexpectedly delightful. This session recounts the presenter's experience as a newly appointed Visual Arts Librarian at a mid-sized institution, tasked with revitalizing a collection that had not been reviewed in several years. The work involved not only weeding a neglected collection, but also included the work to advocate, promote, and preserve this unique and important section of the library. Recognizing the distinctive nature of visual arts materials, the presenter developed a phased collection development and weeding strategy. This included crafting tailored weeding criteria, consulting with colleagues, and conducting hands-on review of materials to better understand the collection's scope and needs. The phased approach was designed to minimize disruption, reduce staff fatigue, and support thoughtful decision-making. This session shared lessons learned from the first phase of the project, completed in Spring 2025, and outline plans for future phases. Attendees will gain insights into developing visual arts-specific weeding guidelines, informed in part by criteria gleaned from a session presented during ARLIS/NA's 2025 virtual conference, along with strategies for phasing a weeding project, and approaches to advocating for collection renewal and revitalization. Examples of surprising and humorous finds will be shared to illustrate the complexities and joys of this work. Equal parts hilarious, enlightening, and gratifying, this session is ideal for librarians at small to mid-sized institutions looking for practical strategies to manage visual arts collections with creativity, care, and just the right amount of weird.