Purpose and Scope
This policy provides guidance regarding when and how the West Virginia University Libraries may deaccession materials from the Libraries’ holdings and ensures the Libraries follow a transparent and systematic process for permanent removal of collection materials. This policy only refers to materials that have been accessioned or officially accepted into the Libraries’ holdings. The Libraries performs these actions in accordance with professional guidelines, such as the American Library Association’s guidelines for collection maintenance and weeding and the Society of American Archivists’ Guidelines for Reappraisal and Deaccessioning, ethical principles, and legal requirements.
Criteria for Deaccessioning
The Libraries may deaccession materials for which West Virginia University has clear ownership through a deed of gift or a bill of sale for a purchase. Materials will not be deaccessioned if this action is contrary to any written agreement between a donor and West Virginia University. Reasonable attempts will be made to consult donors when materials are considered for deaccession if the donor requested such consultation in the deed of gift. Materials will not be deaccessioned if it would trigger IRS documentation of sale, exchange, or disposal within three years.
Material may be deaccessioned because it:
- is duplicative and already held by the Libraries;
- has deteriorated physically and is no longer usable or has become hazardous to humans and/or other collection materials;
- cannot be properly stored, preserved, or used;
- has reached the end of its retention period per the University retention schedule;
- falls outside of the current collecting scope;
- is legally owned by another entity;
- has been identified for reunification with materials separated from another collecting institution;
- has been determined to warrant repatriation to the originating community or nation;
- or has been identified for transfer to another collecting institution whose collecting policy better aligns with the material’s subject matter.
Decision-Making Responsibilities
Final deaccessioning decisions should be made by the Collections Strategist, Director of the West Virginia and Regional History Center, Curator of the William A. Neal Museum of the Health Sciences, or other staff member directly responsible for collections, in consultation with appropriate faculty, staff, and advisory committees. If materials are being deaccessioned for non-routine reasons, the Dean of Libraries shall be consulted. All deaccessioning actions are recorded and reported at the end of each fiscal year to the Associate Dean of Collections and the Business Planning Officer.
Deaccessioning Practices
Once deaccessioning decisions have been made, units should follow the WVUL Procedures for Deaccessioning Materials and may create more specific documentation as necessary and in alignment with this policy.
When material is deaccessioned, WVU Libraries staff may:
- return material to the original donor(s) or their heir(s);
- transfer to another WVU department;
- transfer within WVU Libraries (including divisional campus libraries);
- transfer to another institution whose collecting scope is a better fit or who otherwise can make better use of the material;
- or securely destroy, discard, or recycle material.
WVU Libraries does not sell materials, including manuscripts, archives, artwork, and museum objects, from its collections. Deaccessioned material may not be given or sold to WVU staff members or their immediate families.
Effective Date: April 28, 2026
Adapted from the University of Kansas Kenneth Spencer Research Library, NYU Libraries, and Yale UniversityLibrary.