GLASGOW, Scotland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--collectionHQ, the world’s leading collection performance improvement solution, is introducing the Sustainable Shelves Program to libraries in the United Kingdom and Ireland. First brought to market in March 2020 by collectionHQ’s parent company, Baker & Taylor, the Sustainable Shelves Program is already used by 293 library services in the United States to responsibly remove weeded or unwanted books from their collections.
Libraries joining the program will have the opportunity to extract a collectionHQ weed list to share directly with their collectionHQ representative. The list will then be valued and categorized into two groups: resale and recycle. Once the books have been weeded from the collection, the library then arranges a pick-up with collectionHQ at no cost. Participating libraries will be credited for the collection following receipt.
The Sustainable Shelves Program is an opportunity for libraries to generate additional funds while maintaining a vibrant, circulating collection. The program has received early interest from libraries across the U.K. with 18 already participating. The program’s ability to support stock procurement, management and recycling all through one supplier has been cited by customers as a major benefit.
“We have always attempted to sell withdrawn books to make sure they achieve maximum use,” said Lee Stallard, operations manager at Harrow Council Libraries in London. “The Sustainable Shelves Program helps to demonstrate that non-used books support the purchase of new books that are more relevant to community needs and can replace dead items that have been removed.”
Lee praised the convenience of the service, adding “It’s a one-stop shop. We can deal directly with one organization for both stock removal and recycling.”
Amandeep Kochar said Baker & Taylor is excited to expand the service to its library partners in the U.K. and Ireland.
“We all have a role to play in achieving ecological sustainability,” said Kochar, executive vice president and general manager. “We introduced the Sustainable Shelves Program to provide libraries with a simple sustainability solution. In a world where libraries face a challenge in access to available funds, the program provides customers with confidence that books can be reused by those who need them or discarded responsibly.”
For more information about the Sustainable Shelves Program, or to join, visit SustainableShelves@collectionhq.com.
About collectionHQ | collectionhq.com
collectionHQ is the leading collection performance improvement solution, based on the proven Evidence Based Stock Management (EBSMTM) methodology. Easy to implement, simple to use and extremely cost-effective, collectionHQ delivers repeatable performance improvements for library collections by providing evidence based analysis, advice and performance monitoring of all collections across all media. It helps libraries save money by improving use of existing inventory and making purchasing more effective by creating evidence-based specifications, which cater to local demand. collectionHQ improves collection performance by identifying local demand and suggesting action plans on how to address this demand – improving the quality of service, demonstrating best value and improving local marketing. collectionHQ is owned by Baker & Taylor, the world’s largest distributor of physical and digital books and entertainment products.
About Baker & Taylor | baker-taylor.com/
Baker & Taylor, a business unit of education content and technology provider Follett Corporation, offers the most extensive selection of products and services for public libraries, and is the only vendor that can truly offer a one-stop shopping experience for all formats, including print, movies and music, and digital downloadable ebooks and audio content. Visit Baker & Taylor’s online selection and acquisitions website, Title Source 360.
