Operation Clearout

I’ve been having a major library declutter over the last month or so. Call it a Majestic Work In Progress (it feels like it at times!).

I’ve thrown out lots and lots of duplicate copies of things that were much used when new and don’t require multiple copies any more.  Lots of journal issues of titles whose importance declines radically with age or can be accessed quicker electronically for less storage space. Lots of things that are too dated to remain but without going shelf by space, and without going item by item round the shelves, would probably have escaped attention for a while yet. I have scythed through what I have in off-site storage too while I was at it…

I have manhandled stock around to get things on shelves in the right places that wouldn’t fit before, or so that I can get things out of storage (hurrah!) onto that shelf I always envisaged for them in the correct place in the classification sequence. I have made space for 2013 to sit for all the continuing publications.

In this process - which involves some weeks of determined bravery, valour, many bin bags, and a lot of sitting down afterwards – in the shelves I’ve found baffling amounts of sweet wrappers (not mine, honest!) lurking behind books, all kinds of half-written abandoned notes (also not mine). I’ve removed scores of sticky tabs with scribbles on them from books by people who may, or may not, still be here.

This week in burrowing into the deep recesses of my drawer unit on Operation Clearout I have discovered everything from notepads from deceased organisations, to labels from ten years ago, to miscellaneous business cards from people long gone. I’ve found reference stickers yellowing around the edges, ink pads and stamps for previous incarnations of the firm….I’ve unearthed abandoned umbrellas…

Unless items have a current use reason to stay, need archived because it could need revisiting yet for a 'point in time' need re the law, or is retained because it has some other particular purpose (e.g. a corporate archive) - throw it out.

Preferably often so it feels less like a military exercise requiring a cardboard medal of distinction that has to be done in December with Xmas all around in order to get at it for long enough to do it.

Worth it though (grins).