Ontario’s Peel District School Board (PDSB) faced criticism for instructing librarians to remove all books published before 2008 for “equity” reasons. However, the board’s education director clarified that librarians were not given this instruction and books meeting equity criteria from any publishing date should be kept. The board spokesperson confirmed the existence of a 15-year “weeding date” in the PDSB manual for book “weeding,” which would bring them to 2008. The guidelines for book weeding consider factors such as circulation data but did not directly explain the meaning of the “weeding date.”
A group called Libraries Not Landfills raised awareness about the PDSB’s culling of books, expressing opposition to the removal of library books published prior to 2008. The issue gained attention after an article by CBC, featuring an interview with a Grade 10 student, Reina Takata, who noted the empty spaces on library shelves due to the removal of older books. Another student, Saisha Luciani, expressed concern that these books were valuable resources for students to excel academically.
Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce previously stated that the board should stop removing books, deeming it offensive and counterintuitive. He emphasized the educational value of books from previous years and their ability to teach about historical events and important topics like antisemitism. PDSB’s education director, Rashmi Swarup, mentioned that the board follows weeding guidelines set by the Canadian School Libraries Association, which includes criteria like poor physical condition, poor writing, or the availability of a newer edition. The manual for book weeding also states that books with harmful, oppressive, or colonial content should be removed.
The PDSB’s approach aligns with the association’s criteria and considers weeding as a means of ensuring that texts are student-centered, identity-affirming, accurate, relevant, and responsive to the diverse learning needs and experiences of students. The board is currently reviewing its training resources and processes in light of the criticism.