Portage District Library

Portage District Library has used collectionHQ to transform a decade of overstocked, outdated shelves into a healthy, well-managed collection. With data-led weeding, evidence-based format decisions, and monthly self-serve reporting, the team now runs their collection with confidence, and they're exploring cHQselect to bring the same data-driven approach to acquisitions.

The challenge

Portage District Library serves a population of 56,304 in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, making it one of the state’s larger public libraries (Library of Michigan Class 6: serving 50,000+).

Before adopting collectionHQ, Portage District Library was managing its collection largely by hand. Shelves were severely overstocked, and so many items had no room on the shelf that staff resorted to setting up overflow carts for patrons to browse. Nonfiction sections carried outdated material, but the library had no reliable way to check acquisition or publication dates without depending on IT staff to run manual reports through its ILS, including a shelf-by-shelf list rebuilt in Excel every month.

The library had also gone more than a decade without a full inventory. The last project had taken place in 2008 during a system migration, meaning the catalog likely no longer reflected what was actually on the shelves.

Abigail Pylar, Head of Circulation and Technical Services at Portage District Library, had used collectionHQ at a previous institution and knew it could solve these problems. Once the team, including Librarian Ruth, saw what it offered, the decision was unanimous.

The Turning Point

The value of collectionHQ became undeniable in 2021, when Portage District Library undertook a full building renovation that required moving its entire collection off-site. Facing the prospect of physically handling every overstocked, out-of-date item multiple times, the team used collectionHQ to weed decisively before the move rather than shift the problem along with the books.

That project became the catalyst for clearing the majority of the library’s backlog of dead stock, turning a disruptive relocation into the push the collection needed.

The Results

Portage District Library also used collectionHQ’s data to retire its declining audio CD collection. Rather than relying on impressions, the team pulled usage reports that clearly showed the decline over several years and presented the data to its Board, which approved the discontinuation without hesitation.

The library’s inventory work through collectionHQ has also improved catalog accuracy, meaning patrons are far more likely to find an item exactly where the catalog says they have, on the shelf and ready to borrow.

A New Day-to-Day

• Monthly, self-serve reporting: collection managers no longer wait weeks for an IT-run report that is outdated by the time it arrives; new reports land automatically in their inbox each month.
• Visible accountability: when a staff member falls behind on their reports, it shows up quickly in overcrowded shelves, prompting the leadership team to check in and offer support.
• Evidence-based conversations: decisions that once relied on instinct, like discontinuing a format, are now backed by clear usage data the whole team and Board can see.
• A healthier collection: with dead stock cleared and shelves under control, staff have room for new growth and shelvers no longer struggle to keep items on the actual shelves.

Looking Ahead

With its physical collection now well managed, Portage District Library is exploring cHQselect and the upcoming AI Discovery Assistant, expressing interest in how the tools could extend the same data-led approach to purchasing materials, not just managing their current collection.

Would Portage District Library Recommend collectionHQ?

Without hesitation. The team highlights collectionHQ’s training resources, visible product roadmap, and hands-on support as key parts of onboarding new staff, alongside the day-to-day ease of running reports.

When asked if others should use collectionHQ, Abby said:

“Sell your sister if you have to, but go buy it. It’s definitely worth it.” Ruth Cowles, Librarian, Portage District Library

For Portage District Library, collectionHQ turned a decade of overstocked shelves and guesswork into a collection the whole team can manage with confidence, backed by data every step of the way.