Endangered Series #29: The Zack Files

Popularity comes, popularity goes. As librarians we’re always balancing between what will circulate like crazy and what we need to have in the collection. And we’re not the Library of Congress – we can’t (and shouldn’t) keep everything.

An endangered series is one that appears to be waning in terms of popularity. But popularity isn’t everything. Should it stay, or should it go? Or think of it this way – if you were starting a library today, would this series make the cut? Let’s discuss.

The Zack Files (series) by Dan Greenburg, illustrated by Jack E. Davis

This chapter book series ran from 1996 to 2003, spanning 30 books.

The Case for Keeping: I’m going to call The Zack Files books “unrealistic realistic fiction”. Like, it’s about a realistic kid in a mostly realistic world, but the stuff that happens isn’t realistic at all (which is what makes the series fun, by the way). If you have fans of other “unrealistic realistic fiction” series like My Weird School, these could be a possible read alike.

The Case for Not: You know how they say buying a house is all about location, location, location? Series book are all about circulation, circulation, circulation. These have been shelf sitting pretty steadily at my K-3rd grade school library.

Refresh? The books still sport their original covers, so no dice in the updated looks department. But all the books are still in print and available in paperback.

My Verdict: When we being weeding our fiction section in the fall, these will likely go.

How are you handing this series in your library?

Previously:

Endangered Series #1: The Boxcar Children

Endangered Series #2: The Hardy Boys

Endangered Series #3: American Girl

Endangered Series #4: The Baby Sitter’s Club

Endangered Series #5: The Bailey School Kids

Endangered Series #6: Nate the Great

Endangered Series #7: Cam Jansen

Endangered Series #8: The Kids of the Polk Street School

Endangered Series #9: Pony Pals

Endangered Series #10: Little Bill

Endagered Series #11: Animal Ark

Endangered Series #12: Arthur

Endangered Series #13: The English Roses

Endangered Series #14: Marvin Redpost

Endangered Series #15: Little Critter

Endangered Series #16: Spiderwick Chronicles

Endangered Series #17: Junie B. Jones

Endangered Series #18: Magic School Bus

Endangered Series #19: Dear America

Endangered Series #20: The 39 Clues

Endangered Series #21: Dear Dumb Diary

Endangered Series #22: The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley

Endangered Series #23: Horrible Harry

Endangered Series #24: Santa Paws

Endangered Series #25: Amelia’s Notebook

Endangered Series #26: A to Z Mysteries

Endangered Series #27: Encyclopedia Brown

Endangered Series #28: The Secrets of Droon

Filed under: Endangered Series