At the end of each school year there are discussions on all the international teacher-librarians' lists about whether there is a need for inventory or, as the Australians call it, "stocktake"; whether it is reasonable for us to request resources be returned before the last day of school; and whether the library should be closed to allow staff to undertake this procedure without interruption. The list in this article, is a guide for those who find themselves having to justify their actions, compiled with the assistance of teacher-librarians all over the world in response to a question posed on their discussion lists. An inventory is a legal requirement that ensures that librarians are accountable for the money spent throughout the year. Including staff salaries, this can amount to over $100,000 per year. It is done at the end of each academic year as part of the collection evaluation process, at a time when there is less demand for resources and most of the collection is available to the teacher-librarian to undertake the procedures. It enables everyone to understand that the word borrow implies return and that a library offers an opportunity for sharing things that they would not normally be able to access.