Re: TARGET: Paperbacks in collection (long)

[Deena Wells <willie@IAC.NET>]

Mine were separate, too, and after observing the
circulation patterns for a year I started the following:  Note that
when I use the term fiction I mean the regular fiction collection.
When I refer to paperbacks, they're on a paperback rack and separate
from the rest of the fiction.  The call number for fiction was F/AUT,
for paperback it was P/AUT/T where type stands for the type of
paperback section (sports, animal books, mystery,
scifi/fantasy, general).

1.  Pull all the PB mainstream fiction and add to the regular fiction
     (Kids who like Roald Dahl in paperback will like him just as well
     in hardback.)  This was done haphazardly by the previous
     librarian, but she indicated the difference between them by
     putting permanent covers on what was going into the regular
     collection and just taping what was to remain in the paperback
     racks.  We buy periodical covers (plastic, black paper edges)
     from I think Demco.  I can doublecheck source when I get back in
     school.  If the paperbacks went onto the fiction shelves. from
     the beginning, they ceased being paperbacks and became regular
     fiction by grace of these covers with a F/AUT call number and
     accession numbers.

2.  The paperbacks that I consider part of popular culture
     (Goosebumps, for example) and that are not likely to end up as
     part of my permanent collection remain paperbacks.  They are
     not accessioned, and are tracked simply by copy number.
     They have author and title cards in the card catalog,
      but not subject cards.  I view these books as throw-aways.
     When they start to look ratty, I simply toss without worrying
     about replacing immediately and wondering about the
     effect on my holdings statistics.  I can pick up this type of
     book as a freebie during the book fair, or with book premium
     points from book clubs.  I do not spend $ to obtain these
     books, nor do I worry specifically about replacing them by
     title.  If I worry about replacing a book by title, it's going
     to be permanent enough to go to the fiction stacks when/if I do
     replace it

The problem with this--my kids prefer paperbacks.  They'll hit the
paperback racks before they head into the stacks.  By moving the
mainstream fiction paperbacks into the stacks, I'm luring
more of them into the stacks.  Those that read only Goosebumps will
still have them, and at least I can see at a glance who's lingering
at the paperback rack during class checkout and target those kids for
some intensive booktalking.  When all 25 were at the paperback rack
it was harder to keep track of who was reading what.  And even if I
studied the  cards after checkout, I still didn't see them for
another week.  (I hate fixed scheduling).

A second problem--I have to very carefully weed the fiction.  I'm
human, and confess that I usually spent more time weeding the
nonfiction.  Now fiction requires more time because I have to do a
lot more physical inspection of the paperbacks.  I'm mending more
paperbacks than ever, too, and I'm trying to figure out the most
economical way to prepare them for the permanent fiction shelf.
Maybe a combination of tape spine reinforcement along with those
plastic periodical covers I described.  I think if paperbacks are
shelved in with hardbacks, kids thend to think of them as hardbacks
and treat them as hardbacks (a little rougher handling).  It'll take
another year or so of observation before I can draw more definite
conclusions.

A third problem--because they didn't have subject cards to begin
with, they still don't have them now.  And I haven't found time to go
back yet and change all the P call numbers to F.  (We're talking
about hundreds of books.) I posted a sign that said if
you didn't find the paperback you want in the paperback rack,
check  the fiction shelves.  That worked well for me the year I moved
all the E books into the regular F stacks, so I'm not worried about
rushing to fix the card catalog.  In fact, since I just purchased the
whole Follett software system, I may not ever get around to adding
subject cards for the re-catalogued paperbacks physically to the
card catalog, and just wait until I go online for them to be
represented.

The benefits, in terms of helping the reluctant reader, are
tremendous.  Basically, readers are readers, and they'll find books
 wherever you put them.  My method helps me target at a glance
those kids who need a little  guidance in book selection, and if
I can get to them, they leave with  only one Goosebumps and
another book I've talked them into.

No, I don't regret moving the paperbacks, but remember that I only
moved part of them.
Deena Wells,Librarian
Stewart Elementary
Oxford,Ohio
 *   willie@iac.net
 *   dazbell@tlcnet.muohio.edu