LM_NET: Library Media Networking

Previous by DateNext by Date Date Index
Previous by ThreadNext by Thread Thread Index
LM_NET Archive



A few weeks ago I asked for help in deciding how to arrange books at an
elem. level.
Of course this group responded with many possibilities.

Thanks for all your ideas!
Monika

I would mix my easy and harder nonfiction.  With k-4 you will
be up and down the levels and checking to collections will make
it harder to find appropriate materials.  I mark my easier
nonfiction so I can find it quicker.
--

I was just going thru a back log of messages--deleting
indiscriminately--when your subject line caught my eye.  I have a K-4
library, and I'm very happy with my shelf arrangement.

There is a huge selection of Easy Readers with E and ONE letter (the
first letter of the author's last name) on the spine.  This is great
because it allows the Ks, 1s and 2s to reshelve their own books, since
no one is concerned with 3 letter alphabetical at that age.  Easy
Non-fiction is treated just like Easy Fiction.

There is a large Fiction section with F and three letters on the spine.
Kids fluent enough to read Fiction are big enough to shelve 3-letter ABC

books.

There is a large non-fiction section with numbers (only to ONE decimal
place) above 3 letters of the author's last name.

There is a Reference section and a Professsional Collection.

Videos are intershelved with books with appropriate Dewey numbers or
Fiction classification.  None in Easy Readers.

Easy Readers are distinguishable from Fiction or Number books because
the pictures in Easy Readers are as important as the text--if not more
so.  I would be tempted to relabel them all P instead of E if I had a
new collection to set up.

I was just going thru a back log of messages--deleting
indiscriminately--when your subject line caught my eye.  I have a K-4
library, and I'm very happy with my shelf arrangement.

There is a huge selection of Easy Readers with E and ONE letter (the
first letter of the author's last name) on the spine.  This is great
because it allows the Ks, 1s and 2s to reshelve their own books, since
no one is concerned with 3 letter alphabetical at that age.  Easy
Non-fiction is treated just like Easy Fiction.

There is a large Fiction section with F and three letters on the spine.
Kids fluent enough to read Fiction are big enough to shelve 3-letter ABC

books.

There is a large non-fiction section with numbers (only to ONE decimal
place) above 3 letters of the author's last name.

There is a Reference section and a Professsional Collection.

Videos are intershelved with books with appropriate Dewey numbers or
Fiction classification.  None in Easy Readers.

Easy Readers are distinguishable from Fiction or Number books because
the pictures in Easy Readers are as important as the text--if not more
so.  I would be tempted to relabel them all P instead of E if I had a
new collection to set up.

I don't know if i'm in line with others, but I would intershelve all
fiction and have, obviously, the nonfiction shelved together.  My
reasoning is that it is easier (better?) for the kids to learn how
library arrangements work, and they CAN find the books if they are
shelved alphabetically by author.  I would LOVE to see a hit on
this to hear what others do.

We have an "E" section and an "F" section.  Easy chapter books are in
the
"E" section and have an extra yellow (any color would do) near the
label.
The limited vocabulary books have a different color sticker (green in
our
case).  You could however, put those easy chapter books in the "F"
section
with a colored sticker and maybe some of those good readers would
transfer
over to the other section faster than that fear of longer books.  or
maybe
a reading level criteria and split them with the same color stickers in
bothe sections.

We have two elementary libraries in our district.  In one we have the
Easy non-fiction separate from regular Dewey.  this works well
because kids can find all age-appropriate material together.  We
shelve Easy (non-chapter) books in the same area as the easy
nonfiction.  Then we have the Dewey collection with Fiction on the
other side of the seating.  this way the lower level kids know
exactly which books they can use.
We are automated, so it is easy to find the nonfiction although
divided.  the negative to separating is knowing to look in two places
when just browsing the shelves (like for fairy tales).  It's easy to
learn that habit though.

I do not believe in separating my nonfiction into reading levels;
merely into subjects by Dewey numbers, as I don't want to discourage
students from reading challenging books.  I do teach them the "Five
Finger Rule" (stick up a finger every time you come across a word you
don't know.  If you reach five fingers before the end of the page, you
might consider getting another book).  Of course, I say this
hypocritically, since I do separate easy fiction from the harder
fiction.  But if a child is interested in, say, dogs, if they check
out a dog book that is too hard for them, they don't have to read
every word to get something out of it.  I would be interested in a hit
giving other viewpoints.

I would probably put the fiction for 3-4 seperate from the Easy fiction
for 1-2.  I also would proably mark the easy chapter books with a
sticker so they are easy to find.

I like to keep all of my nonfiction together so that readers of all
levels can
find something without feeling embarassed by having to go to an easy
section.  It also makes the younger kids feel more like big kids.

As far as fiction goes, I separate E books from chapter books, but once
again, all of the chapter books are together, whether they are easier
ones or not.

I'm sure you'll get many different ideas.  Please post a hit as I'm
interested
in seeing how others organize their collections.


I would strongly suggest having your non-fiction collection divided into

an easy section and a more advanced section.  If philosophically it is
"correct" for fiction (easy picture books in one section and chapter
books
in another) why is it any different for non-fiction?  Emergent readers
actually prefer informational books many times and with advances in
publishing there are many high quality titles to select for this
population.  I have divided my collection in three different buildings
over the past 20 yrs and each time usage increased dramatically both by
kids and teachers. I put a small colored dot on the spine label to
indicate the item should be shelved in the easy non-fiction section.  In

my automated card catalog I have entered an * infront of the call number

to represent the colored dot.  Makes it able to sort non-fiction into
easy
and more advanced which helps kids searching as well.  We have a semi
circle of low shelving in the main area of the media center.  The
picture
book stories are in A,B,C order on the outside of the shelving and the
non-fiction in Dewey order on the inside of the circle.  Even
kindergarteners can tell you if they want a story or information when
they
say, "I want a dog book."  They naturally grow into the larger
collection.
I do not totally limit kids by grade level, but do suggest primary
students try the easy section first.  As to easy chapter books I would
not
split them off of Fiction.  We introduce our second graders to the
fiction
collection and give them suggestions of some authors or series books
they
might like to move into.  We focus a lot of instructional effort on
exposition which is another reason I offer a large easy non-fiction
collection.  Splitting the collection also lets one see the breath and
depth of what you have for these emergent readers.

My library started out as a K-6 years ago.  When I walked into it last
year,
it was K-4, became K-3 and soon it will be a K-2 library.  We HAVE
E(verybody or Easy), F(iciton) and Non-Fiction sections.  But I WISH we
had,
and am agonizing over switching to,  just F(iction) and Non-fiction.  We

code easier to read books with a green spine tape and call them green
readers.  I have a problem with E, F because I call them all "stories"
when
I'm trying to get kids to understand the difference between f and non-f
---
and the E(verybody) books aren't Easy as most people like to call them.
Most are picture books, some are readers......therefore my green reader
coding system.

I am in favor of mixing the Easy NF with the regular NF for 2 reasons:
1. Kids will pick what is their ability level.  Older child who is slow
isn't intimidated by going to the E section and the good young reader
can get what he/she needs.
2. It is one less chance for misshelving.

The library I inherited has NF, F, B, and E for sections.  I am working
on eliminating the B section...for reasons mentioned in #2.  With a
computer to search, they can locate biographies when necessary.

HINT: Use FIC for fiction rather than F.  When labels get old and worn,
sometimes the E is mistaken for the F...Also as your eyes get older, the

FIC is easier to read!

my collection is divided into "neighborhoods"
called "everybody", "fiction", Non-fiction"
and "biography" plus "reference and periodicals(they do not circulate)"

everybody is picture books and easy fiction
books every body in school can enjoy....
fiction are chapter books.....
non-fiction is 000 to 999 no matter the reading level
i find that the older kids benefit from the easier to read
facts and the younger kids benefit from the great books with maybe an
index or glossary or illustrations....i'm the one who joined the
two non fiction areas that exsisted 13 years ago
when i was hired i count the joining of non-fiction as one of my
better moves....not to
mention when you need a dinosaur book there is only
one spot to check.....i have a print collection
of around 11,000 books and
checking one area instead of two is a plus!!!!..........
biographies was pulled from the rest of non-fiction
once again
for convenience...but it works great to have the
bios after 999....non-fiction but special is how i
explain them to the kids.....
hope this helps you....maa

Make life easy.  I kept my easy books separate but mixed my non-fiction.

That way if you have a younger child that can read at a higher level it
is
available.  The upper students will stay clear if they decide the book
is
too young.

I'm in two K - 5 buildings: In one school the New True Books are shelved

separately and in the other nonfiction is nonfiction. The only advantage
is
that K - 2 can find their animal books by themselves.


Monika Sisbarro, librarian
Forked River Elem. School
Forked River, NJ 08731
(School) lacey7@injersey.com
(Home) monika@vitinc.com

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
To quit LM_NET (or set NOMAIL or DIGEST), Send an email message to
    listserv@listserv.syr.edu    In the message write EITHER:
 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
  * NOTE: Please allow time for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help & Archives see:  http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=


LM_NET Archive Home