Re: [LM_NET] TAR: Shelving Manga

[Thomas Kaun <tomkaun@YAHOO.COM>]

I really agree with what Lisa has to say. Last year, when there was a discussion of 
this very issue, I made the point that I placed graphic novels like Black Hole by 
Charles Burns, which is published like a regular novel, in my fiction collection. I 
like the use of the statement: "We catalog content not style." The editors of Dewey 
seem to have a different take on this but I appreciate those librarians who use 
Dewey as a guide--not a bible.
One person, at that time, said she placed manga titles with comic books (741.5) and 
her kids were used to that and knew where to find them.
I say place them where they will get found and used, be consistant, and do what 
makes sense for your collection.
I made the mistake of putting all my feature films in 791.45 (Dewey for videos). 
The problem with that is that it puts such films between documentary or educational 
films on the shelf (the other Dewey numbers) and patrons get confused looking for 
films (most patrons browse our video collection rather than using the catalog). 
I've noticed that the records from LC seem to place films made from novels into the 
number for the novel, e.g 813.54 for the film adaptation of a late 20th century 
American novel. Most of us wouldn't put our fiction books in the Dewey area of the 
library so I would assume most of us wouldn't put our movies in the 800s area of 
the video collection. It's all fun but frustrating and sometime we have to change 
our cataloging to meet the needs of real people!
Tom Kaun

Lisa Hunt <lisa3moon@YAHOO.COM> wrote: I am slowly coming to better understand this 
new style and I agree completely with Lauri's comments.  One of my daughters (now 
22 and still an avid reader of graphics and using her public library constantly) 
has taught me many things about user opinions.  She has commented about poor and 
better records in the catalog due to the series nature and multiple titles of these 
works.  Of course they should be shelved with fiction "F" because they are fiction. 
 The non-fiction graphic titles have assigned Dewey numbers.  We catalog content 
not style.  I am finally building a good collection of these in my library and I 
can't keep them on the shelves.

Thomas T. Kaun 
Library Media Teacher
Redwood High School, Bessie Chin Library
395 Doherty Drive, Larkspur, CA 94939
415 945-3662; fax 945-3675
http://rhslibrary.org/ | library@redwood.org

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