Re: [LM_NET] Dewey Decimal System eliminated in new Arizona library.

[Angelique Wylie <AngWylie@SPSK12.NET>]

I'm not going to try to get in the middle of this, because I'm not
really sure what "side" I'm on with this issue.  I do find the Dewey
system to be tedious at times (especially when I have to catalogue a
bunch of complicated books, like game show questions about history,
etc.), so there are definitely times when I would love to just say, "Put
this in the History section" or "Put this in the Recreation section."
But, there are also times when I am very glad to know exactly where to
look for a book (796.5 should be between 796.4 and 796.6), especially
when a child is looking for one.  I can definitely see why people want
to make their libraries more consumer friendly, but the needs, and
wants, of consumers can vary depending on your personal library
environment and purpose.  I can not see say, the Army library, making
big picture signs saying "Religion Here" or "Sports Here."  :-)    In
the end, I think that the reason we have the Dewey system in the first
place is to have a unified method of finding and sorting books for our
patrons to use.  This way if you live in New York but are in a library
in California, or even Italy, you would still know how to look for a
book and where to go to find it.  If the libraries just had subject
areas, as in book stores, the personal decision of where to store the
book could vary from library to library.  In the end, I think we just
want to have something that our patrons can identify with, no matter
where they go.  If this means that we want to update one of the most
universal library systems, then that could be something worth looking
into.  It really doesn't matter to me what type of system we call it, or
what signs we use (DDS 796's or "Sports"), as long as I know exactly
where to find books when I need them, and my patrons can have a system
to look them up in also.


Angelique C. Wylie
angwylie@spsk12.net
Library Media Specialist
John Yeates Middle School, Suffolk, VA
 
-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Anne Oelke
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2007 9:54 AM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: Dewey Decimal System eliminated in new Arizona library.

So now all of the books will have to have a shelving location put into 
the record such as History--US--Civil War.  Then this will need to be on

the book somewhere so that it can be reshelved in its proper spot (more 
or less).  Then there will need to be a map of the facility indicating 
where every section is located (why don't bookstores have maps at the 
door???).  And of course all of this will need to be in some electronic 
database so the customer (patron) can find it.  Huh, I think I just 
described DDC or LC and an OPAC.  Oh, and all of those titles that fit 
more than one category will need multiple access points in the database 
(can we say subject headings or cross-references??).  I think that I can

make better use of my time and resources by serving my patrons and not 
reinventing the wheel.

Ok, eyerolls and sarcasm over (mostly)--what can each of us learn from 
this? 
1.  Emphasize to all of our patrons/students/customers that DDC or LC 
are subject classification systems.  The number is just a code to help 
us find the spot a book is located.
2.  Good signage and labeling of sections /shelves is helpful to our 
patrons/students/customers.
3.  Providing a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere makes our 
facilities more attractive to the end user.

What other lessons to any of you see in this?

Barbara Allen wrote:
>  
> This may be of  interest: 
>
_http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0530nodewey0530
.html_ 
>
(http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0530nodewey0530
.html)  
> OMG
>   
-- 
Anne Oelke
Library Media Specialist pK-12
Cambria-Friesland School District
Cambria, WI
mailto:cflibrary@cf.k12.wi.us

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