I just would like to see what it looks like in the catalog itself. If I
want a book on bears would it say Animals/Mammals/Bears where the call
number used to be? Would the subjects then be followed by author
letters? How do you then find the section you need in the library?
Obviously in smaller libraries and small bookstores it would be easy to
find if the signage is very clear. Larger libraries maybe not so
much... In a numbering system, the numbers are obviously sequential -
so once you find the beginning it is a logical step to go to the next
number range. Maybe what we need for Dewey to be more user-friendly is
to mark the sections more clearly to help browsers. I am looking at the
end caps of my shelving right now and wondering how I could create
better signs for folks to find what they are looking for.
The subject headings they are using....I wonder where I could locate a
list. Perhaps I could combnie them with the dewey categories to create
better signs....
I'm always looking to make it easier for our kids to find books. This
year I merged my reference and non-fiction and just love it. Dropping
dewey though. I don't see the advantage when better signs could do the
trick. I'd be willing to bet that the public doesn't realize there is a
system to the way bookstores organize. I'll bet they assume the book
store managers choose the subject headings. They just wander around
till they find something. Probably most book store users are there
mostly to browse. Using better more enticing signs might encourage our
students to do more browsing. I find that many if not most of our
students find books that way anyway. Keeping the dewey numbers might
make it easier for the person who uses the catalog to find specific
books.
Other thought - using/teaching dewey also means that (theoretically)
student learn how to navigate around any library. However - obviously
not all libraries use the same system - so that is not entirely true.
Interesting to think about. Bottom line.... It's just too big a change
for me to be interested in for quite some time, and I think making the
signage more user-friendly would accomplish the same thing.
Jacquie
"You see, I don't believe that libraries should be drab places where
people sit in silence, and that's been the main reason for our policy of
employing wild animals as librarians...." (Monty Python)
"The Librarian, whose job is to heal ignorance, to keep life safe for
poetry and to put knowledge smack dab in the middle of the American
way." ~ The Philadelphia Inquirer, 9-20-03
“Education is not about filling a pail, it’s about lighting a fire." ~
William Butler Yeats
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jacquie Henry, MLS
Ruben A. Cirillo High School (GHS)
Gananda Central School District
3195 Wiedrick Road
P.O. Box 609
Macedon, NY 14502
315-986-3521 x 3144
jhenry@gananda.org
Library Page: http://www.gananda.org/webpages/hslibrary/
Blog - Library Links For Teachers: http://rachslibrary.edublogs.org/
Blog - Wanderings
http://wanderings.edublogs.org/
>>> On 6/8/2009 at 9:36 AM, in message
<763cd2be0906080636s307b4f22k11b35cc0671c71a3@mail.gmail.com>, Kris
Fallon <librarychickie@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
I have heard of this before and I do believe it has caused some stir
on
LMNET. Honestly, I don't see how it could be any more complicated
than
Dewey. I imagine that once you come to a point of specificity ( where
that
point is can vary with Dewey as well; do you stop at animals 590,
mammals
599, large mammals 599.7, , bears 599.74, polar...etc) a book would be
shelved by author as I've seen in bookstores.
I remember being told by a professor in library school that catalogers
were
very particular about their craft and I could imagine that many may
not
agree with me. But, I think Dewey was a very important system prior to
the
digital/keyword catalogs...now I'm not so sure the number aspect of it
is.
I know I feel a bit lost in a book store with their system but is
that
because it is an inferior one or is it because I'm not used it? Are
the
word based systems change for change's sake? Or, are they a better way
of
doing things in today's world and I need to try an adjust?
I am contemplating a word based system for our new school
library...any
other school librarians considering it?
--
Kristina Fallon, LMS
Robert Morris School, k-8
So Bound Brook, NJ
librarychickie@gmail.com
"Only the educated are free." - Epictus, (Greek-born, Roman slave and
philosopher- 55 AD - 135 AD)
On Mon, Jun 8, 2009 at 8:02 AM, Jacqueline Henry <JHenry@gananda.org>
wrote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings
by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book.
To change your LM_NET status, you send a message to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER:
1) SIGNOFF LM_NET
2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL
4) SET LM_NET DIGEST
* LM_NET Help & Information: http://lmnet.wordpress.com/
* LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
* EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://lm-net.info/join.html
* LM_NET Supporters: http://lmnet.wordpress.com/category/links/el-announce/
--------------------------------------------------------------------
- Follow-Ups:
- [LM_NET] TAR:
- From: Becky Mosbacher <bmosbacher@HELLGATE.K12.MT.US>
LM_NET
Mailing List Home