Task 4 – Library Shelving, Signage & Genre Arrangement

Look at some online library catalogues and see what you can find out about the arrangement of their literary works on the shelves and the subject headings they use.

The first library I looked at was the Athenaeum in Melbourne which was interesting. It is a very old library but the catalogue was up-to-date and I liked how you could search by genre and then by list within the genre – New / Popular in 2012 / First Book in Series / etc.

Next I visited Melbourne University library where I looked at subject headings. My choice was Australian Literature and I got a list of subject headings further divided by century & type of writing, eg: bibliography / history & criticism / periodicals. There was also a list of related terms like Australian letters / Children’s writings / Gays’ writings. Many of the resources were NOT FOR LOAN and many were in storage, so presumably had to be requested.

My next example is from personal experience with my work placement at Frankston Library Service. At both branches, all non-fiction whether adult or junior is shelved together in Dewey order – this could prove a bit daunting to some kids when looking for resources. The Carrum Downs branch shelves non-fiction in 15 “easy to use” browsing categories (like a bookshop). The catalogue entry includes the relevant category, eg: Adult Non-fiction – Wellbeing, so patrons need to look for the right sign and have the right call number find the book they want.

Find some pictures of shelving arrangements in libraries and in bookshops. How do they differ? 

 

The above arrangement is for displaying and storing magazines in a library, where the current issue is in a plastic pocket (usually NOT FOR LOAN) and older issued are stacked below for perusal or borrowing. The bottom shelf is probably too low and doesn’t allow patrons to see the magazine title clearly. Hopefully, the shelf edges are labeled with the magazine name.

This shelving arrangement has what I think is a plus – an outward facing shelf for displaying books, and a very big minus – the bottom shelf is too low for many to read the spine labels and requires a lot of bending by librarians shelving material. But the fact that the shelves are not jam-packed with resources would be a help to patrons when searching for resources.

(both images from www.eclipseoffice.com.au/jobs/VIC/caroline.html - Images of Caroline Springs branch of Melton Public Library)

By contrast, the bookshop pictured below is piled high with books and other merchandise, making it difficult for customers to get around the shop. This is not an unusual arrangement for bookshops which often seem crowded and chaotic with narrow spaces between shelves or displays and signage that gets lost amongst everything else going on. 

Regular customers would be OK because they would know their way around, but casual visitors might find that the use of every available surface just a bit off-putting. Then again, nothing much stops a true bibliophile in search of the next good read!

 

(image from Google images – common.wikimedia.com)

Find some pictures on signage practices in libraries, especially school and public libraries, and look at information on or pictures of labels or special stickers for book spines.

Directional signage is important in libraries so that patrons can find their way around easily. In large public libraries, it is essential to have clear signage (like the top example from Singapore Library). In academic libraries it is important for students to know the location of various work zones, and clear high signage is needed to locate the collections. These signs are also part of the décor and should look professional, as well as being in keeping with the corporate or institutional “look”. 

(image from Google images – Singapore Library)

(image library)from Google images – unknown)

(image from Google images – smashingmagazine.com)

The other signs often seen in libraries are the genre stickers on the book spines. These stickers highlight the type of fiction story or non-fiction book and make it easier for patrons to browse. Each library has their own set of stickers, but some common stickers might be:

 

Do some research on the use of genre arrangement in libraries or bookshops? Does genre arrangement encourage an interest in borrowing or buying fiction?

It seems that most libraries go for the “mash-up” option when using the genre arrangement of their resources. Fiction is still shelved alphabetically by author surname, but with an additional sticker to tell the patron which genre the library believes the book falls into, but which also conceals the title. Few libraries are pro-active (or is that reactive?) enough to re-shelve their fiction collection by genre.

Then there is the non-fiction option where the Dewey number is still displayed and again, an extra sticker is added with an icon or word to denote which part of the collection houses that particular resource. Librarians don’t seem to be able to leave Dewey behind – mind you, the 52 book genre categories from BISAC is not a lot better. Most libraries have a much shorter list of categories, usually about 10 to 15.

My own experience at the Carrum Downs branch during my work placement was that customers found the “genrefication” of the non-fiction collection much better for browsing. However, they did need to know how to read both the category and the call number if they are using the catalogue. This type of shelf arrangement is also harder for library staff until they memorise where the various categories are located and which Dewey numbers are covered by each category.

Bookshops would not use genre arrangement if it did not encourage customers to browse and buy, so it seems sensible for libraries to follow suit in an effort to increase circulation. If libraries are set up echoing the categories used in bookshops, patrons may find comfort in the familiar. They feel like they find things on their own and “feel less like a moron” (Bateman, 2013) while trying to negotiate complicated Dewey numbers.

I found four articles and a blog post about this subject as related to libraries, with the common theme being how to simplify the genre categories, and all discussing different solutions. It is certainly a topic that is not going to die a quick death.

Bateman, S. (2013). Dewey or don’t we? Incite, 34(8), 16-17. Retrieved from ALIA website.

Fister, B. (2009). The dewey dilemma. Library Journal, 134(16), 22-25. Retrieved from Ebsco database.

Maker, R. (2008). Finding what you are looking for: a reader-centred approach to the classification of adult fiction in libraries. The Australian Library Journal, 57(2), 169-177. Retrieved from Informit database.

Miller, K. (2013). Ditching dewey. Library Media Connection, 31(6), 24-26. Retrieved from Ebsco database.

Readerpants, Mrs. (2011, September 10). The Library Genre-fication Project [Web log post] Retrieved from http://www.readerpants.net/2011/09/genre-fication-project.html