[Publib] Good-bye Dewey

[Kevin Okelly]

That's something I try to do especially regarding Summer Reading. The high
school students come in with their list which clearly says "Recommended
Titles," and teachers have told us they aren't limited to what's on that
list. So when students come in say, late July or early August and all the
books on the science list (for example) are checked out, and I suggest
"Fly: the Unsung Hero of Twentieth Century Science" or "Alien Life: the
Search for Extra-Terrestrials" or a number of other titles, they give me
this blank look. It's like they've been hypnotized to reject anything not
on the list.


  But there is less emphasis on finding a specific title than
> you
> might think - part of bookseller training is that when you look up a
> book
> for a customer on the computer, and the computer shows that there are
> no
> available copies, the bookseller is supposed to tell the customer
> something
> like, "it doesn't look like we have that title, but let's check the
> shelf".
> Then the customer is walked to the area where the book would be shelved
> in
> hopes they will find another book on that topic or by that author that
> appeals.
>  
> Unfortunately, most bookstores are woefully understaffed and especially
> in
> the chain stores, woefully undertrained as well.  It can make for a
> very
> frustrating experience.  But let's be fair - that goes on in libraries
> too.
> 
>  
> My bookstore has a separate Holocaust section in the history area. 
> It's a
> huge part of the school curriculum here so it is necessary.  But
> obviously
> not all stores do that.
>  
> Stacy Alesi
> Library Name *Censored*
> Boca Raton, Florida
>  
> I am the BookBitch  
>  <http://www.bookbitch.com/> www.bookbitch.com  
> Win FREE FOOD FOR MILLIONAIRES by Min Jin Lee, WHACK-A-MOLE by Chris
> Grabenstein, or many other books!
>  
> 
>   _____  
> 
> From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
> [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
> On Behalf Of Susan Dennis
> Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2007 2:54 PM
> To: publib at webjunction.org
> Subject: Re: [Publib] Good-bye Dewey
> 
> 
> Bookstores seem more focused on people finding a specific title, rather
> than
> generally seeking information.  And they also want people to spend a
> lot of
> time looking so that you will buy more books. Some of us just get
> frustrated
> and leave. Not something you want in a library. I have also found that
> the
> bookstore folks don't know where stuff is. If I give them a topic, I
> usually
> get three or four possible places for a book. And they won't let you
> look in
> their computers.
>  
> If you have a section on WWII, that's great. But if you want something
> about
> the Holocaust, you have to look through all of the WWII books to find
> it,
> because they are sorted by author. In Dewey, the Holocaust books are
> together. 
> 
> 
>