[Publib] Re: Separate fiction collections (of any kind)

[Andy Barnett]

>Well, there would be one reason to have a separate African American 
>fiction collection - if it provided better service to your patrons. 
>That's about the only reason to have separate fiction collections of 
>any kind. A library could put their large print or young adult books 
>in with the rest of the fiction, but that wouldn't be good service. 
>We have a Christian Fiction collection not because we either 
>like/dislike Christians or what is known as Christian Fiction, but 
>because it provides better service, both to those who read it and 
>those who don't.  We also have a Classic section, not because we 
>like/dislike dead white males (and females), but because it helps us 
>provide better service, especially to students needing to pick a 
>book from a reading list. Creating separate fiction collections 
>highlights books and promotes their use. If your library chooses not 
>to have a separate African American fiction (Christian fiction, 
>foreign authors, fantasy) collection, I hope the rationale has to do 
>with service and can be explained to patrons on that basis.


Andy Barnett