[Publib] No Dewey Decimal Classification?

[Melissa K. Davidson]

I have read and heard about this, but not enough I guess because I don't
understand how one would locate books on the shelf. With Dewey or LC it
is fairly easy to look up a title and locate it exactly on the shelf, or
tell a patron where it is. With categories how else are they shelved? If
I am looking for a specific book on dogs it is not that helpful to say
'here are the animal books, it should be here somewhere'

Can anybody shed some light on this for me?

Melissa Davidson
Adult Services Librarian
Staunton Public Library
1 Churchville Ave.
Staunton, VA 24401
540.332.3902
www.stauntonlibrary.org
<http://www.staunton.va.us/default.asp?pageid=48BD7E6B-787C-49EE-A7C1-8D
D714653A32> 



-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Jesse Ephraim
Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2009 12:55 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Publib] Dewey Decimal Classification

>Now we have one who says many libraries are 
>doing away with the DDC and she thinks it is a 
>waste of money for us to continue using that system. 
>Question - how many of you have done away with the 
>DDC and what are you doing instead?

We are partway through the process of doing away with it.

Our new system moves away from having numbers as the main designators,
in favor of more human-readable words (or shortened versions of words).
We are combining that with better signage, clear separation of series
with multiple authors, groupings that make more sense to the patrons,
and more.  For example, all the children's Star Wars stuff - fiction or
non-fiction - goes in the same general area now.

Having said that, I have to stress that we are a small library (26,000
people in town) with no physical branches.  We are not suggesting that
all libraries move away from Dewey, or even most of them.   It would be
a very difficult feat - and not necessarily a wise one - for larger
libraries to do something like that.

Our decision was based on the specific needs of our populace.  Our
situation is very different from that of most libraries, so our approach
to library services differs a bit.  For example, we are in an upscale
outdoors shopping mall in a wealthy suburb in easy walking distance of a
large Barnes & Noble.  Our demographics are pretty unusual, and the
needs of our patrons are somewhat unique.   We decided to move away from
Dewey due to a number of factors that probably would not be found in
most places.


Jesse Ephraim

Youth Services Librarian
Southlake Public Library
1400 Main St., Ste. 130
Southlake, TX  76092

Email:   jephraim at ci.southlake.tx.us
Phone: (817) 748-8248
FAX:    (817) 748-8250
www.southlakelibrary.org
uncommonly friendly service



_______________________________________________
Publib mailing list
Publib at webjunction.org
http://lists.webjunction.org/mailman/listinfo/publib

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.webjunction.org/wjlists/publib/attachments/20090103/67a56d89/attachment.htm