In this class, Resource Alignment for School Librarians, we will be working through the resource alignment process developed by Karen R. Lowe as outlined in her book Resource Alignment: Providing Curriculum Support in the School Library Media Center. Resource Alignment is a library collection development process that includes collection analysis, weeding, curriculum matching, and the development of a 3-5 year library collection development plan.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
What About Dewey? (optional)
What are your thoughts about keeping or getting rid of the Dewey Decimal System in your school library? Elementary? Middle School? High School? All of them?
Right now I have to keep it. I went from K-5 last year to K-12 in the same district and right now can't imagine doing anything else and keeping my sanity. With that said maybe in the future after we move one library and I know all three collections better I can make some logical decisions about whether or not to use Dewey.
I am moving into a new library space this fall, so it is the perfect time to make a change. I am in a 10-12 building, and the students really don't "get" the Dewey system. It isn't very intuitive. I would like to start by categorizing my fiction by genre - I get asked all the time "where are your romances?" or "where is sci-fi?". I'm thinking of using a combination of genre shelving and color coding book spines with stickers to denote genre ( and books with multiple genres). I know the "Dewey" books need to be reorganized, too, and the BISAC system seems to be a viable alternative. I'm scared, but I'm ready to make the change!
I definitely feel some frustration with the Dewey Decimal system, especially with drugs/abuse in 300s and 600s. The high school collection that I've been analyzing has some interesting cataloging, sometimes two copies of the same book showing up in two separate places. And there are simply books that were inappropriately cataloged - but that can be remedied.
At the same time, since I conduct classes for grades K-12, I know the kids get early instruction of Dewey and the continuity of sections of the libraries in the district can't be beat. The understandings they have do transfer from building to building. There probably won't be any changes in the immediate future, but I'm sure a different system will gain momentum in time.
I am in 2 elementary buildings and we have shelf markers/signs that stick out of the shelf with clip art pictures and the Dewey number on them. This seems to help the students "visually" find their favorite topics. I could see organizing the fiction by genre to be more "bookstore like" - but I don't envision myself doing that anytime soon.
Yes, I see the concerns with certain areas of the Dewey system of classifying books. However, I'm not ready to change how the books in my library are organized until the local public libraries in our area change. I feel like finding books in our library is a life skill to finding books in the public library.
I TOTALLY agree! We are trying to create life long learners and if the public libraries still use DDC then I feel like we should teach it to our students/give them a heads up on it. I know colleges use LC and I remember walking in and having to find a book my freshman year and all the Librarian did was hand me a piece of paper with a list of the LC #s on it by floor, but I still had to hunt and peck and figure it out and it took awhile to feel comfortable finding a book. So continuity from school to public library is something I think we need to keep in mind.
I absolutely agree! I feel like my goal as a K-5 teacher librarian is to teach students to locate books in the same manner they will locate books at the area libraries, both in other area schools and at the public library. If and/or when the area schools decide to change, I feel I should be in on the conversation and change the way we shelve/teach at that time.
As I look at my four libraries, I'm thinking I'll leave the two elementary collections alone. I may change my fiction collection in one library into basic genres because the junior high teacher does genre studies and the students are asking about science fiction books, fantasy books, etc. I plan to leave the nonfiction section in Dewey. My other junior high/high school collection I'm not sure about at this time. I need to do something to get the kids more motivated to read period.
There is a part of me that says "if it's cataloged in your system the right way and it gives a call number - why does it matter?" Students should be taught the correct way to locate resources by using a catalog/library search program. Train them to find the call number, then locate resources. College/public libraries students use could possibly be set up different ways, so I think it's more important to teach them how to look it up and then find it rather than trying to justify why some books on the same topic are located in the 300's and others in the 600's.
We have some collections pulled out to help the kids find them easier - Fairy Tales, Graphic Novels, Magic School Bus, Caldecott & Coretta Scott King Awards, and something we call E-Non and Yellow Label for K & 1st graders. I have all fiction together, but I can see where it would be helpful to pull out the Mysteries - but I still think there's value in them finding the books by author too. I use clip art too like Keri stated. Any way we can make finding the books easier is a good thing.
I do the same thing, Ann. There are a few collections that I pull out and place in their own little place in our library to make it easier for my students to find. These include the American Girl books (written by many authors). For other collections, such as the Dr. Seuss books, we teach the students that those can be found in a couple of different places because the books are sometimes cataloged under his real name, Theodore Geisel, as well as Dr. Seuss.
Well, I am at the elementary level, but I am not ready to give up the DDS anytime soon. Students need a system for finding non-fiction books! Easy Fiction/Picture books and Fiction books are in ABC order by author and non-fiction books need a system. Even at places like B&N when you go into the "Pet" or "Animal" section books are in order by subject "dogs", "cats", "bears" and then by author--the only difference is that we slap a spine label on them with a number so we can easily shelve them. I basically tell my students that they don't need to memorize the number and what it stands for but it helps if they know all joke books are 818, but more importantly they just need to know number order and realize that if a book says it's in and the call number is 398.2 then they should be looking at the first 1/2 or beginning of non-fiction, not standing in the 900s or end of the section and just look in number order on the spine to find the book. I do agree though that it does help to pull the easier non-fiction and put it in a special spot or label it with a special sticker for the K-2nd graders to choose an appropriate reading level book in non-fiction sometimes or to put a picture of a dolphin by the dolpin books if they are super popular so the kids can use pictures to also help them find the books.
I think I might consider changing around my fiction books. This would be much easier for students to find books for English class assignments and for general leisure reading. When it comes to non-fiction, I agree about the books about drugs and subjects. Some of the books at the public library are arranged by genre, but most of these are in the children's and new adult book area and not in the young adult area. It is something I will consider and might make the change in the next year.
Right now I have to keep it. I went from K-5 last year to K-12 in the same district and right now can't imagine doing anything else and keeping my sanity. With that said maybe in the future after we move one library and I know all three collections better I can make some logical decisions about whether or not to use Dewey.
ReplyDeleteI am moving into a new library space this fall, so it is the perfect time to make a change. I am in a 10-12 building, and the students really don't "get" the Dewey system. It isn't very intuitive. I would like to start by categorizing my fiction by genre - I get asked all the time "where are your romances?" or "where is sci-fi?". I'm thinking of using a combination of genre shelving and color coding book spines with stickers to denote genre ( and books with multiple genres).
ReplyDeleteI know the "Dewey" books need to be reorganized, too, and the BISAC system seems to be a viable alternative. I'm scared, but I'm ready to make the change!
I definitely feel some frustration with the Dewey Decimal system, especially with drugs/abuse in 300s and 600s. The high school collection that I've been analyzing has some interesting cataloging, sometimes two copies of the same book showing up in two separate places. And there are simply books that were inappropriately cataloged - but that can be remedied.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time, since I conduct classes for grades K-12, I know the kids get early instruction of Dewey and the continuity of sections of the libraries in the district can't be beat. The understandings they have do transfer from building to building. There probably won't be any changes in the immediate future, but I'm sure a different system will gain momentum in time.
I am in 2 elementary buildings and we have shelf markers/signs that stick out of the shelf with clip art pictures and the Dewey number on them. This seems to help the students "visually" find their favorite topics. I could see organizing the fiction by genre to be more "bookstore like" - but I don't envision myself doing that anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYes, I see the concerns with certain areas of the Dewey system of classifying books. However, I'm not ready to change how the books in my library are organized until the local public libraries in our area change. I feel like finding books in our library is a life skill to finding books in the public library.
ReplyDeleteI TOTALLY agree! We are trying to create life long learners and if the public libraries still use DDC then I feel like we should teach it to our students/give them a heads up on it. I know colleges use LC and I remember walking in and having to find a book my freshman year and all the Librarian did was hand me a piece of paper with a list of the LC #s on it by floor, but I still had to hunt and peck and figure it out and it took awhile to feel comfortable finding a book. So continuity from school to public library is something I think we need to keep in mind.
DeleteI absolutely agree! I feel like my goal as a K-5 teacher librarian is to teach students to locate books in the same manner they will locate books at the area libraries, both in other area schools and at the public library. If and/or when the area schools decide to change, I feel I should be in on the conversation and change the way we shelve/teach at that time.
DeleteAs I look at my four libraries, I'm thinking I'll leave the two elementary collections alone. I may change my fiction collection in one library into basic genres because the junior high teacher does genre studies and the students are asking about science fiction books, fantasy books, etc. I plan to leave the nonfiction section in Dewey. My other junior high/high school collection I'm not sure about at this time. I need to do something to get the kids more motivated to read period.
ReplyDeleteThere is a part of me that says "if it's cataloged in your system the right way and it gives a call number - why does it matter?" Students should be taught the correct way to locate resources by using a catalog/library search program. Train them to find the call number, then locate resources. College/public libraries students use could possibly be set up different ways, so I think it's more important to teach them how to look it up and then find it rather than trying to justify why some books on the same topic are located in the 300's and others in the 600's.
ReplyDeleteWe have some collections pulled out to help the kids find them easier - Fairy Tales, Graphic Novels, Magic School Bus, Caldecott & Coretta Scott King Awards, and something we call E-Non and Yellow Label for K & 1st graders. I have all fiction together, but I can see where it would be helpful to pull out the Mysteries - but I still think there's value in them finding the books by author too. I use clip art too like Keri stated. Any way we can make finding the books easier is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing, Ann. There are a few collections that I pull out and place in their own little place in our library to make it easier for my students to find. These include the American Girl books (written by many authors). For other collections, such as the Dr. Seuss books, we teach the students that those can be found in a couple of different places because the books are sometimes cataloged under his real name, Theodore Geisel, as well as Dr. Seuss.
DeleteWell, I am at the elementary level, but I am not ready to give up the DDS anytime soon. Students need a system for finding non-fiction books! Easy Fiction/Picture books and Fiction books are in ABC order by author and non-fiction books need a system. Even at places like B&N when you go into the "Pet" or "Animal" section books are in order by subject "dogs", "cats", "bears" and then by author--the only difference is that we slap a spine label on them with a number so we can easily shelve them. I basically tell my students that they don't need to memorize the number and what it stands for but it helps if they know all joke books are 818, but more importantly they just need to know number order and realize that if a book says it's in and the call number is 398.2 then they should be looking at the first 1/2 or beginning of non-fiction, not standing in the 900s or end of the section and just look in number order on the spine to find the book. I do agree though that it does help to pull the easier non-fiction and put it in a special spot or label it with a special sticker for the K-2nd graders to choose an appropriate reading level book in non-fiction sometimes or to put a picture of a dolphin by the dolpin books if they are super popular so the kids can use pictures to also help them find the books.
ReplyDeleteI think I might consider changing around my fiction books. This would be much easier for students to find books for English class assignments and for general leisure reading. When it comes to non-fiction, I agree about the books about drugs and subjects. Some of the books at the public library are arranged by genre, but most of these are in the children's and new adult book area and not in the young adult area. It is something I will consider and might make the change in the next year.
ReplyDelete