Fiction_L Archives Fiction Shelving Dates: 2/17/00,3:42 PM  through  2/23/00,11:07 AM  (12 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2011-current     2009-2010     2004-2008    1995-2003    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to February 2000 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: "MaryKay Bird-Guilliams" <[removed]@wichita.lib.ks.us>
REC'D: 2/17/00, 3:42 PM

This has been bothering me for a long time, and I can't find any national
standards on this so decided to ask the listserv.
At our library, apparently the fiction is shelved by last name, THEN by
title within the last name, regardless of the first name of the author in
question. So, all Browns are shelved together, and alphabetized by title.
To me it makes more sense, and I always remember it being done this way,
to shelve by last name, then first name, then title within the books by
the same author. Something about separating an author's works on the
shelf really bothers me. It has been suggested that this is done to make
shelving easier, but I don't buy it.
The really wild thing is that having worked in reference for 8 years, I
didn't even realize this was done. I just assumed the books were
misshelved! Now I am a branch manager, and I am looking at whether I want
to challenge this practice or not.

Probably I am revisiting an issue that has been hashed and rehashed, but
its always new when you are dealing with it. Thanks for any assistance
or insight you can provide.

Mary K. Bird-Guilliams
Branch Manager
Rockwell District Library
Wichita Public Library

[removed]@wichita.lib.ks.us

FROM: "Karen R White" <[removed]@pb.seflin.org>
REC'D: 2/17/00, 4:23 PM

We shelve by author, then first name, then title of book. It is more time
consuming to do it this way and we take a lot of time training our pages.
But we are a small library and a book out of place is a book that's lost.


Karen R. White
[removed]@pb.seflin.org

FROM: "Jeanne Linn" <[removed]@libby.org>
REC'D: 2/17/00, 5:02 PM

MaryKay,
Our books are done by the author's last name, then first name, then title.
I also wouldn't want the author's books all mixed up with others. I think
that would be a nightmare for the patrons! I even try to keep the authors
all together on one shelf when possible for the pages- who sometimes shelve
them wrong when an author has to move to the next shelf!

Jeanne

-----Original Message-----
From: MaryKay Bird-Guilliams <[removed]@wichita.lib.ks.us>
To: [removed]@maillist.nslsilus.org <[removed]@maillist.nslsilus.org>
Date: Thursday, February 17, 2000 4:03 PM
Subject: Fiction Shelving


>This has been bothering me for a long time, and I can't find any national
>standards on this so decided to ask the listserv.
>At our library, apparently the fiction is shelved by last name, THEN by
>title within the last name, regardless of the first name of the author in
>question. So, all Browns are shelved together, and alphabetized by title.
>To me it makes more sense, and I always remember it being done this way,
>to shelve by last name, then first name, then title within the books by
>the same author. Something about separating an author's works on the
>shelf really bothers me. It has been suggested that this is done to make
>shelving easier, but I don't buy it.
>The really wild thing is that having worked in reference for 8 years, I
>didn't even realize this was done. I just assumed the books were
>misshelved! Now I am a branch manager, and I am looking at whether I want
>to challenge this practice or not.
>
>Probably I am revisiting an issue that has been hashed and rehashed, but
>its always new when you are dealing with it. Thanks for any assistance
>or insight you can provide.
>
>Mary K. Bird-Guilliams
>Branch Manager
>Rockwell District Library
>Wichita Public Library
>
[removed]@wichita.lib.ks.us
>
>

FROM: "Jim Keith" <[removed]@nslsilus.ORG>
REC'D: 2/17/00, 5:45 PM

> Hello:

> Here at Waukegan we follow the method - by last name, first name and then
> titles (alphabetically). This does keep all the books by an author
> together. The system you have must have been instituted to perhaps make
> shelving easier, but IMHO this system belies common sense and convenience in
> locating a particular title.

Regards,
Jim Keith, Reference Librarian
Waukegan, IL

>
> >
> >

FROM: "Lynda Whitton-Henley" <[removed]@intcomm.net>
REC'D: 2/18/00, 12:05 AM

Our library system alphabetizes by Last Name, First Name and then by title.
I won't comment on how children's picture books are shelved (with the
exception of our branch).

Lynda Whitton-Henley
[removed]@incomm.net

MaryKay Bird-Guilliams wrote:

> This has been bothering me for a long time, and I can't find any national
> standards on this so decided to ask the listserv.
> At our library, apparently the fiction is shelved by last name, THEN by
> title within the last name, regardless of the first name of the author in
> question. So, all Browns are shelved together, and alphabetized by title.
> To me it makes more sense, and I always remember it being done this way,
> to shelve by last name, then first name, then title within the books by
> the same author. Something about separating an author's works on the
> shelf really bothers me. It has been suggested that this is done to make
> shelving easier, but I don't buy it.
> The really wild thing is that having worked in reference for 8 years, I
> didn't even realize this was done. I just assumed the books were
> misshelved! Now I am a branch manager, and I am looking at whether I want
> to challenge this practice or not.
>
> Probably I am revisiting an issue that has been hashed and rehashed, but
> its always new when you are dealing with it. Thanks for any assistance
> or insight you can provide.
>
> Mary K. Bird-Guilliams
> Branch Manager
> Rockwell District Library
> Wichita Public Library
>
> [removed]@wichita.lib.ks.us

FROM: "Kathy Loucks" <[removed]@cml.lib.oh.us>
REC'D: 2/18/00, 10:30 AM

When I started in the Fiction Division at Columbus Metro Library 25 years ago, our fiction was shelved by alphabetically by authors' last name only, then title. We did this to make shelving faster and easier for pages, who didn't have to worry about finding the authors' first names (which our bindery did not put on the spine when books were rebound, and our processing dept. did not put on the cards and pockets which we still used in pre-barcode days.) It also alleviated the problem of trying to sort out two authors with the same name, like the two John Gardners. We didn't hear much in the way of comments from patrons, but we would regularly find that some "helpful" patron had reshelved the books so all of one author's titles were together. About 10 years ago, when we moved into our new building, the director decided we should take the opportunity to change our shelving practice to shelve by authors' last name, then first name, then title. My feeling is that this system is more pleasing to patrons for browsing purposes. The old way was a bit simpler and more efficient if you were going to the shelf for a specific title, and made paging faster and more efficient. You could argue that translates into a benefit for the patrons by getting books back on the shelf faster for their use.

FROM: "christine jeffords" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 2/19/00, 11:25 AM

>From: MaryKay Bird-Guilliams <[removed]@wichita.lib.ks.us>
>Reply-To: [removed]@maillist.nslsilus.org
>To: [removed]@maillist.nslsilus.org
>Subject: Fiction Shelving
>Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 15:47:34 -0600 (CST)
>
>This has been bothering me for a long time, and I can't find any national
>standards on this so decided to ask the listserv.
>At our library, apparently the fiction is shelved by last name, THEN by
>title within the last name, regardless of the first name of the author in
>question. So, all Browns are shelved together, and alphabetized by title.
>To me it makes more sense, and I always remember it being done this way,
>to shelve by last name, then first name, then title within the books by
>the same author. Something about separating an author's works on the
>shelf really bothers me. It has been suggested that this is done to make
>shelving easier, but I don't buy it.
>The really wild thing is that having worked in reference for 8 years, I
>didn't even realize this was done. I just assumed the books were
>misshelved! Now I am a branch manager, and I am looking at whether I want
>to challenge this practice or not.
>
>Probably I am revisiting an issue that has been hashed and rehashed, but
>its always new when you are dealing with it. Thanks for any assistance
>or insight you can provide.
>
>Mary K. Bird-Guilliams
>Branch Manager
>Rockwell District Library
>Wichita Public Library
>
[removed]@wichita.lib.ks.us
>
In every library I have ever visited, the books are shelved: last name,
first name within last name. An effort may be made to then alphabetize by
titles, but it doesn't last.
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at <A HREF="http://www.hotmail.com">http://www.hotmail.com</A>

FROM: "Therese Feicht" <[removed]@4cty.org>
REC'D: 2/22/00, 7:31 AM

In the libraries I've worked in and noticed this shelving method, I learned
that this practice began when book card pockets were typed and only the
last name of the author was typed on the card. PAges were instructed to
shelve using the information on the book pocket rather than on the book
jacket (because of pseudonyms...). Thus the last name of author was used
first then the book title which meant that all of the authors with the same
last name were mixed together. THis practice tends to continue unless
someone notices it and lobbys for patrons (good customer service and
provides the means for patrons to serve themselves b/c they can actually
find the author Stephen King and all of his titles together.) It also
hangs on because it takes so long to replace or weed the older books with
these older typed pockets...so the practice lingers. I think this is also
one of those library practices that came from understaffing and the need to
get books re-shelved by whomever on staff (or volunteer) in a timely
manner. (That tends to be when the decision is made to file picture books
only by first letter of the the author's last name so that no one can find
a specific title in any sort of timely fashion!)

therese
four county library system
At 03:47 PM 2/17/00 -0600, you wrote:
>This has been bothering me for a long time, and I can't find any national
>standards on this so decided to ask the listserv.
>At our library, apparently the fiction is shelved by last name, THEN by
>title within the last name, regardless of the first name of the author in
>question. So, all Browns are shelved together, and alphabetized by title.
>To me it makes more sense, and I always remember it being done this way,
>to shelve by last name, then first name, then title within the books by
>the same author. Something about separating an author's works on the
>shelf really bothers me. It has been suggested that this is done to make
>shelving easier, but I don't buy it.
>The really wild thing is that having worked in reference for 8 years, I
>didn't even realize this was done. I just assumed the books were
>misshelved! Now I am a branch manager, and I am looking at whether I want
>to challenge this practice or not.
>
>Probably I am revisiting an issue that has been hashed and rehashed, but
>its always new when you are dealing with it. Thanks for any assistance
>or insight you can provide.
>
>Mary K. Bird-Guilliams
>Branch Manager
>Rockwell District Library
>Wichita Public Library
>
[removed]@wichita.lib.ks.us
>
>

FROM: "Jocelyn Bach" <[removed]@wclc.org>
REC'D: 2/22/00, 9:06 AM

As a patron, I find it irritating when books by various authors with the
same last name are "interfiled". My instinct is to "play librarian" and
rearrange the books so that they're shelved by author. I never realized
that some libraries shelve only by last name intentionally!

Jocelyn Bach
Western Connecticut Library Council

>
>MaryKay Bird-Guilliams wrote:
>
>> This has been bothering me for a long time, and I can't find any national
>> standards on this so decided to ask the listserv.
>> At our library, apparently the fiction is shelved by last name, THEN by
>> title within the last name, regardless of the first name of the author in
>> question. So, all Browns are shelved together, and alphabetized by title.
>> To me it makes more sense, and I always remember it being done this way,
>> to shelve by last name, then first name, then title within the books by
>> the same author. Something about separating an author's works on the
>> shelf really bothers me. It has been suggested that this is done to make
>> shelving easier, but I don't buy it.
>> The really wild thing is that having worked in reference for 8 years, I
>> didn't even realize this was done. I just assumed the books were
>> misshelved! Now I am a branch manager, and I am looking at whether I want
>> to challenge this practice or not.
>>

>

FROM: "Pamela M Weinberg" <[removed]@chipublib.org>
REC'D: 2/22/00, 11:05 AM

To shelve all authors with the same last name together and not "inner
sort" by the first name is wrong. Pages need to be taught the importance
of keeping all of an author's works together. A library is there to
classify and give oreder to books, and the only logical order is to keep
all fiction by an author together (and alphabetically by title, of course,
is preferable, especially in large collections). I have worked in large
and small collections and have never heard of putting all the authors with
the same last name together in order by title. Standards, anyone?

Pam Weinberg
Oriole Park Br/CPL


xx
x~x
`

FROM: "J Heuer" <[removed]@itol.com>
REC'D: 2/22/00, 6:13 PM

We have the dynix system at our library and every morning we get a "pick
list". It is a printout of all the books that the customers from the
branches and central have put on reserve. We take this list to the stacks
and pull the books. If my fiction was not in order of author and then inner
filed by that authors titles it would take me twice as long to round up
these books. Before dynix we did rough sorting of the paperbacks no inner
filing but that has changed to find the titles better. It also comes in
handy when you are weeding. I can immediately see I have 4 copies of a title
and they've been sitting there a long time. (Of course I check circ status
as well) but you know what I mean.


--
Jeanne Heuer
Brown County Library
Green Bay, WI
[removed]@itol.com

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes, Art is knowing which ones
to keep." -anonymous

----------
>From: Pamela M Weinberg <[removed]@chipublib.org>
>To: [removed]@maillist.nslsilus.org
>Subject: Re: Fiction Shelving
>Date: Tue, Feb 22, 2000, 11:05 AM
>

> To shelve all authors with the same last name together and not "inner
> sort" by the first name is wrong. Pages need to be taught the importance
> of keeping all of an author's works together. A library is there to
> classify and give oreder to books, and the only logical order is to keep
> all fiction by an author together (and alphabetically by title, of course,
> is preferable, especially in large collections). I have worked in large
> and small collections and have never heard of putting all the authors with
> the same last name together in order by title. Standards, anyone?
>
> Pam Weinberg
> Oriole Park Br/CPL
>
>
>
>
>
>
> xx
> x~x
> `
>

FROM: "Diana Tixier Herald" <[removed]@wic.net>
REC'D: 2/23/00, 11:07 AM

One of the things that is really important in shelving fiction so folks
can find it is to have spine labels. It had never crossed my mind that
some libraries did not label their fiction so I was shocked when I
started working in a library that didn't. It makes it impossible to read
shelves and worse, makes it difficult for library users when the
information they are looking for to identify the book is not easily
visible. I can see why some libraries would opt for just last name
grouping in that type of scheme but it doesn't help the end user.

Picture books, even when labeled, are so narrow that spine labels aren't
usually easy to read and the books are often shoved back by users (hey
most of them don't read yet anyway!) just any old place which is why I
advocate color coding the spines (in addition to a spine label for
uniformity) using a system much like that which is used in some medical
offices. That way it is easy to see at a glance when books are
mis-shelved.

--
Happy reading,
Di Herald
[removed]@wic.net see the Genreflecting page at
<A HREF="http://www.mancon.com/genre/">http://www.mancon.com/genre/</A>
Rosenberg's First Law of Reading "Never apologize for your reading
tastes."

Return to February 2000 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

The Webrary® and Fiction_L are services of the Morton Grove Public Library "Webrary" is a registered trademark of the Morton Grove Public Library. All rights reserved. Copyright of Fiction_L postings belongs to their respective authors; postings may only be reused with the author's permission. Compiled lists (compilations of titles or authors from earlier postings on a particular topic) may not be reused for commercial purposes. To use a compiled list for non-commercial purposes, please credit "Subscribers of the Fiction_L mailing list." All other content is ©2012 Morton Grove Public Library, 6140 Lincoln Ave., Morton Grove, IL 60053-2989, (847) 965-4220.