Monday, June 04, 2007

Blogger opines about No Dewey Library

A blogger weighs in on the Dewey vs No Dewey debate. Read more.

posted by laura @ 3:06 PM   1 comments

1 Comments:

At 10:26 AM, June 05, 2007, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was very interested in the assumptions stated by the blogger in this post. For a link to the article described in this post, see my post below.

Take a look at assumption #1 that "...the Gilbert Library has some kind of online catalog that will help folks track down the section where the desired materials are shelved..."

It isn't actually the Gilbert Library that is not using Dewey, it is only the new Perry Branch of the Gilbert Library. I visited their website and used their catalog. As far as I can tell the Perry Branch still has Dewey call numbers in their catalog. Of course they may not be using them for shelving. So my question is how exactly does this catalog help their users find anything? Not to jump to conclusions, but it seems that the customers are directed to a Dewey spine label that is not used. Are the staff still using the spine labels in some capacity...maybe in a last ditch effort to actually find a book. Who knows, but if the article is true...neither the staff or customers are directed to any particular shelf location. Only if an item is available or not. They must then wander the stacks.

Assumption #2 "Let’s assume that the Gilbert Library will continue to empoly a knowledgeable and well trained staff who will be available during business hours to help user locate the materials they are looking for."

This is a big assumption on several levels. First that the customer will wish to interact with a staff member. Secondly, that there will be a staff member available. And thirdly, that the staff member will actually be able to find what the user is looking for considering no organizational scheme is being used. From the article, it appears the materials are arranged by "topic" which unless the arranger is the same staff person who is looking for the material the chances of actually finding a particular item are extremely small and time consuming. If you have ever asked yourself "Now where did I put that thing...", multiply that by 30,000 sq. ft. of "where did it go" and you have a small idea of this situation. It is HOPELESS!

Assumption #3 "Let’s assume that the Gilbert Library will continue to employ dedicated staff members who will maintain the chosen shelving arrangement to the best of their ability." I refer to my previous 2 rebuttals to the bloggers assumptions. First that the catalog does not give any hint as to the actual location of an item and secondly that there has to be an arranger who has it all in his or her head. How can anyone possibly maintain a shelving arrangement that is not based on any finding aid? The only finding aid is the person who placed the book on the shelf.

Assumption #3 "Let’s assume that many public library patrons do not know the Dewey Decimal system by heart… and are not about to learn it just so they can find a couple of measly books." No one has ever asked customers to learn the Dewey Decimal system by heart. The only requirement is for the intelligence to know that the call number in the catalog will match a spine label and that numbers are sequential. Not a big deal. The pleasant surprise in this is that materials on similar topics are right next to the title searched for on the shelf. Browsability is built in.

Assumption #4 "Let’s assume that many public library patrons, while they may not know what “915.204″ means, they may have a pretty good idea of what “Travel” means." Who says libraries can't use shelf signs for highly used Dewey areas? Why not have a "Travel" sign next to the 910's?

Assumption #5 "Let’s assume that “topics” the materials are going to be shelved by in this new system may possibly closely resemble the topic categories they would have been arranged by under Dewey… since that’s what Dewey is supposed to do anyway. " This is probably true if my prediction comes to pass--the Perry Branch will dump this bad idea and shelve the items by Dewey after the second week of trying to find anything.

The blogger then makes the leap from these assumptions that "The patrons will still be able to find the materials, I’m sure of it." How can you be so sure? They may luck across the title they were looking for, but it will probably take them and the staff member many, many more minutes of searching than would normally be required. Bookstores are awful places to try and find anything. I am convinced that this will be proven to be a bad idea and quickly abandoned.

The blogger then says "All I see that [this is?] doing is increasing access and use in the long run". It does the exact OPPOSITE. It reduces access because nothing can be found. What good is it to have all sorts of great materials our customers want if they can't be located.


The one major benefit a library has over a bookstore (besides being free) is that we organize our collection and have it easily accessible. The Perry Branch has taken a mighty step backward in access.

 

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