The Albany Public Library will no longer use the Dewey Decimal Classification System (DDC).  Libraries throughout the country are rethinking DDC.  A recent survey listed some reasons libraries should abandon the DDC.  Some of the results were:  Patrons may have trouble understanding the online catalog,  some patrons feel intimidated by the DDC and some patrons like to go straight to the shelves and they find that the DDC doesn’t pull topics together as well as the bookstore model (which, by the way has 52 categories for nonfiction).

When serving our communities, does better signage help? Does the bookstore model serve the customer better?  Do libraries use the DDC for library staff? 

Happy Holidays

Sara

Weeding is difficult – no doubt about it.  All of the books, DVDs, CDs, VHS, Audiobooks, etc are there for a reason.  Popular demand, a good review, or a gift from well meaning people that want to help us stock our shelves.

I saw two ladies on Jimmy Kimmel the other night.  They write a blog called, Awful Library Books .  Using humor, they illustrate why some outdated books should be removed from our shelves. 

Do you have any of these books?  What do you think?