Each time I log onto my (poorly maintained) blog, I’m simply amazed by the number of weekly unique visitors to my blog, up to 200! EACH WEEK!
When I wrote my genrefication blogs, it was to document my process, so I could share with anyone who was also interested in it. I had NO idea that 5 years ago, it would draw in so many views each week.
5 years ago
(what?!)
It took me one year in the library to see how the Dewey system just doesn’t work for my clients. The readers who frequent my library come looking for titles, themes, and favorite characters - authors might be my rockstars, but elementary students don’t bother getting acquainted with them to the same extent librarians do. So why are we organizing their space by author last name?
I certainly don’t mean to offend those of you who are happily set in your Dewey-ways. I get it… the journey to genrefy is not for everyone. But it’s been hands-down the best thing I’ve done to serve my students.
As more and more librarians have searched for “genrefied elementary library” or “genrefied picture books,” the hits to my blog increased steadily. Again, the numbers surprise me, but the conversations and relationships that stemmed from these connections have been priceless. Through emails, tweets and facebook groups, I’ve found how my posts have inspired change in other libraries - some as far as Saudi Arabia! Two librarians that have found my blog have also become friends - we’ve partnered together on many several projects as a result! I may have crossed virtual paths with Angie and Natalie in some other way, but it makes my heart happy to know that what brought us together was taking on a challenge to better our libraries for students.
Ultimately, that’s the advice I’ve shared and will continue to preach when it comes to genrefying your library: do what’s best for the students.
And how do you know what’s best?
Listen to them.
If you haven’t read the original posts yet, I encourage you to do so here:
Read about Why: We Genrefied
Read about How: We Tackled the Books
Read about How: We Tackled Destiny
Picture Book Genrefication
In the picture book section…
- Rather than traditional genres, our picture books are shelved by category. These categories were determined by listening to my students and what they’re asking for. Read more about this process here.
- That said, I’m happy with the categories we have because I see what’s moving and what’s not. I know I need to add more titles to the cubbies that house dinosaurs and dogs and sports, but have plenty of Christmas books to keep up with the December demand.
- I don’t have any additional topics I wish to add - everything falls in nicely to the categories we have, but I’m always listening to what my students are asking for (and encourage YOU to make your categories the same way). As little readers can do, some requests are specific to whatever topic we’re discussing in class … so no, I don’t have a service dogs section or a sailing shelf but it does lead us to conversations about the sections we do have and how to find it in a category!
- Ok - they ask for unicorns CONSTANTLY. We don’t have a unicorn cubby, yet. Instead, I direct them to Fairy Tales… which, so far, has appeased my magic-seekers.
- Ok - they ask for unicorns CONSTANTLY. We don’t have a unicorn cubby, yet. Instead, I direct them to Fairy Tales… which, so far, has appeased my magic-seekers.
- Students still find their favorite authors and characters thanks to the Character Corner - after studying Jan Brett or Ezra Jack Keats, I see those cubbies empty out. One big difference from pre-genrefication and post is how Dr. Seuss is less in demand. While his shelf-space is in prime real estate, steps away from the check out desk, students spend far more time using the visual cues to find books based on animals, holidays, or other interests, instead of sticking with the familiarity of an easy-to-find shelf. I LOVE this - seeing them move beyond what they recognize and exploring the abundance of modern-day storytellers that I’ve stuffed the shelves with.
- Now that we’re on 5 years, I see how older students navigate the genrefied fiction shelves with more ease, after starting their library experience in genrefied picture books. That’s a HUGE win.
- Teachers also appreciate this! The only requests that have stumped me so far by a teacher are
- 1. monsters (they’re scattered… I don’t have a tidy way of keeping together Halloween monsters (Holidays) with Mo Willem’s Leonardo (Character Shelf), My Teacher is a Monster (No I’m Not) by Peter Brown (School) and Where the Wild Things Are (Everything Else)!
- And 2. Bilingual or Hispanic books.
- For these requests, and others that are bound to come, I’ve created resource lists in Destiny. That’s how I used to do Fractured Fairy Tales and Christmas… until I genrefied and created shelves for them!
- 1. monsters (they’re scattered… I don’t have a tidy way of keeping together Halloween monsters (Holidays) with Mo Willem’s Leonardo (Character Shelf), My Teacher is a Monster (No I’m Not) by Peter Brown (School) and Where the Wild Things Are (Everything Else)!
- Speaking of Destiny, I’m happy that we opted to change picture books via “sublocation” in the catalog versus call number. My youngest clients do not use the catalog, so this allows for reports that are a bit cleaner (all fall under E) and when I print out overdue notices (which happens like 3 times a year), it seems less confusing to parents.
- Finally, I moved nonfiction for young readers into milk crate baskets that are color coded. While I certainly bring readers to our general nonfiction section based on their needs and requests, this was the easiest way to bring nonfiction into the genrefication, without taking shelf space. These crates are:
- Land animals
- Water animals
- Creepy Crawlies (bugs, spiders, snakes)
- Science
- Things that go
- Everything else
- Students develop their reader identity in our genrefied library. Without a doubt, I know students are confident locating what they are looking for based on interest, and discovering new books to explore, as a result of genrefied fiction shelves. While it may take them some time to learn to navigate and understand what each section provides, once they find what interests them, they have an abundance of similar books to discover.
- Placement of each genre is strategic: Science Fiction, Mystery and Fantasy are neighbors, knowing many students will find carry-over interest in these genres. Historical Fiction and Action/Adventure also have crossover readership. Humor and Animal stories are closest to check out desk, due to popularity, and the graphic novels are at the far end of the fiction section because #marketing. You know how grocery stores put milk at the back, so you’re forced to walk through the whole store to get what you came in for? Yeah… same strategy for graphic novels!
- The graphic novel shelf was born of necessity. While I originally shelved them according to genre, the demand is high, and I want them accessible for readers. We have them labeled by genre, with a yellow overlay sticker to determine (for shelving purposes) to go to the GN shelf. In the catalog, it’s listed by genre, but also includes a sublocation to direct students to the correct shelf.
- The genrefied shelves are helpful for collection management. As mentioned in the picture book section, I’m able to see what books move, where there are holes (due to high-demand, or missing titles/series), and what needs to be weeded.
- For example, books 5-7 of Harry Potter are nearly always available on the shelf, but the beginning of the series is always checked out, with a wait. Because I see them waiting to be claimed and loved (except by eager readers who think they can skip around the series - oh the horror!), it’s a reminder to make sure I have at least 3 copies of the Sorcerer’s Stone, and 2 of each of the next ones.
- Also, this has led me to make a recent change & label series that need to be read in order (Harry Potter, Percy Jackson) using a color overlay to on the spine label, to distinguish from series that can be read in any order (Dork Diaries, Ramona Quimby)
- Also, this has led me to make a recent change & label series that need to be read in order (Harry Potter, Percy Jackson) using a color overlay to on the spine label, to distinguish from series that can be read in any order (Dork Diaries, Ramona Quimby)
- I also can tell when series have gone dormant, when the interest in them have wanned. Weed it? Maybe. But first, book talk it with other readers of that genre!
- For example, books 5-7 of Harry Potter are nearly always available on the shelf, but the beginning of the series is always checked out, with a wait. Because I see them waiting to be claimed and loved (except by eager readers who think they can skip around the series - oh the horror!), it’s a reminder to make sure I have at least 3 copies of the Sorcerer’s Stone, and 2 of each of the next ones.
- Asking students where some titles should be shelved allows for fantastic dialogue and a critical look at reviewing or previewing a book - this is an important life skill! If we have a title that could fall into several places, I ask readers to help evaluate where they would look for it and where it might find other readers. While I might believe the Warrior cats series is definitely Fantasy, my readers go to Animals stories to find it, so there it lives!
- Students appear to be more confident in finding books in the nonfiction section. We have headings on each shelf to guide students (Earth Science… Pets… Sports & Hobbies), which allows more independence for information-seekers. This ease doesn’t translate to the catalog though, which is a problem I’m working to solve. Just as Dewey wasn’t so 21st-century for my fiction readers, I’m afraid call numbers are a foreign language for my clients. I’m open to ideas you have for us!
- Another problem I’d love some feedback on is our paperback book shelves. They are separate from the genres, as we don’t invest in plastic covers, spine labels, or genre stickers so in the catalog, they’re labeled “PBK” and there’s no method to the madness on the shelf. I’m considering moving some heavy-interest titles like Goosebumps over to the corresponding genre… but any suggestions or solutions welcome to make these shelves easier to navigate!
- Finally, we have a section for emerging chapter book readers that pulls popular series together in one area: Magic Treehouse, Junie B. Jones, Boxcar Children, Henry and Mudge. While the original goal of this section was to provide leveled options for readers, I’ve since ripped the level signs off the shelves. Because, BOO to leveling kids in the library, amiright?
- Instead, books are still there with “if you like… then try” mentality. If you like Boxcar Children, try A to Z mysteries. If you like Junie B. Jones, try Daisy Dawson.
- Several graphic novels are housed here such as Babymouse and the Lunch Ladies series by Jarrett Krosoczka - I’d like to find even more that appeals to emerging chapter readers! Any suggestions?
- Instead, books are still there with “if you like… then try” mentality. If you like Boxcar Children, try A to Z mysteries. If you like Junie B. Jones, try Daisy Dawson.
Ultimately, it’s about having student locate books that interest them and help develop their reader identity. Why should we put barriers in place to that because “it’s always been done this way?”
*Analyzing data is not one of my strengths. So you didn’t see any number-crunching in this post. If you’d like to know more about circulation, send me a message and I’d be more than happy to share and learn from YOU on how to translate numbers into a story!