This week, I’m talking labels and re-cataloging!
Since we had decided to merge two collection (J-E FIC and J-E Non-Fic), we needed to come up with a brand-new way to do the labels for the new neighborhoods.
Already, we had decided to list full neighborhood and a street on the label, with a slash in-between them to distinguish for both pages/clerks and patrons.
One change that I knew I wanted was to have the full author’s last name instead of the previously done three letter abbreviation. With this new system, “WIL” wouldn’t be a mixed-up shelf with Willems, Wilson, Williams, etc. interfiled.
Ultimately, we wanted to work with what we already had in-house supplies as far as labels went. All of our books — both Youth and Adult — use the same Uline labels (S-10770 if anyone wants to be super specific!) and Demco clear label protectors (SKU# 12882640). So I came up with how much more room I had under the label protectors and found a label system that I really like from The Library Store. We are using the 3/4″ by 1″ size in the following colors: Violet, Red, Orange, Blue, Pink, Yellow, Green, Lavender, White, and Tan. The colors pictured online vary a bit from what’s pictured online, but we’ve been really happy with what we’ve received.
All of our spine labels in Non-Fiction are done vertically and we went that way with Picture Book City so that everything was easy to be read. The few problems are with the very tiny spines of media tie-in paperbacks.
As for our cataloging — yes, we are changing everything in the catalog. That means locations, types, call numbers — EVERYTHING. Since the idea for the project originated from my Circ/Tech manager, we have the full support of Technical Services.
So, the order of how we do things:
- Youth Services support staff, teen volunteers, and myself peel old labels off and clean books.
- I read each book and decide where it will go, make the label, and put the labels on. I also mark the book off on a master list of our picture books so that I can make sure we are accounting for every book.
- Technical Services make changes in the catalog.
- Pages/Clerks re-shelf items and shift if needed.
Basically, since we are a small to medium sized library, we just keep plugging along doing what we can each day to get this project done. Our projected completion date is before May, so I can concentrate on summer reading visits!
Next week, the first book section that stumped me…the 100s and “parenting” books!
storytime katie 
This is fascinating. When I mentioned it to my colleagues they were fixated on the problem of “aboutness” but I see that’s only one of your challenges. I’m really enjoying reading about this journey. The new spines look beautiful and I hope it works out great for everyone!
Thank you! This part of the process was done in November (I’m very behind on writing things up!) and I can say with confidence that we are seeing wonderful results.
Every time you post about your beautiful, well organized, sense-making collection I want to cry over ours. And every time a parent asks for “train books” I wish I was in charge so I could do what you’ve done. Some day I’m coming to stare at your shelves and probably drool a little.
I would love it if you visited!
Thanks for sharing how you reorganized. We’re considering something similar, so it’s nice to hear how others are making it happen.
You’re welcome! Stay tuned — I might have missed a week of posting due to ALA Midwinter, but there is definitely more to come on the process!
I love this idea so much. It makes much more sense and is more user-friendly than the standard systems of shelving. One question: are you the only location in your system?
We are the only location in our library (ie no branches), but we belong to a 75 location library system. Other libraries in the system have done this and everything has been okay regarding ILL. We do not have any kind of consistency across the board. So, in various libraries “This Is Not My Hat” would be shelved J-E FIC KLA, E FIC KLA, Easy Picture KLA, Easy Klassen, etc.
I don’t feel bad adding another location!