Opinions

On a general, year-round basis, I believe fiction works should be shelved alphabetically by the author’s last name & then by title of work, in the appropriate fiction area; C, YA & A.

Concerning the separation of types or subjects of fiction books, I am all for the promotion, the exposition and the spotlight on a particular idea in fiction on a temporary basis. During different holidays & during our daily world, ideas about stories may hold a special resonance; wonderful...  FIC is better than A,B, or C...  What about just organizing libraries in this pure way?


I have seen science-fiction, romance & the aforementioned comics categorized in the separate way. At the basic level, I believe separation, no matter the motive, takes away from the unity of the collection. In reality, genre, best-sellers & special sorting as temporary collections make real sense. In my view, permanent separation of any subject-area fiction leads to isolation. 

If we really want to promote or bring attention to a collection, we can create specialized bibliographies, genre author lists, & any number of finding resources that are available by handout & digitally. To differentiate books, while synthesized in a collection, we have the primary opportunity to label any book with specific labeling. We can create all sorts of reading lists based upon any number of themes. The only time I really like separation is with pulling a short-list of representative books in a given theme, perhaps highlighted on a shelf in the lobby, in the reference area & in the circulation area.  We should develop vibrant reading lists & comprehensive bibliographies; we can then apply genre or thematic label stickers, only when needed.

1. Ideals of Classification
I don't enjoy when libraries overly genre-ize or genre-fy collections. Synthesized collections equalize knowledge. When a library synthesizes a collection, it is for good reason; traditional classification attempts to give equal weight & equal opportunity to all fiction. This equality supports authors & readers alike. Synthesized collections promote objectivity. True serendipity can happen here.

2. Aesthetics & Location
The location of a separated collections can lead to confusion in finding a book, especially if there is no reflection of this area in the online catalog. Some library users will simply go into the fiction section with a particular book in mind & leave without considering that this book may have some specialized area. General incorporation allows for the common expectation for location to be met, across all genres. 

3. Browsing Aesthetics 
For some information seekers, confidential browsing can be very important. Any individual can benefit from by browsing in an alphabetical fiction range that does not label or single-out their purpose while at the shelves; some people can be very sensitive to the perceptions of others in the library. Even if some might not find this an issue, the judgment that an individual may feel can be very real to them, the synthesized collection helps in this way.


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