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Pirates, Princesses and Trains, Oh My! Folsom Public Library Picture Book Reorganization
- 1. Pirates, Princesses and Trains, oh my! 5 Reasons for Themed Browsing in Picture Book Collections Folsom Public Library, Folsom, CA Kathy Nemes and Debbie Centi
- 2. A little background: Picture Book Collection growing larger (12,000 items) Increased patron demand for easy location of materials. Inspired by other libraries with similar projects.
- 3. Reason#1 Highlights variety of collection. Picture books divided into 12 sections. Bedtime Celebrations Concepts Favorites Growing Up Nature (Animals) Poems/Rhymes/Songs Read Along Stories Tales (Folk & Fairy) Things That Go! Wordless
- 6. Reason#2 Increases circulation. Adding age appropriate nonfiction titles increased their circulation. Overall picture book circulation has increased.
- 7. Reason#3 Everyone can help patrons locate popular titles/subjects. Library staff Volunteers Other patrons
- 8. Reason#4 Opportunity to evaluate services for kids and families. Highlighted areas for expansion. Adults needed more directional signage. Children needed visual clues.
- 10. Color signage matches color labels.
- 11. Kids needed more visual clues. After seeking feedback from patrons, we began adding pictures of iconic characters and popular subjects like dinosaurs, pirates and princesses.
- 12. Reason#5 Happy families! Patrons empowered to self-serve. Kids now share the browsing experience! Lots of positive feedback.
- 14. Positive Feedback I really like it. It’s much more fun to browse. Love you constantly improving the experience at the library! I like that the books are easier to see and sort through now. I would say it’s easier for the kids to find books. I’m still getting used to it. But, it looks great and is very user friendly! I think it’s a good system for my kids, it’s easier for them to find their own books – just a learning curve for me!
Editor's Notes
- Inspired by the ALA 2012 presentation, “I Want a Truck Book” about the success of other libraries with similar projects, we reorganized the Folsom Public Library picture book collection. Our collection was about 12,000 items and we weeded about 25% based on condition alone. Our library has very high circulation numbers for our children’s materials, over 60% of total circulation. These picture books are well used! We provide 8 children’s programs a week and are constantly asked by library visitors to assist them in locating books for their children. Although, like libraries everywhere, we had directional signage, catalog computers and reading lists, people still needed help all too frequently.
- As others have done, we identified subject categories our patrons most request, twelve in all. Bedtime, Celebrations, Concepts, Favorites, Growing Up, Nature, Poems/Rhymes/Songs, Read Along, Stories, Tales, Things That Go and Wordless. Within some location, Stories and Folk/Fairy Tales, we identified further subcategories, such as dinosaurs, pirates, princesses. We changed call numbers to reflect the subject, rather than author, and labeled books with removable colored labels from Demco to denote subject and 2 letter designators to aid in shelving. In this way, our patrons would delight in finding stories about popular subjects in the same location.
- The new layout improved visual appeal and created a more pleasing browsing experience. Patrons could now browse smaller collections, instead of being overwhelmed by the entire collection. As weeding allowed us more shelf space, we added in nonfiction titles from the 300’s, 700’s, and 800’s increasing circulation of those items moved from previously under utilized areas. Within our Folk and Fairy Tale section we shelved together books by title so that books about the same tale could be found together. This was one of the first things patrons reported enjoying and the circulation of these items increased dramatically.
- The new layout improved visual appeal and created a more pleasing browsing experience. Patrons could now browse smaller collections, instead of being overwhelmed by the entire collection. As weeding allowed us more shelf space, we added in nonfiction titles from the 300’s, 700’s, and 800’s increasing circulation of those items moved from previously under utilized areas. Within our Folk and Fairy Tale section we shelved together books by title so that books about the same tale could be found together. This was one of the first things patrons reported enjoying and the circulation of these items increased dramatically.
- We have a large shelving corps, both staff and volunteer, who are often asked to assist patrons in the picture book area. Before reorganizing our collection, they needed to be very familiar with picture book authors and the catalog. Often this was not the case and customers would need to be sent to a service desk for assistance. Now, they are more easily able to help patrons locate the books they want in the subject-friendly areas. We have even overheard patrons helping other patrons! All feel empowered.
- Reorganizing the picture book collection in this way highlighted areas we needed to expand. We definitely needed more truck books! And train books! And for that matter anything that goes! These popular areas now help to drive collection development. We quickly learned that while adults responded positively to our enhanced signage, children needed easily identifiable picture clues. We created picture signs within each subject area at a child’s height.
- Reorganizing the picture book collection in this way highlighted areas we needed to expand. We definitely needed more truck books! And train books! And for that matter anything that goes! These popular areas now help to drive collection development. We quickly learned that while adults responded positively to our enhanced signage, children needed easily identifiable picture clues. We created picture signs within each subject area at a child’s height.
- We definitely needed more truck books! And train books! And for that matter anything that goes! These popular areas now help to drive collection development. We quickly learned that while adults responded positively to our enhanced signage, children needed easily identifiable picture clues. We created picture signs within each subject area at a child’s height.
- We definitely needed more truck books! And train books! And for that matter anything that goes! These popular areas now help to drive collection development. We quickly learned that while adults responded positively to our enhanced signage, children needed easily identifiable picture clues. We created picture signs within each subject area at a child’s height.
- In a survey conducted after introducing the finished project to our customers, response has been very positive regarding the reorganization. Two thirds feel they’ve been able to much more readily locate materials of interest to themselves and their children. Kids are getting in the act, too. It didn’t take long for kids to figure out where the books that they enjoy can be found.
- Additional feedback included that finding particular authors was sometimes difficult and that patrons still found they needed help finding titles. In all, our project took 3 months, during which time library operations proceeded normally and staff continued to perform their regular duties. This was a team effort with much support from our library manager, staff and volunteers. Folsom families love to browse our wonderful picture books!