Some of you know that genrefication of the school library is an interest of mine. After doing research on whether or not it should be done, I came to the conclusion that I would want to genrefy the fiction section of my school library. However, the next question that keeps popping up in my brain is:
Should I genrefy the non-fiction section of the library?
When I first did my research, my answer was no right away. Dewey is pretty much genrefication, right? So then why it genrefication of the nonfiction section so controversial?
Mighty Little Librarian is a blogger that I follow and have for quite some time. She decided to genrefy her entire library because it was what her students needed, it was easier for her students to find books, it allowed them to really get to know the collection, and they discovered things they may not have known about before. All of these sound like great reasons to genrefy the nonfiction section of the library. You can read all about the genrefication process in her blog, Mighty Little Librarian.
Some, however, do not share the same feelings as Mighty Little Librarian. In The Elementary Librarian Community, an undisclosed librarian shares how she would never take Dewey out of her library. She makes the valid point that the Dewey Decimal System is already set up into different classifications, so why would genrefication be needed? She also says, that if we make our school libraries Dewey-less, then how are the students going to be successful in public libraries and collegiate-level libraries where Dewey is still alive and well?
As you can probably tell, I am still torn. I can see both ways of the argument. I agree that Dewey is already set up into categories, but I also see that we need to do what is best for our students. If our students are not checking out nonfiction books or are not able to find what they need, then maybe it is time to look into finding a way to help them. Maybe genrefication IS the answer.
What are your thoughts?
To Dewey or not to Dewey? That is the question.
Jen S.
Whitehead, T. (2013, November 29). Ditching Dewey: Choosing Genre Categories [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.mightylittlelibrarian.com/?p=1037
Why I Won't Ditch Dewey [Web log post]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://elementarylibrarian.com/why-i-wont-ditch-dewey/
When I first heard about genrefication, I thought it was a great idea, and I still think it is a great idea when done correctly. Now that I work in a school that has a genrefied fiction collection, I can see that there are some challenges. I'm not sure now that I would genrefy my own library.
ReplyDeleteI too am torn. Often the grumpy old my in me comes out and says "If this MTV/ADD generation of kids can't be bothered to learn Dewey... But, then I think, I want the kids to learn to love reading. If genrefication can help them find books easier I should do it. But then, are we helping them by not making them work. It makes my head spin.
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