Nonfiction Books About Books Need to be Near Your Fiction Sections NOT Buried in the 800s

Okay real talk time today, quite possibly escalating to rant territory.

We have a wealth of amazing books about books and/or nonfiction books geared toward fiction readers in the library. We buy these because we have vibrant fiction collections and amazing readers who use our collections.

BUT...

(you kew there would be a but)

BUT, we hide those books that our fiction readers would LOVE in the 800s of our nonfiction sections. WHY?

Okay I know why. It is the same reason we insist on shelving our series fiction in alphabetical order even though no one in the history of the world has ever read a series in alpha order (click here for that rant).

Because our library cataloguing rules tell us we have to. But do we really HAVE to? NO. There is no library jail. People always laugh when I say this and yet, I keep having to say it. Stop giving in to rules created by old white men, 2 centuries ago. There are literally no negative consequences toward putting your readers first, only great consequences.

We can make our own decisions about where we shelve things in our own local libraries. We should be using cataloging rules as a starting point not the law. How our patrons use our collections should guide our shelving. And this should always come before whatever "rules" we think we need to follow.

Our goal is to be gate openers. To make our collections as easy to use for our patrons as possible. In fact, quite the opposite, we should be making it as easy as possible to get as many books in front of the best readers for said books. We should NOT be setting up more roadblocks. We already have too many.

(I have started a new tag this summer "gate opener" to consolidate all of the posts I will be writing on this topic.)

I have worked in public libraries too long however, and I know that while I always put service to my patrons above all else, that is not only NOT the norm, but also, many library workers actively work against access. So here is the financial argument because this one will get the higher ups to listen. When more of our collection is checked out, the better return on investment we are giving our community. We bought the books and they pay for themselves when they are in the hands of readers.

Our goal should be to have every item checked out all at once. Your job is not done until that happens. And, it is never going to happen, but it should still be the goal you are aiming for. It should be your guiding vision. I can help you start moving in that direction.

Back to today's example. This one is an easy fix. Books about books and/or nonfiction clearly written for fiction readers needs to be moved out of the 800s and put right near the fiction. Take 2 books coming out this fall. This one by Sadie Hartmann and this one by me. Both have received stars in Booklist, both are written specifically for fans of horror fiction. But who is going to find them tucked into the 800s? Not the vast majority readers who would love them.

We have spent tax payer dollars on many excellent nonfiction books that our fiction readers would love if only they knew they existed. If we move them closer to the fiction, more people will find them, check them out, and enjoy them enough to look for more.

How do we fix it? Easy. We make room at the end of fiction or on a permanent display for these books. 

Don't have room? Weed. I am sure you have a ton of books by mediocre white dudes that should have been weeded a while ago. Books no one is reading. Series you think you have to have. Take someone like Stuart Woods. Do you need every single one of his books still? Probably not. Get rid of all but the last couple. No one new is "finding" that series for the first time. And if they are, they can ILL the early books.

You are not a repository of every fiction book. You are the home to a popular circulating collection. Stuart Woods is not part of that calculus. And he is but one of MANY examples.

Okay but then how do we catalog these books now? Easy. Come up with a special designation/collection called "Nonfiction for Fiction Readers." Then make your call number NFR 800 SPR (for my book-- also I know there would be decimals).

We do this at the school library. We have made an Easy Reader nonfiction section for grades 1-3. They are cataloged with an ER before the Dewy and have a strip of blue tape to be identified easily. They are shelved in a different place from regular nonfiction. It creates a browsable collection for the littles of only books they would like. And it is shelved at a lower height as well. Shelvers know that if it says ER and/or has blue tape, it goes somewhere else. And guess what? the ER NF section I among the most popular collections in the entire library. It is not a coincidence that the increase in circulation coincided with the decision to put the intended readers first.

IT IS NOT THAT HARD. 

But more importantly, it doesn't just make is easier for the readers to find the books they would most enjoy, it shows them we care about them. That we want them to find books they will like with less effort. That we are putting their needs first (and not putting our stupid rules that make no sense to most of our patrons first.) 

Even if this idea gives your tech services staff hives, you need to hold your ground. From a service standpoint, you will have more satisfied patrons if they can discover new reads more easily, books they would love if only they knew about them. You prove your worth by directing to them to things they would not find without your help. And of course, it is a better return on the investment you make in those books because they will be checked out more.

I hope this post inspires you to think about being a gate opener always and give it a try with this easy option-- nonfiction books geared toward a fiction reading audience.