34 replies were received.

21 replied that they have copies of the Classification System

       4 do not use it for classifying
               reference
               personal interest (former librarian synagogue library)
               teaching cataloging/classification (Jewish College 100,000+ volumes)
               general interest (University Library  2 million + volumes)

 Number of volumes (10 responses of those who classify with Elazar)

   1-1999       2000-9999    10000 +

     3                      4                   3

 Type of Library   (17 responses of those who classify with Elazar)

   Syn/Temple      Center     Special (Adult/Teacher Reference)  Day

     10                        1               2                                                        4

 Source of learning about Elazar  (19 responded)

   AJL          HaSafran       Other Librarian    CCS     other

    6                  4                             5                    1          2

Are your users satisfied with the arrangement of the books on the shelves? Please comment.

Many of our teachers have commented   that they agree with the placement of Chumash and related material at the beginning of the scheme, with other topics branching out from   the "Source."

Yes, except would like Biographies at end of non-fic,such as in Dewey.

While working at the Temple Library  (3+  years)  I  received  no complaints or even questions as to why Elazar  and  not  Dewey  or  LC was being used.         When there were questions, a brief  explanation of the structure and logic of Elazar usually impressed the users  and  I  belive provided a feeling of pride that there was a specially devised system for the organization of Jewish knowledge. I observed that the 'shelf  browsers'  were  pleased  with  the  sequence  of  topics.

Our users are very comfortable with the arrangement of books.  Those knowledgable in Judaica find the flow of subjects automatic, and those who are newer to the study of Judaica are educated as they search.

 From where did you learn about Elazar?

Margot Berman, the librarian who began this library almost 30 years ago, was aware of the system from its beginning.  She knew that a library of Jewish books needed a parochial classification system.  Are you satisfied with Elazar?  Please comment. : I am very satisfied with this system and cannot imagine using anything else. Trying to classify Jewish subjects according to a secular system would seem to be as effective as squeezing a square peg into a round hole.
 

Purchased due to personal interest. Not presently working in a Judaica  library. At present I  am  the  Ibero  Catalog Librarian at Univ. of  New Mexico, responsible for cataloging  Spanish and Portuguese    monographs. Prior to move to UNM, I was a  .25 FTE librarian for my synagogue  in Tulsa, OK (in addition to  being  FT  systems  librarian at OK State Univ.) At Temple Israel I used Elazar  2d.  The  collection  had  not  been originally classed in Elazar -- appeared  to  have been a very simple local system prior to reclassification which  was  completed  sometime  in  the  ?early? 1980's. I'm answering your survey  because I thought it might  be  interesting  for you to know that a professional cataloger bought your  new edition even though she does not currently work in a library which uses  Elazar. But, my own Judaica books at home are on the shelves in Elazar order!    I  spent  many  hours  in the library as a user before becoming the Librarian  and  found Elazar easy to use with no instruction. In 1991 when I took  my cataloging class in library school, there was no mention of Elazar. However,  in 1996 I helped a member of the Temple prepare a report re Elazar for  her  cataloging  course  in  library school -- and again, no one in her class  was  aware  that  a  system  existed  for  the organization of Jewish knowledge.