Our Solution

Solution

The Paris Elementary library divided the nonfiction section into two sections. The current Nonfiction continues to follow the Dewey Decimal System. By leaving this section of the library in the Dewey organization, it allows for the older students to learn how to use the majority of libraries in their current and future communities. With older students having an understanding of larger numbers and comparing and ordering numbers, plus an understanding of ABC order, they are more successful in the Dewey organization.

Nonfiction books on a second grade reading level or lower were moved to a new Everybody Nonfiction section. This section is located beside the Everybody Fiction allowing for the PreK-1st grade students to easily access these books. The current nonfiction section has taller shelves that are harder for younger students to reach. This new Everybody Nonfiction section is on shorter shelves that allowing for all students to easily access the books.

This new section is organized into a Dewey-less reorganization. This reorganization has student-friendly categories. The main focus of the reorganization will be browsability and flexibility. Some examples of categories are Dinosaurs, Wild Animals, Ocean Animals, Solar System and Rocks section. Categories are labeled with child appropriate language and visuals (Kaplan, T.B., Dolloff, A.K., Giffard, S., & Still-Schiff, J., 2012).

Implementation of this solution requires a four step process:

1. Review: We started with a review of all nonfiction titles in the collection This review included knowledge of reading levels and student interests.

2. Create: The librarian created new categories for the titles moved to the Everybody Nonfiction Section. For those books that did not fit in a specific category, the librarian asked 4 to 5 students where they thought the book belonged (Kaplan, T.B., Dolloff, A.K., Giffard, S., & Still-Schiff, J., 2012). This helped to identify patron patterns of seeking information. Categories promote browsing.

3. Move: Once categories had been determined and the layout was established, all nonfiction titles with a reading level of 2.0 or lower were removed from the shelves and placed into their new categories. New spines were added to show that the book was located now in the Everybody Nonfiction (ENF).

4. Educate: The school librarian then offered a variety of ways for both students and teachers to learn about the new ‘Dewey-less’ organization system.

• Videos were created showcasing the browsability of the new nonfiction categories and were aired during the morning news show.
• The school librarian held whole class orientation sessions explaining the new organization system.
• The school librarian presented the new system during a school faculty meeting and answered any questions from teachers and administrators.