Comments on: Layouts

By: Library Junkie

Library Junkie — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 03:20:34 +0000

I can hear my dad “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

By: formerFPLuser

formerFPLuser — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 03:16:50 +0000

But you are forcing your users to relearn a system. When they can go to Mokena or New Lenox and find stuff with Dewey then use Frankfort, they have to relearn a system.

I remember being educated in the Frankfort school system and learning Dewey. School libraries are in Dewey. There is going to be relearning in this system, regardless of whether it’s meant to help people locate materials easier. I don’t think that’ll happen.

It’s like using a QWERTY keyboard. You learn it, even if it’s not the most elegant way of setting up a keyboard. If someone decided to make a new keyboard and forced users to adapt to the new setup, there is going to be unnecessary relearning. While putting the keys on a keyboard in alphabetical order would make the most sense, it’s not how people learn it, and it doesn’t make sense to try over when there’s a working system in place.

By: deweyfree

deweyfree — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:06:03 +0000

Thank you for your comment. We do not expect our patrons to learn a new system, but hope that in de-coding Dewey by replacing numbers for a particular subject, we can enable our patrons to locate materials in an easier and timely manner. We are aiming to make the categories as intuitive as possible by considering what our patrons ask for and how they ask for it.

By: formerFPLuser

formerFPLuser — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:41:51 +0000

Notice that you say “librarians are interested” and do not mention patrons in the mix. While librarian interest is great professionally, it’s a disservice to your users. Since you are in an area where patrons can and DO visit multiple local libraries, you’re now making patrons learn a second classification system. Although Dewey has so many downfalls, it’s what is fairly standard across libraries.

By: deweyfree

deweyfree — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:31:09 +0000

Dear Marian the Librarian,
I appreciate your interest in our project and hope that when it’s complete you will visit our library. We are documenting our project so that those interested may see the project’s progression. From the many phone calls and emails received from librarians across the country, we have discovered that librarians are interested in deconstructing Dewey and looking for alternative classification systems.
Best,
Melissa
mriceatfrankfortlibrary.org

By: Marian the Librarian

Marian the Librarian — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:56:37 +0000

What a huge waste of time! Don’t you people have anything better to do ? You’re re-doing a perfect way of organizing things with your own ad hoc style. We are NOT a bookstore! It looks to me like you are trying to verify your time by making up un-necessary work so you won’t feel guilty cashing your paycheck every week ! And putting every little detail in a blog???? How self-centered and childish!!You need to change careers and run a BOOKSTORE. Good Luck!