The public library I visited in Berlin, Connecticut recently has a circulating collection of nonfiction books that are organized differently compared to the old school Dewey Decimal System.

The library recently recategorized nonfiction books. They're now sorted by topic in the nonfiction section instead of maintaining the Dewey Decimal System. They're categorized by type of animal or history. The example is Animals / Chicken, History / Civil War or Vehicle / Motorcycle.

The reason for this huge change is because the librarians there think it's easier for patrons to find books they're looking for than trying to find them under Dewey numbers.

Has any other library ever done this? Does your library still use the Dewey Decimal System or do they use naming topics for nonfiction?

The mural featuring characters from popular children's books at the public library in New Britain, Connecticut

We’re thinking about how to make junior nonfiction more browsable and engaging, rather than relying only on traditional Dewey shelving.

I’m curious if people have implemented practical ideas that have actually lifted circulation or just engagement with this section of library.

We have a service that is a bit conservative with new ideas, but maybe we’re not the only ones. Anybody tried simple, creative approaches?

For example:
Have people tried book boxes or bins, or “Dewey-lite” subject groupings?

Have people used face-out displays, rotating interest displays, or new-title tables?

Does anyone have experience with using signage, layout, or promotion ideas that made nonfiction feel less intimidating for kids and parents?

That sculpture seen at the public library in New Britain, Connecticut

This library is located in the Kensington area of Berlin, Connecticut

This library was built in 1989 in honor of the good ol' Peck.

it has amenities which include the Seed Library using the old card catalog, Library of Things Collection, ongoing book sale, a circulating collection of books for pre-teens in the Children's room, Keurig machine for coffee usage, Love Your Library shirts that you can buy to support the town's library, Crayon Kiosk for children and the library bookstore hosted by the friends of the library in the Community Center attached to the Library/Community Center complex.

The nonfiction books were recently recategorized to organized books by topic instead of using the old-school Dewey Decimal System which makes it easier for people to find a book that they want (animal, History, etc...). This is called the Pecking Order which is how nonfiction books are categorized by topic.

Enjoy the album

Feedback is appreciated!

Hi I don't know if anyone had it but it has been a pain after they updated a couple times. Now stuff I order is taking forever to be in transit or still requested like I never had that happen before the updates. Anyone else having trouble?

This library was built in 1895. It's located at High Street in downtown New Britain, aka the Hardware City.

This library has expanded and remodeled several times over the years and retains the characteristics of old school heritage from the early days with the Children's Library which was originally separate from the rest of the library quarters before the expansion while the original portions of the library included the New Britain Institute. The expansion in the late 20th century paved the way for lots of space for fiction and nonfiction collections as well as 21st century technology and many more that are relevant in libraries today.

It's a beautiful library which comprises three different buildings in one huge property that is used for a library.

Enjoy the album

Feedback is appreciated!

I recently took a book with me on vacation and | guess someone decided to pack an overripe banana in my bag with it. I just now realized and wiped away the residue the best I could but I feel terrible. I checked this out with my grandma and I'm ready to pay and take full responsibility but I'm also terrified. How can I handle this at the library?
Update: it’s fine, they took it back no charge.

I love everything about this!

Hello all,

I'm an assistant for a private school librarian whose long-term goal has always been to get a book vending machine for the school. Main obstacle is funding (they are pricy), but we're also curious about machine maintenance, how convenient restocking is, how user friendly it is for wide age ranges (4-12 yo), etc. Does anyone here have experience with operating a book vending machine?

Many thanks in advance.

Teen programs always bomb at my library; the high school is in the next town over. So all my teen programs have had to adjust age-wise to accommodate the kids we are getting in. This has been an ongoing situation for 2 years now. I'd love to do it with teens, but again they don't come in. So I'm thinking maybe ages 8 and up?

I'm looking for ideas for spring programming and was thinking of doing ice-dyeing tie-dye. Figured I could do bandanas with the kids. I could prep them and have them in bins ready to go. We can cover them in ice, add powdered dye, the ice can melt in the sun while the kids have a snack, then rinse them out, and they could take them home wet or pick up the next day (which we never have success with).

Has anyone done anything like this with kids?

Im trying to cut off my movie streaming subscriptions and wanted to support my library instead to save. Today I went to the library and borrowed some DVDs and when I went to the front to check out, they said DVDs are a dollar. I was surprised that my library charges for dvd rental because i thought they would be free. Now im wondering if would it be worth it to borrow DVDS from the library for a fee or just pay for the streaming subscriptions?

I'm admittedly quite fond of this city's (Hamilton, Ontario) public library system. I'm a partcularly avid user of their makerspace.

Had the thought to make a card sleeve based on their bookmobile. It serves areas in the city without a branch nearby, and more importantly, retirement homes.

23 colours. If you count the clear vinyl over the window and headlights, black mesh, and the impossible to make out white mesh, in the grill, there are seven separate pieces. Drawing it in Adobe Illustrator took 11½ hours, turning it into an embroidery file with Wilcom Digitizer took 2½ hours. Running it on a Brother PRS100, was 6¼ hours. Sewing it all together by hand was 62¾ hours.

Few little glitches and flaws. Text is at the absolute lowest limits in terms of size. Bunch of things I had to omit because they were too small. Nature of the medium. Omitted the windshield wipers because sewing them onto vinyl would have been painful.

A historic library in New Orleans. I couldn’t get more pictures due to me not wanting to get strangers in my pics.

I mean seriously! Why are librarians so efficient. It's like they enjoy what they do and like being efficient. When I put a hold on a book on the app it is sort of a, "I would like to read this in the next few months, hopefully, I don't really mind, I'm kidding I want to, but yeah just add it to my future books to enjoy."

And then they are ready the next day. And that means I need to find the time to get my butt in the car and drive up there and bring a grocery bag or something, because like 10 books are ready.

I mean God damn! It is almost like public services are good. I guess.

I mean, librarians could you like get a hobby, or something?

That's it. That is the rant.

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Yes, this is tongue in cheek. Mostly.