Week 14 Prompt

Deciding on the shelf location of materials in the library is often not an easy task. In fact placement often feels arbitrary. There is often more than one shelving location for a book. 

The particular demographics of the community are important to consider in making shelving determinations. What may be appropriate for a library in one community may not be appropriate in a different community. The questions posed concerning where GBLTQ books or the works of African American authors should be placed in the library are more difficult to answer, although for different reasons.

A separate shelving location for these materials could easily offend library patrons. Many African American authors write in more than one genre. One example provided in this week’s readings is Toni Morrison. Should all of her books be kept in one location that is devoted to African American authors ?  Since this kind of decision would cut across all genres, the result could cause confusion among library patrons.  Rather than helping readers find books, it would cause the opposite to occur. African American authors write in many different genres as do authors of every race and nationality. To group the works of African American authors in a separate section seems arbitrary.

The case of GBLTQ materials raises different issues. Although I do not think GBLTQ materials should be shelved separately in most instances, I think the community demographics also play a key role in this decision. My community is quite conservative and patrons interested in checking out a book may be more hesitant or uncomfortable if there is a separate shelving location. This is especially true for younger patrons who may not want their peers seeing them browsing a shelf that is solely reserved for books with a GBLTQ theme. The same patron may feel more relaxed selecting the book from the fiction shelf. More conservative patrons may be vocal about their opposition to a separate area housing GBLTQ material, although these concerns may not be voiced if there is not a separate location.

In addition, by placing books on a separate shelf, they are not being found on the shelf where they would characteristically be found. Our library cannot afford more than one copy of most books. If the only copy is shelved with other GBLTQ books or books of an African American author, then it will not be found with other mysteries, fiction or science fiction works. While some readers will have no trouble finding a particular book regardless of its location, many others will never discover a book they may have enjoyed. For example, a reader searching for a new mystery author may not find a book if it is not on the mystery shelf.   

 Why does a book appeal to a reader? Is it because it is a great work of science fiction or is it because the author is African American? I would be interested in the opinions of some authors on this subject.

However, there are ways to highlight these books other than a separate shelving location. Annotated booklists and read-alike bookmarks would draw attention to these materials. Strategically placed near circulation desks or by the stacks, this form of Readers’ Advisory would aid readers in finding books that would appeal to them.  Book displays are another way to highlight specific sections of the collection, such as GBLTQ materials or the books of African American authors. In this manner, the library can better assist all readers.