The document discusses how the Portneuf District Library in Chubbuck, Idaho redesigned their nonfiction section by creating their own subject headings that better reflected their community. They weeded over 2,000 books, heavily relabeled their collections section by section over 8 weeks, and saw a 250% increase in nonfiction circulation and a 90% overall circulation increase as a result. The redesign was well received by patrons and staff. They plan to next redesign their fiction section using a similar approach.

1. KILLING DEWEY
Jezmynne Dene, MLIS
Portneuf District Library
Chubbuck, ID 83202
jezmynne.dene@portneuflibrary.org

2. WHO WE ARE
Small library in Chubbuck, Idaho
 12,000 patrons in our database
 18,000 in our population area
 13 employees
 46,000 items, 6,000 non-book items
A library that needed a theme

3. ABOUT OUR USERS
Browsers
Fiction readers
This side of the Digital Divide

4. OUR INSPIRATION
Overcrowded, unused collection
Visit to Anythink! in Denver

5. WHAT WE DID
Studied BISAC headings
Made our own headings

6. WHAT WE DID
Used words instead of nonsensical
numbers and decimal points

8. WHERE DID WE CHANGE
Nonfiction first
 User surveys
Juvenile nonfiction second
 Matched juvenile nonfiction to school projects

9. WHEN DID WE CHANGE
PLAN A:
Initially going to do section by section
 Create space, pull and relabel materials
 Pull one heading at a time

10. WHEN DID WE CHANGE
UNPLANNED B:
Renovation
 Boxed the library, in rough order of new headings
 Unboxed in rough order

11. HOW DID WE CHANGE
Planned!
 One year
 Weeded, heavily!
 Created our subject headings and sub categories
 Planned our new labels
 Planned shelves and locations

13. WHY WE DID IT
Better categories
OUR categories
Mimic bookstore browsing
Make more sense for our community

14. HOW LONG IT TOOK
Closed 2 weeks for renovations
Unboxing in a few days
8 weeks to relabel
 No dedicated staff for the job

15. SO WHAT HAPPENED?
Deleted ~2000 nonfiction books
Purchased many new nonfiction books
9800 adult nonfiction books
3600 juvenile nonfiction books
New labels

17. SO WHAT HAPPENED?
Hugely positive response from users
Better organization and display of
materials
Improved ‘browseability’
Improved finding for users and staff

19. SO WHAT HAPPENED?
As we relabeled, we changed the
catalog records
Created ‘shelf locations’ for nonfiction
sections
 Able to pull stats on each section to see use

26. SO WHAT HAPPENED?
Significant circulation increase
 250% increase of nonfiction circ
 90% overall circulation increase
Biography section increased

27. SO WHAT HAPPENED?
Staff Reactions
 Some not on board at first
 All on board after seeing the results
User Reactions
 LOVE IT.

28. PROS:
Better browsing for users
Super easy to shelf read
Super easy to find things
Helped us hone and define our
nonfiction collection

29. CONS:
Some additional work for ordering
Some additional work for cataloging
Where do we stuff donations?

30. NEXT STEPS:
FICTON
 Already done a pilot with paperbacks
Choose genres
Cross genre authors in one place

31. SO WHAT DO YOU NEED?
Weed – remove the deadfall
Create or choose your categories
Plan for change
 All at once?
 Parts at a time?

32. SO WHAT DO YOU NEED?
Storage space
Lots of labels
Lots of label covers
Lots of boxes
A plan for keeping things organized

33. GETTING BUY IN
Field trips to libraries
Propose a pilot project
Share success stories you hear
 Us, Anythink!, Maricopa County Arizona

34. BUT WE’VE ALWAYS DONE
IT THAT WAY!
Yes. We have. But it’s time to try new
things
Teaching Dewey in schools?

35. QUESTIONS?
Please ask!

36. THANK YOU!
Jezmynne Dene, MLIS
Portneuf District Library
Chubbuck, Idaho 83202
jezmynne.dene@portneuflibrary.org