Randolph County Public Library Genre-Fies Its Children's Room

 

These responses were shared by Samantha Martin, Head of Youth Services at Randolph County Public Library. 

1. Where did the idea for this project come from?

The idea for genrefying the children's room really came from staff observations. Any librarian familiar with a children's room knows the kind of questions we get everyday from parents, kids, and teachers: "Do you have picture books about dogs, or dinosaurs? Where are your books about self-esteem, books about celebrating differences, books about dealing with bullies?" Surely most children's librarians have a database of books in their minds that satisfy most queries, but too often our staff was panic googling booklists. Genres helped us to categorize books for browsing--books about dogs, dinosaurs, self-esteem, and social topics are grouped together for easy access, empowering patrons to really find what they need, while also helping librarians see exactly what's in their collection. Studies have shown that the best browsing for children doesn't happen by last name of author. Engaging children in books they like, about topics they love, is essential to early literacy.

2. What kind of feedback have you received so far?

We've been receiving a lot of positive and excited feedback from families. Most patrons seem to catch on quickly after initial introductions to the system. Patrons have said it's easier for them to browse based on what they've already read. Parents say there is less mystery for them when picking out books for their kids. We've been soliciting feedback from patrons since the beginning of the project, and a lot of their constructive suggestions have helped us refine categories and improve our signage. Some patrons are still wary of not being able to locate titles by last name alone. We reassure those patrons that librarians are there to help with any specific titles they need, as some authors appear in multiple sections.

3. What advice do you have for youth services librarians who'd like to genre-fy their collections?

Start with the basics and work your way up! Find a broad list of genres and create subcategories where you need them, but starting broad will help you with the initial genrefication. Read everything! Every picture book in your collection needs to be read and identified as belonging to a specific category. The books that belong in multiple places? Make a decision, make it a rule, and then move it later if you need to. If staff can't agree on where a book belongs, try to see the book from the perspective of the patron who wants to read it—whether that be a teacher, a parent, a child, or another librarian. How would they use this book, and where would they go to find it? Genrefying is a way we can help erase boundaries, so getting into the mindset of your patrons will help with this process.

4. Do you have any future plans for collection development for the children's room?

We're still refining our system, always seeking ways to make our genres more accessible. Right now, we're working on inclusive ways we can bring genrefication to our Spanish and bilingual collections. We'll also be working with local daycares and schools to connect our genres to their learning outcomes for student success. We're excited to see the full impact of what genrefication can do for our community as this system continues into its third year!