I love my library, the Glenview Public Library. I don’t know how many times and how many ways I’ve said it since we arrived in Chicagoland just under six years ago.
My library is large. It’s a brand new facility, opened not too long after we moved here. At first, we missed the tiny little building it used to be but we’ve grown to love the big space — plenty of room for new books!
The librarians are outstanding. Really excellent. They’re friendly and helpful and go out of their way to resolve the occasional problem. When we leave this godforsaken place in a little more than two years, our library and our librarians will be missed.
Which is all why it pains me to write this blog post.
I am really disappointed with the recent decision to segregate the new arrivals — the non-fiction new arrivals have been moved upstairs, with the other non-fiction. The reading club books have been moved to the shelves that used to hold the non-fiction new arrivals.
This pains me. In more ways than one.
We go to our library at least twice a week. We check out dozens of books, of all kinds — and I do mean all kinds — every time we go. Almost every time we visit, we peruse the new arrivals and almost every time, we pluck at least one non-fiction book from the new arrivals shelf. Biographies, poetry, cookbooks, craft books, self-help, travel guides — you name it, we’re interested in it. (Those who read my blog fairly regular know how often I say, “I don’t know how this ended up on our library cart.” — or “I plucked this from the new arrivals shelf.” SO OFTEN. This happens because we peruse the new arrivals shelves so often.)
Because we often visit our library early in the morning or during a lunch break, we have very little time to peruse the stacks. We grab our holds from the holds shelf, we walk to the new arrivals shelves and then we check out. In and out in 15 minutes, which includes chit chatting with our favorite librarians.
With the non-fictions all the way upstairs … we just do not have time to go all of the way up those stairs and back down again, (even if my knee could handle all of the stairs), or deal with the elevator to get up there to look at the non-fiction new arrivals.
And lest you think this is all about me — In this time of library budget cuts, we’re lucky that we’ve got a fairly strong budget — you want to keep that budget, don’t you? Think about those who aren’t heavy library users. The occasional visitor. You want those people to be able to see the wealth of resources and entice them to check out a wide variety of books, just as quickly as you possibly can. You do this by having really interesting displays in easy to access areas. Like the new arrivals shelves. By hiding the new arrival non-fictions upstairs, you’re doing a bloody good job of keeping those books out of circulation. Shouldn’t one of your biggest goals be to get books circulating?
I polled my friends and family members about their libraries, assuming I was over-reacting. None, not a single person, said that their new arrivals were segregated in this way. None. They aren’t all in exactly the same area but they are all very in visible browsable spaces and absolutely not segregated to different floors!
Come on Glenview Public Library — think this through. You’re a big library but you’re not Chicago Public Library or New York Public Library big. There’s no need for this.
You’ve removed highly circulated books from a high visibility, browsable area in favor of non-browsable and low circulated books being in a browsable, highly-visible area. Nobody wandering around the library is going to decide to a) join a book club b) choose books for their book club via those shelves. That’s just now how book clubs work. Shouldn’t you know that?
I was trying to give the Glenview Public Library the benefit of the doubt — maybe they need more space for new fiction that’s coming in? But I took a look at the shelves where the book club books used to be and those are empty. Completely empty. And even if this decision was made to help free up space downstairs for fiction — I think there are better ways to do that.
– Move the book club books upstairs, maybe? Wouldn’t that seem like a smarter move?
– Reduce the number of new arrivals you display — though I’d be disappointed, that would at least make some sense.
– The first row of new arrivals is not a very eye-catching display. Just do away with it or move it to the area by the rental books, that frees up an entire shelf right there.
I need to run to the library and pick up some reserves, as well as books for this weekend’s #readathon and the very idea depresses me. It’s only been a couple of weeks since the non-fictions moved and it just makes me sad every time I go in, now.
Ok, you know I agree with you about the weird relocating of the book club books down to the new arrivals section.
BUT that first row of books isn’t new arrivals and I like it. It is something related to a theme, like a recently deceased author (and gives me more than a “Oh that is sad. I loved her books” thing to say on the internet, a chance to read books about papal conspiracies that I might have missed) Then it is recently returned books by other patrons–not always new arrivals. Then there is the librarian favorites–which could be made better by adding which librarian picked them and maybe why.
Right next to new arrivals is a section for the theme of the month.
The shelves go like this- new arrivals fiction, new arrivals non-fiction, themed books. Holds are on shelves opposite side of the walkway from the new arrivals.
I would never head upstairs for new arrivals in non fiction unless I planned the extra time for it.
@TW yes I know that first row isn’t new arrivals — it’s just other stuff that could be moved elsewhere. I rarely find it interesting and you don’t either, based on your numerous comments about how it could/should be improved upon.
Exactly Elizabeth! We have several places for themed book collections — three shelves (I think it’s three? Maybe four?) right as you walk in and then the first row of the new arrivals shelves. Blah. Upstairs — it just makes no darn sense to me. Obviously. 😉
Really?! This is your biggest problem that you have to go all the way upstairs to find your book? Have you visited some of the neighboring libraries that have only one floor and are so crowded for space that they are forced to limit book buying and shelves? Are you so opposed to visiting the second floor that you cannot travel a few extra steps? You do realize that the bulk of non-fiction collection is on the second floor so for consistency sake it makes perfect sense for all the nonfiction books to be shelved on the same floor? Do you also complain that the milk in the grocery store is all the way to the back of the store? Really, you need to get some perspective. I once overheard a woman complain to the librarian that the books on the top shelf were too difficult to reach and she wanted the books she was interested in shelved on the middle shelves where she could reach them more easily. Your complaint sound just as over blown and silly as hers. You just might discover something interesting if you travel further than the main floor of the library. It is just impossible to put every book by the main door or on the middle shelf.
Is this my biggest problem? No. Of course not, though I do live a privileged life and recognize that this is a first world problem. That doesn’t mean I don’t have reason to complain or the right to complain.
I have actually visited many of the libraries in both Cook and Lake counties and do recognize that my library is one of the best (if not the best) and appreciate that fact. That doesn’t mean I don’t think it can be improved or that I think it is perfect.
I do know that the bulk of the non-fiction titles are upstairs, that has very little to do with my belief that the new arrivals, of all sorts, should be together downstairs where more people will see them and check them out.
Do I complain that the milk is in the back of the grocery store? Well I have complained about the layouts of some grocery stores in the past and do believe that it would be nice if more grocers put the items folks often run in for closer to the front of the store, however I understand why they do not. I don’t think the people who come to the grocer for milk and bread are the same as the folks who come to the library to browse. Ideally, both places want people exposed to more items — I don’t, however, think most library browsers will go all of the way upstairs to browse. Milk is a must-buy item for those running into the grocery store to, you know, buy milk. Those running into the library to get a book aren’t necessarily running into the library to get a NON-FICTION book, so why would they go all of the way upstairs during a quick run?
You aren’t really comparing my complaint about the non-fiction books moving upstairs, out of view of most patrons to a woman who unreasonably wants books shelved on the middle shelf are you? Seriously? You must be fun during political, social and economic debates, aren’t you? Seriously. Not the same issue, at all.
I also would never suggest that all the “best” books be placed by the door, there’s enough problem with traffic in and out as it is. No reason to clutter up those doors. In fact, I’m tempted to complain about the layout of the library further because those shelves when you first come in are not the greatest places for books. Oh there I go again, complaining about something that you probably think I shouldn’t complain about or have the right to complain about. Dear me.
I discover interesting things all of the time at my library — I’m less likely to discover interesting things now because no — I won’t climb the steps or take the elevator to the non-fiction floor very often (ever?) so I won’t be finding many non-fiction books that I don’t specifically reserve ahead of time. I suspect I’m not alone in this — but time will tell, won’t it?
Please do come again for a visit, Rona. I’m sure I’ll complain about more things that you can take issue with.
My two cents…..I sit right next to the new book shelves (for adults) and fiction is on one side, nonfiction is on the other. Many people stop there first, and they almost always look at one side, and then the other (I can see through the bottom shelf, and see their shoes, so I know it’s the same person. Plus I try to figure out who it is on a slow day). Of course we’re only on one floor, but I still think it makes sense to keep them in the same area. And I hate the fact that the milk is in the back of the ginormous market.
Heh, Thank you, Katie! All the librarians I know are with me on this. 😉