Genre Fiction Classification: A study of the Durham County Library

by Amy J. Richard
A Master's paper for the M.S. in L.S. Degree, July 1999.
Web location

This 40-page paper explores how separating fiction in genre categories effected the library patrons of Durham County (North Carolina) Library.

From January 15-18, 1999, library staff reshelved fiction by genre and added genre spine labels and genre subject headings to the catalog.

Amy Richard's findings supported the first two of three hypothesis.

1. "A majority of library fiction users browse the fiction collection and employ informal methods of selection."
2. "A majority of the library fiction users feel the separation of the fiction collection is an improvement on the previous author alphabetical fiction classification scheme."
3. "Circulation statistics will increase following the separation of the fiction collection into subject or genre categories."

Forty-six library users leaving the fiction area were interviewed about their selection habits.

Hypothesis #1

Thirty-nine (85%) claimed they did browse when looking for books, but the break out for actually selecting books is the following. They claimed to select books the following way.

• Author's name = 48%
  
• Browsing = 41%
  
• Library catalog = 37%
  
• Advice of a librarian or friends = 24%
  
• Displays = 15%
  
• Genre = 13%
  
• Other = 13%
  
• Reviews = 2%
  

Hypothesis #2

Thirty-two (69%) claimed separation of fiction into genre was an improvement, but this is not reflected in fiction circulation.

Hypothesis #3

The fiction was moved in mid-January 1999. Fiction circulation from February 1999 to April 1999 fell 42% to 48% from the same months of the previous year. Ms. Richards reasonably speculates that the rearrangement confused long-time patrons.

My observations

I think Ms. Richards is right. Forty-eight percent of library users claimed to select books by author and only 13% by genre. Rearranging fiction from author's names to genre may have, in the short run, confused almost half of fiction readers. Unfortunately, the circulation statistics do not continue long enough to show recovery.

This experience suggests that readers may need finding aids to reorient them to the new locations of their favorite books.