Exp 7: How can we make the non-fiction sections more reader-friendly?

Research questions

• Does dividing a non-fiction area into subgroups increase circulation over mere weeding that non-fiction area? J. H. Robbins Memorial Library broke up their cookbook section into 14 categories. Shelf labels clearly identified each grouping of cookbooks on the shelf. Will this extra work be rewarded with more circulation than mere weeding?

Previous research

• J. H. Robbins Memorial Library's "Project for the State Library Merchandising and Marketing Training"


• Summary of "When choice is demotivating: Can one desire too much of a good thing?" by Sheena S. Iyengar and Mark R. Lepper, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 79, #6, 2000, pp. 995-1006. Full article online


This experiment demonstrates that when people are giving too many choices they choose not to choose. Breaking down the cookbook section into 14 smaller subsections makes it easier for patrons to choose a cookbook.


Testing Hypothesis


• Dividing a non-fiction area into sub-categories will have a higher circulation than merely weeding the non-fiction area.

Instructions for conducting the experiment (Word version)



1. Choose to non-fiction sections in your collection. The collections should be similar in size and age and look of books after weeding.


2. Weed both sections.


3. Measure circulation of both weeded sections for three months.


4. At the end of three months, divide books of one section into subcategories.


5. Separate each subcategory on the shelf physically or with markers.


6. Clearly label each subcategory.
   


7. Clearly label the entire section.


8. Measure the circulation of both sections for three months.


9. At the end of three months, divide the books of the other section into subcategories.


10. Separate each subcategory on the shelf physically or with markers.


11. Clearly label each subcategory.


12. Clearly label the entire section.


13. Measure the circulation of both sections for three months.


14. To receive credit for completing this experiment, either email as an attachment this completed worksheet called "Exp7Nonfiction" in the Excel spreadsheet to Chris Rippel.
    

What a successful experiment would look like in the Excel spreadsheet.












What failure experiments would look like in the Excel spreadsheet.

Failure 1













Failure 2
Merchandising increases circulation above mere weeding, but the high circulation doesn't last and circulation falls back down.