There are differing opinions on the decision to ditch dewey in the new Gilbert library in Arizona. I’m in the camp that says ditching Dewey isn’t necessary if the library has well designed and placed signs. (And LOWER SHELVES.) I have worked as both a page in a library and as a salesperson in Barnes and Noble, and let me tell you, it’s easier with the numbers. The numbers don’t have to serve any purpose except to know where to put the book back, but that purpose is important. At Barnes and Noble, it would often happen that I knew a book was in the store, but couldn’t find it, because it was mis shelved. Often the mis shelving was an honest mistake- an employee found it out laying around, thought they knew where it went, and put it somewhere without checking the computer. What often happened is I called another branch and had the book sent over, or ordered it for the customer. It would be annoying to have to ILL something you know is in the library because you’re not sure where it is shelved. When I worked as a page, many of my co workers spoke little or no English- but they could still shelve books by the Dewey Decimal system, because they could count. I reserve judgment on the Gilbert Library’s arrangement, though, because for all I know, they have a plan to address all this. I hope they found something that works brilliantly.
I could see rearranging the fiction section on a bookstore model, though. I’ve always hated how all the fiction is lumped together in the library- I would LOVE if I could go to the library and find all the historical fiction grouped together, or, say, science fiction, or classics. I’ve never understood why the non fiction books get such detailed classification, and the huge fiction collection is all lumped together. Maybe I’ll learn that sometime in my schooling. Also, could we provide a subject page like this for our catalog? (Some places may do this, but not my library.)