This document discusses how genrefying, or organizing a library collection by genre rather than Dewey Decimal System, can improve a library. It outlines the benefits of genrefying such as aligning with common core standards, making non-fiction texts more accessible. It provides examples of genre and subgenre classifications like Pets: Dogs and Animals: Giraffes. Feedback from students and teachers indicates genrefying makes finding materials much easier. The library assistant who implemented genrefying at their school saw circulation increase and positive responses from patrons.

1. GENREFYING: HOW IT CHANGES
YOUR LIBRARY FOR THE BETTER
Guadalupe Colin
Library Assistant
Francis W. Parker School

2. STANDARDS
• By the end of year, read and comprehend informational
texts, including history/social studies, science, and
technical texts, in the grades 2-3 text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end
of the range. (ELA Reading Informational Text 10)
• By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature
[informational texts] at the high end of the
grades 2–3 text complexity band independently and
proficiently. (ELA Reading Informational Text 10)

3. WHY GENRES?
• Genres will transform
your collection
• Non-fiction texts are
essential for common
core standards
• Dewey is not easy

4. WHERE TO START
• Decide what section to genrefy
• Buy supplies (tape & labels)
• Decide how to genrefy (classification)
• Nothing is set in stone

5. METIS

6. METIS
• Facts/Concepts
• Machines
• Science
• Nature
• Animals
• Pets
• MakingStuff
• Arts
• Sports
• Ourselves
• Community
• USA (Then & Now)
• Countries (Then &
Now)
• Languages
• Traditions
• Tales
• Verse
• Humor
• Mystery
• Adventure
• Scary
• Graphic Novel
• Memoir
• Fiction/Picture stories
• Beginning fiction
• Middle level fiction

7. METIS NONFICTION
• Facts/Concepts
• Machines
• Science
• Nature
• Animals
• Pets
• MakingStuff
• Arts
• Sports
• Ourselves
• Community
• USA (Then & Now)
• Countries (Then &
Now)
• Languages
• Traditions
• Tales
• Verse
• Humor
• Mystery
• Adventure
• Scary
• Graphic Novel
• Memoir
• Fiction/Picture stories
• Beginning fiction
• Middle level fiction

8. MORE GENRES
• Mythology
• Mystery (not fiction)
• Insects
• History
• Animals

9. SUBGENRES
• Find specific books
easier
• Collection more
manageable
• Take into consideration
the kind of books
students ask for

10. EXAMPLES
Pets
• Dogs
• Cats
• Hamsters
• Gerbils
Animals
• Giraffes
• Wolves
• Otters
• Rabbits
Ocean
Animals
• Dolphins
• Fish
• Whales
• Manatees

11. IN THE CATALOG
Example of genre and sub-genre
• How-to: Crafts
• Facts: Spies
• Community: Families
• Machines: Boats

12. DESTINY

13. FOLK & FAIRY TALES
Genre and subgenre
• Folk & Fairy Tales: Cinderella
• Folk & Fairy Tales: Grimm Brothers
• Folk & Fairy Tales: Latin America

14. DESTINY
• Mighty Little Librarian blog recommends
batch update
• Catalog was inaccurate
• Scan and change every book

15. BATCH
UPDATE
Destiny

16. BATCH UPDATE
Destiny
Figure 7

17. CURRICULUM
When creating genres
keep the curriculum in
mind
• History: Middle Ages
• Folk & Fairy Tales:
Japan
• History: Ancient Egypt

18. LABELING
• Covered Dewey call number
• Kept last name of author
• Metis offers labels
• Labeling by sections makes the process less
confusing

21. CATALOGING
• Scanned every book
• Changed call number
• Did not keep author’s last name except for
Biography and Poetry
• Labeling and cataloging took the longest

22. SIGNAGE
• Signage for genres
• Signage for subgenres
• Signs on bookshelves
• Guide for genres

24. FOLK
&
FAIRY
TALES

25. RESPONSES FROM
STUDENTS
• From January 2015 to present:
• Nonfiction: 2,164
• Fiction: 2,544
• “Kids are thinking ‘I want to go right to this section and read the books
I like’”…”It was important to learn the Dewey Decimal System but it’s
confusing and genres are an easier way to find the books we like” -
Third Grader
• “The idea of genres is genius, students know where everything is” -
Fourth grader

26. RESPONSES FROM
FACULTY/STAFF
• “Shelving is so much easier” - Library Staff
• “I can count on finding related books next to
the one I’m looking for” - Teacher

27. WORKS CITED
• Depolo, Steven. Asian Girl Reading a Book Next to Painting of Girl Reading Book Grand Rapids Children's Museum.
Digital image. Flickr. 11 June 2011. Web.
• Herzog, Brian. Library Street Signs. Digital image. Flickr. 8 June 2012. Web.
• Kaplan, Tali Balas, Andrea Dolloff, Sue Giffard, and Jennifer Still-Schiff. "Are Dewey's Days Numbered?: Libraries
Nationwide Are Ditching the Old Classification System." School Library Journal. 28 Sept. 2012. Web. 14 Mar. 2015.
• Kaplan, Tali Balas, Andrea Dolloff, Sue Giffard, and Jennifer Still-Schiff. "Metis: Library Classification for Children."
Metis Innovations. Web. 14 Mar. 2015.
• Knott, Matthew. Pyramids. Digital image. Flickr. 10 Apr. 2006. Web.
• LaBar, Martin. Monarch Butterfly on Butterfly Weed. Digital image. Flickr. 25 Aug. 2006. Web.
• Michael. Chicago Bulls. Digital image. Flickr. 29 July 2009. Web.
• Whitehead, Tiffany. "Ditching Dewey: Catalog Changes." Mighty Little Librarian. 12 Jan. 2014. Web. 14 Mar. 2015.
• "English Language Arts Standards." Common Core State Standards Initiative. 1 Jan. 2015. Web. 14 Mar. 2015.
• Spies. Digital image. Flickr. 18 Nov. 2011. Web.