FROM DEWEY TO
NATURAL LANGUAGE
THE REORGANIZATION OF NUNAMUIT SCHOOL
LIBRARY
INSPIRATION
• Pam Sandlian Smith and “Wordthink”
• Part of the “Anythink” rebranding to make libraries relevant
for the 21st Century
• “From a building of books to a place where the community
connects with information and has experiences that inspire
new ideas”
• Eliminated Dewey in the Rangeview Library District
• Greatly increased circulation, participation and funding!
LIBRARY RENOVATION
INTERLIBRARY COOPERATION GRANT
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State Wide Significance
Innovation
New Services
Technology
VISITING RANGVIEW
Neighborhood
Approach
Identify Subjects
Batch process
based on bar
code list
Be prepared to
Revise
PROCEDURE
• How do my patrons use the library?
• How do they need
information organized?
• Small Inupiat village
CONSIDERATIONS
• Collection Size: 9,942 copies
• Minimal Staff
• School Curriculum
• Cultural Interest
ANALYZE COLLECTION
• Identify Subject headings
• Primary
• Secondary
• BISAC, Dewey and WordSpeak
• Shelf List
• Counting and categorizing
SORT BOOKS
• Revise Primary Headings
• Identify Secondary Headings
CREATE LABELS
• Spine Labels
• Shelf Labels
TEAMWORK
• One Week + Four Librarians+ 3 part time helpers =
One reorganized Library
INTRODUCE TO THE PUBLIC
• Open House & Publicity
RESPONSE
• “Love this book store idea, I’ve made $1000 so far
selling books!”
• “I can quickly run in between classes and find what
I need.”
• “I know where the truck books are.”
• “It is much easier to shelve.”
• “What should I put on this spine label?”
SPINE LABEL DILEMMA
CONSIDERATIONS
• Who will be cataloging?
• Rangeview sent translation key to Ingram
• How big is your collection?
• Alphabetizing
• Do you need all those Books?
• Guides versus Librarians
• Transfer Skills
QUESTIONS
DISCUSSION
• Would this benefit your patrons?
• How would you accomplish the task?
• People Power
• Funding
• What effect will this have on libraries and patrons in
the future?