[Genealib] Genealogy Room Set-up

[Naukam, Larry]

Our library has 2 shelving schema, G for genealogy and R for local
Rochester history - which of course includes non contiguous counties at
some remove from us. (Don't get me started). As others have pointed out
using strictly Dewey leads to cemeteries being shelved all over
(catalogers are NOT your friends; I can say that because I have worked
as one). They usually will not change any entry to make things easier.

We are talking about a large library here, though not as large as many
others. There is a certain freedom in working in a smaller library where
one can effect changes, as opposed to dealing with decades of
bureaucratic inertia. And don't even get me started on having other
group's collection interfiled that have restrictions on them. Please.

But I am of the opinion that having a consistent Dewey arrangement is
OK, in that like area things can be shelved together. It really does
make a difference where you are. Allen County has 400 K or so books; we
have 40 K in 2 shelving arrangements. They will not ever be combined
because various directors have said no. Our staff's way to deal with
this is to make a lot of finding aids and get up from behind the desk to
actually ask what people want. That, and making a lot of items available
online (death indexes, scrapbooks, pictures, old newspapers etc.)

The professional genealogists' advice to ask the staff for a tour - and
ask questions - is a good one. Here we have had to put a number of
things out of the public access area because of theft and damage
problems. And we have less than half the staff that we had just 8 years
ago, because of budget cuts. We like what we do, but it can get
frazzling answering 3 phones at once (again, don't ask), having no
pages, and covering a whole floor by oneself.

So, to sum up - Dewey at least gets you to an overview of the areas;
collections such as church or cemetery records will be classed where
they go in Dewey, which might not be anywhere near the number of the
town or county.

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