BISAC this! Alternatives to Dewey at the Nassau Library System Michele Zwierski, Manager Cataloging Services/Nassau Library System Public Library Technical Services IG ALA Annual Conference June 27, 2015

Who we are The Nassau Library System is a cooperative library system Consortium comprised of 54 member libraries and a Service Center for the libraries Each member library is independent, autonomous, supported by local taxes, and governed by its own board of trustees Innovative/Sierra ILS

Member Libraries order and receive materials at their local libraries Provisional bib records created – Automatically through the Acquisition process – Keyed in by Member Library staff Item records created by Member Library staff Cataloging at NLS

NLS-Cataloging Services – 3 professionals (myself included); 4 copy catalogers – Replaces all Provisional records with full cataloging records – Creates original cataloging records – Authority work – Catalog 3000 to 5000 titles per month (10% original) Cataloging at NLS

082/092 is a suggested number Member Library staff can accept or reject Assigned call numbers are keyed in manually into the Call No. field of the Item Record Member Library classification

Dewey challenges Not spine friendly Confusing for patrons and staff – Top complaints: Travel ; Shakespeare ; Native Americans Old-fashioned

Solutions Use Dewey ; add signs Use local adaptation of Dewey – Dot-less Dewey Use something else

BISAC Book Industry Standards And Communications Publishes BISAC Subject Headings headings-2014-edition headings-2014-edition Subject terms assigned by the publishers

BISAC list headings (excerpts) SEL SELF-HELP / Compulsive Behavior / Sex & Pornography Addiction SEL009000SELF-HELP / Creativity SEL SELF-HELP / Death, Grief, Bereavement SEL012000SELF-HELP / Dreams SEL SELF-HELP / Eating Disorders & Body Image FIC027000FICTION / Romance / General FIC FICTION / Romance / Action & Adventure * FIC FICTION / Romance / African American FIC FICTION / Romance / Clean & Wholesome *

Where can you find these headings already assigned to materials? Maybe in the NLS catalog record – If they are in the copy cataloging record, my staff leaves in Baker and Taylor (and other vendors?) Cataloging In Publication (verso of title page) – BISAC headings not yet included ; – Local staff can translate from LC subject headings or Dewey classification Local staff self-assign

Pros of using Clearly displays browsing areas of the collection (signs and labels) Classification sub-headings are clearly visible to browsers (signs and labels)

Cons of using Re-labelling materials and editing of item records Most classification done by staff person on-site Many more places to look for a specific book in the library Need more shelf space to accommodate same amount of materials

BISAC at NLS Always have been sub-collections of materials – Large type – DVDs – Test preparation – Reference Not BISAC

BISAC notions at NLS “We do BISAC and here is our Cooking area” – Done exclusively by Dewey call number range; “Cooking” sticker applied ; signage “We do BISAC and here is our Young Adult fiction area” – Sub-categories “Mystery” “Romance” “Sports” identified by labels ; still in Author A-Z sort

Label examples

Advice from the trenches “You will need more shelf space” Local procedures need to be created (and followed) “Label the books outside and inside” Consider ordering custom labels