In my library (a small rural public library), I would not separate either LGBTQ or Urban Fiction from the main collection.
Reason #1: Due to limited building size, we only have so much shelving space that does not allow us to separate our collection into smaller categories. All our adult fiction is shelved together to save space. I do not see the case for these two genres as strong enough to change up our system as it already is.
Reason #2: Genre categories can be arbitrary and books can have multiple genres. Should an LGBTQ romance be shelved in the romance or LGBTQ section (assuming we had both sections)? How central to the story do the characters need to be in the story to classify it as LGBTQ? A main character? A secondary character? A mention? Where do we draw the line for Urban Fiction as they begin to be picked up by mainstream publishers? Who is going make these decisions and how much staff time would this use?
Reason #3: For patrons looking specifically for either LGBTQ or Urban Fiction, there are ways to do that through cataloging tags without a separate shelf location. Some patrons come in for the enjoyment of browsing the shelves. By including these books in the main fiction collection, we allow these books a chance to be discovered by those who didn't know to seek them out. Separating these genres could also be viewed as a warning against them or stigmatization of the genre as not appropriate for the general collection. This is not a message the library wants to send.
Hi Karis--you make a good point about small libraries not having the shelf space for genre shelving. At my small rural branch (of a larger countywide system), we have space for romance, mystery, scifi/fantasy (together), and large print. Westerns get shelved with the general fiction because we have so few. My branch doesn't get sent any Urban Fiction. Our population is something like 98% White; if we got a handful of Urban titles in, I'd shelve them with the rest of the fiction. At my previous branch, Urban Fiction gets checked out quite a bit (Haley Johnson's branch) and I'd argue for separating it to make it easier to find.
ReplyDeleteYou also mention cataloguing tags, which I'd support for Urban Fiction but not LGBTQ for the same reasons as your #2.
To clarify, when I say catalog tags, I mean I tag like a subject heading, not on the book spine
DeleteHi Karis! I like the way you answered this question. Your reasons for NOT separating the collections are carefully considered and convincing. I had not even thought about the issue of space until you mentioned it, and I really like your last statement (very difficult to argue with it!): "Separating these genres could also be viewed as a warning against them or stigmatization of the genre as not appropriate for the general collection. This is not a message the library wants to send."
ReplyDeleteKaris, you make good arguments. I hadn't thought much about the size issue. As I look back at the smaller libraries I have gone to in my life, they usually didn't separate out the types of books - other than putting stickers on the spines so we could pick out things like mystery and romance and westerns and science fiction. I guess it would also feel a little unsatisfactory to go in looking for a mystery and see that there's only one short shelf of them - so separating them might make the collection seem small and put off patrons. At our branches we still have books separated by genre, but maybe the branches are still larger than yours (they are in the city). I think reasons 2 and 3 apply to all libraries and are good reasons for keeping the collection together. I think the graphic novels are the only group that could be separated and that's because they are catalogued differently - by title or series title, rather than by author. Still, it's complicated, because I don't like giving the sense that graphic novels are "different" or particularly "bad".
ReplyDeleteI think that you make very good arguments in your post. The point about size is one that I had not considered. Some libraries have very limited space thus making this not a feasible idea at all. Your point about genres being arbitrary is very true as well. I agree with the point that you made about LGBTQ fiction. It is too wide of a net and can create a logistical nightmare trying to figure out what goes in the section.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned some great reasoning for not creating seperate display areas for LGBTQ and Ubran fiction. Especially in our library (Karis and I work together), but I wonder if we should ever consider genre stickers to promote the genres. It's something we use for fantasy and horror, I wonder how it would be received by the community?
ReplyDeleteHi Karis! I appreciate the fact that you mentioned that sometimes they'd fall into multiple categories. Nothing ever is cut and dry!
ReplyDelete