BISAC: A New Way to Organize with the Patron in Mind

BISAC

A New Way to Organize with the Patron in Mind

Deb Hoadley, AdvisorMassachusetts Library Systemdhoadley@masslibsystem.org

866-627-7228 ext 309 (toll free in MA)508-357-2121 ext 309

Objectives for today:

What is BISAC? Why would I want to do this in my library? Collection Development, Weeding, Reader’s

Advisory Space design and layout How does this help us market what we have?

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/122

3

BISAC Categories (Book Industry Subject and Category Codes)

• ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES• ARCHITECTURE• ART• BIBLES• BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY• BODY, MIND & SPIRIT• BUSINESS & ECONOMICS• COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS• COMPUTERS• COOKING• CRAFTS & HOBBIES• DESIGN*• DRAMA• EDUCATION• FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS• FICTION• FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDY• GAMES• GARDENING• HEALTH & FITNESS• HISTORY• HOUSE & HOME• HUMOR• JUVENILE FICTION• JUVENILE NONFICTION

• LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES• LAW• LITERARY COLLECTIONS• LITERARY CRITICISM• MATHEMATICS• MEDICAL• MUSIC• NATURE• PERFORMING ARTS• PETS• PHILOSOPHY• PHOTOGRAPHY• POETRY• POLITICAL SCIENCE• PSYCHOLOGY• REFERENCE• RELIGION• SCIENCE• SELF-HELP• SOCIAL SCIENCE• SPORTS & RECREATION• STUDY AIDS• TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING• TRANSPORTATION• TRAVEL• TRUE CRIME

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12

Where do you find the BISAC headings?

New Spine Label:SPORTSBASEBALRed Sox

4MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12

5

Other spine label examples

SPORTS

BASEBAL

SPORTS

BASEBAL

Red Sox

HISTORY

ANC GREE

HISTORY

MILITRY

WWII

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12

• From the BISAC “bible”

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12 6

7

Record and label changes

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12 8

MARC record with BISAC headings included. OCLC is now including these headings

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12 9

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12 10

INSPIRATION• Patron desired space

Why do patrons prefer to browse/buy from bookstores?

AccessibilityFamiliar subject headingsComfortable areasAttractive spacesBrowsing allowedCUSTOMER DRIVEN: What

drives their experience?

11

Motivation & Innovation

Browsability Searchability Items are placed together by category based

on a language system, not numerical system Collection development will be easier Customer satisfaction Staff time will be used for more patron

interaction & reader’s advisory

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12

12

It’s more than books

Layout of the library is key to its success

Signage is very important

Staff feedback Customer feedback

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12 13

Old Space Design 47 double shelves, 7 single shelves

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12 14

First Option Design 1:  44 double shelves, 16 single shelves

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12 15

Second option Design 2:  36 double shelves, 16 single shelves

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12 16

Third Option Design 3:  43 double shelves, 14 single shelves

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12 17

Fourth Option Design 4:  36 double shelves, 14 single shelves

New Layout

18MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12

New Layout

19MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12

Volunteers helped to box up over 500 boxes

Helped to put books back on the shelves

Learned what we had in the collection

Moving Day

20 MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12 21

Final Layout

Flexibility & Adaptability• Watching

patron traffic patterns to best arrange collections

• Using merchandising techniques to best display collections

• Signs, signs, signs…

22MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12

Justification• Statistical data to support • Patrons love the new

layout of the library• Patrons love the ability to

look at the sections and find what they are looking for

• Shelving is easier• No conflict with

consortium/just a change in local call number

23MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12

Glades & NeighborhoodsHybrid Models

Who else is doing something similar?Wilmington Public Library – neighborhoodsDover Town Library – subject headingsJones Library, Amherst – labeling subjectsNashua PL, NH – poetry sectionDarien, CT – gladesMLA conference information

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/1224

  Patron Service & Satisfaction

This book describes it all!

Patron ExperiencePatron

Participation Patron

EngagementPatron Support

25 MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/12

Information

Webinar by National Book Network http://pdfs.nbnbooks.com/BI/SAC/BISACWebinar.pdf

Book Industry Standard Group http://www.bisg.org/ Book publishers are putting categories on backs of

books http://waltshiel.com/2009/09/14/to-bisac-or-not-to-bisac/

http://www.slideshare.net/DHoadley_Langley/bisac-a-new-way-to-organize-with-the-patron-in-mind

http://guides.masslibsystem.org/BeyondDewey

MLS: Deb Hoadley 5/2/1226