Adult Services Page
When staff are scheduled on the floor, unless otherwise instructed, the primary focus should be to shelve materials accurately. Staff scheduled on the floor should not be loitering around/behind any public desk unless otherwise informed by public desk staff. This means that should a damaged item be found on the cart(s), a floor problem ticket should be filled out and the item should be placed on the bottom of the cart until the staff members’ floor shift is complete. Should a patron approach a staff member scheduled on the floor, inquiring anything other than a simple directional question, the staff member should direct the patron to the public desk. A directional question would be as such: Where is the restroom? - Where is the nonfiction collection? – Where can I find the paperbacks? – etc. PPL relies on staff scheduled to shelve to remain in shelving areas and focus on the task at hand. Interruptions, such as needless trips to public desks, chatting with patrons/coworkers, reading or using cell phones affect the accuracy of the shelving process.
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Shelving Procedures
The following steps should be completed before placing any book on the shelf. Open the back cover and verify the following: # Check to make sure that the book belongs to the current branch location. # Check to make sure that the barcode is intact. Flip through the book to ensure no loose papers/trash, torn pages or other damages are found Check the back label to determine where the item should be shelved. Verify the information on the label matches the information on the title page and that it matches the spine label.
ALWAYS SHELVE BY THE INFORMATION LISTED ON THE BACK LABEL When shelving a book, check 10 books to the left and 10 books to the right of the book being shelved to confirm accuracy of the books on the shelf. IF books are not in order, put them in the correct order before proceeding. Make sure ALL books are edged and straightened and the shelf looks orderly before moving on. Also check the orderliness of the aisle, even if only one book is shelved within a section, the entire section should be edged and straightened. If there is a broken bookend… fix it.
“A” “An” & “The” are invisible when located at the beginning of a title. This does not include “AND”.
When shelving foreign language titles, shelve them as they appear, no matter the translation of the title.
DO NOT shelve by series title or series number (with the exception of graphic novels in YA) unless otherwise noted in the following instructions.
Unless otherwise noted, all fiction genres are shelved first by the authors’ last name, then first name, and finally by title.
- Remember ALWAYS check the label in the back of the book and the label on the spine making sure that the labels match and contain the correct information.
Remember when a title begins with a number; shelve the title as if the number is spelled out. Ex. The 1st Deadly Sin by Lawrence Sanders, should be shelved by “first”
Remember: It is better to ask questions about shelving than to shelve incorrectly.
Damaged Items
Damaged items should not be found on the carts/shelves un-noted Some reasons that damaged items could be found on the carts include: # Staff missed the damages at check in or failed to note the damages properly, # The item came from another location (i.e. rounds or youth services), # A patron damaged the item while in the library.
Young Adult
Graphic novels are shelved separately from the rest of the YA collection, usually at the end of the YA Collection. Graphic novels are shelved by author, then by title of series, and finally by series number. This is the ONLY time that fiction books are shelved by series number! All other YA genres are interfiled within YA fiction, including paperbacks and are shelved alphabetically by author, then title. IF YA paperbacks are shelved on spinners at branch locations they should still be shelved alphabetically by author, then title.
The series Drangonlance and Star Wars are cataloged and shelved by the respective series name—Dragonlance (YA DRA) and Star Wars (YA WARS). These series have sub-series within but are still shelved alphabetically by the title of the novel not by the name of the series. Each series contains a number of sub-series which are usually listed on the cover and title page of the book, to find the appropriate title check the label in the back of the book.
- If there is not a label in the book, check the title page, if the title is still unclear check PAC or check with Reference staff-if shelving at Main.
New YA books are interfiled with the YA collection, but still have a yellow NEW sticker.
Western
There are numerous western series authors. These are shelved alphabetically by author, then title. If an authors’ book is part of a series that begins with the name of the main character or series title, the books should be shelved alphabetically by the title after the character’s name or title name. For example: In the “Slocum” series by Jake Logan, the title “Slocum and the Mountain Man” would come before “Slocum by the Mountain."
Western paperbacks are shelved on their own spinner alphabetically by author, then title.
- If there is not a label in the book, check the title page, if the title is still unclear check PAC or check with Reference staff, if shelving at Main.
NEW Western titles can be found in the NEW book area.
Large Print
Large Print is shelved alphabetically by author, then title.
All genres are cataloged as Large Print and therefore are interfiled together in the Large Print section.
Large Print Nonfiction is found immediately after Large Print Fiction.
Large Print Nonfiction should be shelved numerically according to the Dewey Decimal System.
NEW Large Print titles can be found in the NEW book area.
Science Fiction
Science Fiction is shelved alphabetically by author, then title.
Science Fiction paperbacks are interfiled with Science Fiction hardbacks. IF Science Fiction paperbacks are shelved on spinners at branch locations they should still be shelved alphabetically by author, then title.
Main- If you feel that the title you are shelving should have a fantasy sticker, refer to the Fantasy list located at the reference desk behind the dry erase board. After referring to the list if you’re still unsure check with Reference ☺.
NEW Science Fiction titles can be found in the NEW book area.
Inspirational
Inspirational Fiction is shelved alphabetically by author, then title.
Remember even if the author writes a series or a number of series, each book is still shelved alphabetically by title NOT by series title or series number.
The rule for books that have two authors is to shelve the book by the name of the first author listed on the title page (not the front cover).
NEW Inspirational titles can be found in the NEW book area.
Fiction/Mystery
Fiction/Mystery is shelved alphabetically by author, then title.
The rule for books that have two authors is to shelve the book by the name of the first author listed on the title page (not the front cover).
The rule for books that have more than two authors is to shelve the book by title not by author, unless the label lists the name of the first author. Always shelve by the label.
If the first word of the title is the same as the last name of a surrounding author, the item shelved by the title goes after the item shelved by author.
For example: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden is shelved before The Golden West : three complete novels by Louis L’Amour, Zane Grey, and Max Brand
- Remember ALWAYS check the label in the back of the book and the label on the spine making sure that the labels match and contain the correct information.
Regional fiction is interfiled here.
Fiction and Mystery are interfiled.
Main- Any Mystery book without a mystery sticker on the spine needs one. ☺ The stickers are located at the Reference Desk in the card catalog cabinet.
When shelving, ignore all punctuation found in titles and authors’ names.
Ignore any spacing there may be in authors’ names only.
When shelving authors who have names that are condensed by initials, such as P.D. James and J. Wallis Martin, remember to treat the authors’ full name alphabetically, ignoring all punctuation. For example: P.D. James, would be shelved alphabetically by James, then PD and J. Wallis Martin should be shelved by Martin, JWallis.
When shelving authors such as Daphne du Maurier and Alexandre Dumas, ignore the space between du Maurier and keep in mind that both authors are shelved under Dum. Therefore Dumas would be shelved before du Maurier.
However, when shelving titles such as Hardball / Sara Paretsky and Hard Time / Sara Paretsky, DO NOT ignore the space between Hard and Time, as the first word in this title is actually Hard whereas Hardball is one word.
When shelving authors with a hyphenated last name such as Annabel Davis-Goff, the last name should be read as one word (DavisGoff) and is shelved after an author whose last name is Davis, but before an author whose last name is Davison.
Also, try to keep all titles by an author on one shelf. If it is absolutely necessary to separate the authors’ books onto more than one shelf, please make sure that each shelf has at least 5 titles by that author.
Nonfiction
Nonfiction is shelved numerically by the Dewey Decimal System, then alphabetically by authors’ last name.
Reference materials should not be shelved here.
In nonfiction there are series of books which are published in volumes. These books are shelved numerically by the Dewey Decimal System, then alphabetically by authors’ last name, and finally by the label.
If the label only has the title of the series, then the books are shelved by volume number. For example: The new book of popular science is shelved as follows… 500 New Volume 1, 500 New Volume 2, etc. The label in the back of the book says… 500 New—The new book of popular science.
If the label has the title of the series followed by the subtitle, the books are shelved by the series title, then the subtitle.
For example: The Oxford history of the British Empire : the eighteenth century / edited by P.J. Marshall, D. Phil., PBA ; assistant editor Alaine Low, D. Phil is shelved as follows…941 Oxf (Dewey Class Number)—The Oxford history of the British Empire(Series title)—eighteenth century(subtitle). The label in the back of the book says… 941 Oxf—The Oxford history of the British Empire : the eighteenth century.
:Remember ALWAYS check the label in the back of the book and the label on the spine making sure that the labels match and contain the correct information.
Regional nonfiction is interfiled here.
If a book is too tall to be shelved with the spine label facing out, shelve it with the spine facing up. If the book is still too tall it needs to be placed on the bottom shelf.
If there is a call number that ends in “0” after the decimal point (ex. 370.460 Ros), please pull and give to Reference staff.
Biographies
Biographies are found in the nonfiction area shelved between 929.999 and 930. They are shelved alphabetically by the person(s) the biography is written about, then alphabetically by the author of the biography, and finally alphabetically by the title of the book, (only if there is more than one title about a person by the same author).
Example: Biography King Gar—Bearing the cross: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference/ David J. Garrow. This should be shelved first by Martin Luther King Jr., then by David Garrow, and finally by the title.
There are a number of books about people with the same name, but who have different suffixes. They should be shelved according to their full name.
Example: Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Elizabeth I, Elizabeth II and Elizabeth, Grand Duchess of Russia should be shelved as follows: Elizabeth, Grand Duchess of Russia Elizabeth I (the first) Elizabeth, the Queen Mother Elizabeth II (the second)
Example: Pope John Paul II, and Pope John XXIII should be shelved as follows: John Paul II (the second) John XXIII (the twenty-third)
- Remember ALWAYS check the label in the back of the book and the label on the spine, making sure that the labels match and contain the correct information.
Regional biographies are interfiled here.
Paperbacks All Paperback genres are shelved alphabetically by author, then by title.
Harlequin
Harelquin paperbacks are shelved alphabetically by author, then by title.
Harlequin paperbacks contain quite a few different series and most of the time the title of the series is listed on the front cover or spine of the book unless the series title is actually part of the book title it should be ignored.
Harlequin paperbacks should be shelved by the title of the book, not by the title of the series. This is usually found on the spine label. If there is not a label check PAC… If you are still unclear, ask reference.
Remember ALWAYS check the label in the back of the book and the label on the spine, making sure that the labels match and contain the correct information.
Fiction and Mystery
Make sure that when shelving to check 10 books before and 10 books after the book you are shelving… This means you may need to check the spinner you are shelving as well as the spinner before and the spinner after.
- If the title of the series is listed on the front cover or spine of the book, the book is shelved by the title of the book, not by the title of the series. This is usually found on the spine label. If there is not a label check PAC… If you are unclear, ask reference.
:Remember ALWAYS check the label in the back of the book and the label on the spine making sure that the labels match and contain the correct information.
Remember paperbacks are separated by genre (except for Science Fiction and YA, which are interfiled with hardbacks), Mystery paperbacks should not be interfiled with fiction paperbacks.
Audios
Audio books are shelved alphabetically by author, then by title.
New Audio books are interfiled with all other audios, but still have a yellow “NEW” sticker.
DVDs and CDs should not be found here.
Nonfiction Audio books are found immediately following Fiction Audio books, and should be shelved numerically according to the Dewey Decimal System.
Music CDs
Music CDs are shelved alphabetically by artist or group, then by the title of the album. Unless the album has more than two artists, then it should be shelved by title. If the spine label does not reflect this please give to Reference.
DVDs and audio books do not belong here.
Reference
Reference is shelved numerically by the Dewey Decimal System.
Regional should not be shelved here.