Introduction
In this guide, you will find resources concerning genrefication including what is genrefication, why librarians are conducting this process, how I reorganized the Red Rocks Children's Collection by genre and the difficulties I faced, resources concerning genrefication, the categories I made and some of the books in them, and next steps that can be taken in this project.
What is Genrefication?
Genrefication is the reorganization of the books within a collection, or the whole library, that divides the books into categories like genres. This process is similar to how bookstores organize books, giving genres beyond fiction and non-fiction such as adventure, horror, sci-fi, etc. Typically, this process is carried out with fiction books because fiction collections in a library tend to be organized alphabetically by the author’s last name. However, organizing alphabetically by the author’s last name is not always a user-friendly method for patrons to discover new books.
Benefits of Genrefication
A Better Understanding of the Collection:
- Each book will be analyzed to see which genre it best fits within, so you will be seeing each book you have in your collection. This allows you to have a better idea of what is in your collection.
Identifying Gaps in the Collection:
- Additionally, examining the collection so closely allows you to see if there is anything missing within your collection. For example, when reorganizing the RRCC Children’s Collection, I noticed there were no books concerning space. Because space is a topic that many children can be interested in, this is a serious gap that we learned about and worked to correct.
Tailoring According to Your Patrons:
- The genres, or categories, used to organize your books can be tailored to your population. You can use the language your users would be most comfortable with. For example, horror books could be in a “scary” category, making it more accessible for the specific patron group browsing the collection.
Allowing for Self-Agency within the Library:
- Organizing books by genre allows patrons to better find books that they will be more interested in. Patrons can look for books within a genre they enjoy, discovering a new title more effortlessly and without the help of a librarian. Within other libraries that have genrefied their collections, they have witnessed patrons finding and checking out more books that they are excited to read.
