"I
want more like this!"| Libraries often use genre
distinctions in their adult fiction sections. In public libraries
especially, it is common to see adult patrons browsing in Science
Fiction, Western, and Romance sections depending on their personal
reading tastes. But children, especially older children, have also
developed personal reading tastes very like adults, and many would
benefit from having fiction books organized into genres on the shelves
rather than alphabetical by author. The alphabetical system works for
older kids who wish to read all the books by one author, but the more
enthusiastic readers will quickly want “more like this.”
Shelving by genre is a great way for older kids to independently find “more like this,” boosting both self-esteem and their enthusiasm for reading. Librarians, too, will quickly and easily point out read-alikes and conduct reader’s advisory interviews. Shelving by genre can also boost circulation and could also help keep older kids enthusiastic about aesthetic reading, delaying or preventing the “teenage reading slump.” In this site we wish to present several aspects of shelving older children’s books by genre, including supporting research, practical advice and reading lists, evaluation criteria, a list of resources for further reading, and much more.
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Produced by Ana Peso, Donna Miner, and Kristen Hill for LIS 506
