The Massachusetts Library System is pleased to announce that we have contracted with ALA to provide our members with access to their live webinars.  These webinars are free to MLS members who register through our calendar.  Please do not register directly with ALA. Members who register directly with ALA are responsible for paying their registration fee. 

Please help us keep MLS sponsored training free for all members. If you are unable to attend the live webinar, please cancel your registration. A cancellation link can be found in your confirmation email, or you may contact Sarah Donnelly at sdonnelly@masslibsystem.org to cancel. 

Description

Clinton-Macomb Public Library (CMPL) started moving away from Dewey Decimal Classification in 2015. But with a multi-branch system and a variety of stakeholders, transitioning from the successful pilot test to the entire nonfiction collections wasn’t easy. 

The project, called the Nonfiction Accessibility Assessment Project (NAAP), had two components—the first was to determine if the interfiled children’s and adult nonfiction at branch locations should be separated, and the second was to decide if the library would transition from the Dewey Decimal system to a hybrid, BISAC+Dewey classification. Over the course of two years and numerous assessments—including feedback from other libraries, facilitated staff discussions, a public survey and user testing, a spatial planning assessment, and a follow-up survey about the process for the staff—CMPL was able to create a classification system that most people bought into, was collaborative, and was scalable across all buildings. 

In this webinar, learn how CMPL changed its nonfiction collection classification, from initial conception through planning, research, and literature review. Various methods of generating input and feedback from staff and public, the execution of the classification change, and how success can be tracked through circulation data and anecdotal interactions with the public will be presented.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Recognize resources to help them develop their own classification system;
• Plan, execute, and assess a project that works for a variety of collection sizes and spaces; and
• Identify the importance of changing their classification system to meet the needs of the public they serve. 

Who Should Attend

This webinar is intended for all public or school library staff and technical services librarians.

Presenter

C Mulder (they/them) is the head of collection management and system administration at the Clinton-Macomb Public Library in Michigan. They received their MSI in Library and Information Services from the University of Michigan in 2018. After starting in reference, Mulder quickly transitioned to technical services where they enjoy discussing classification with anyone who will engage. They’ve served as the chair of the CMPL equity, diversity, and inclusion committee for the past four years. 

Accessibility Information

If you have questions or requests regarding accessibility, contact ce@ala.org or at 312-280-5100.