Youth services librarian Holly S. with the newly reorganized and relabeled youth world language collection
Identifying Inconsistencies
Madison Public Library's world language collection includes a variety of materials for kids, teens, and adults to check out. The collection contains materials in several languages including Spanish, Arabic, French, Japanese, and more. Starting two years ago, a quiet yet significant change aimed at streamlining the organization and accessibility of the children's world language book collections, particularly focusing on Spanish and bilingual (English/Spanish) materials, began: relabeling and reorganizing. The change was done after library staff noticed inconsistencies in the organization of world language materials, making shelving and checking out books difficult.
“Behind the scenes, before the reorganization, all books in languages other than English had the same collection code, which made [shelving books and] looking at circulation statistics specifically for Spanish language materials very difficult,” explained Kylee S., a Collection Management and Public Services Librarian at Central Library.
Within a library, the collection code for a book tells library staff both where books should go on the shelf, as well as what kind of book they are. The World Languages Collection presented some interesting challenges with collection codes because a category like "picture book" could broadly include all of the different languages listed above, and the process for shelving bilingual or Spanish books at each library varied widely.
This seemingly minor issue hindered efficient shelving and weeding processes but also posed barriers to patrons seeking specific types of books in languages other than English. To fix this issue, the project aimed to establish a system that would enhance clarity, accessibility, and consistency across all library locations.
Spanish picture books at Monroe Street Library
Advocating for A Change
The project, led by Youth Services Librarian Holly S. and supported by a team including collections and technical service staff as well as neighborhood library staff, unfolded in several phases. Initially, attention was focused on proposing new collection codes tailored specifically for Spanish language materials in response to community demand and educational needs.
“There is a growing need for children’s materials in Spanish for both Spanish-speaking families and families with children in one of Madison Metropolitan School District’s 10 dual-language immersion schools,” shared Holly.
Basically, we wanted to make it faster and easier for both library visitors and library staff to find bilingual and Spanish materials, which are very popular and often requested.
The first phase began internally, with collections librarians looking through all of the current titles and grouping them based on their format (e.g. picture book, chapter book, etc.), language, and intended age group. This meticulous approach ensured that each book was accurately categorized, which would eventually facilitate easier browsing and retrieval for visitors. Once the titles had been organized, it was easier for the team to assess how many of each book type we had for each age group - did we have enough Spanish graphic novels to advocate for a new collection code to be created? How about picture books?
By the end of 2023, Lead Cataloguing Librarian Tina M. and Library Collection Manager Molly W. had brought the newly proposed internal codes to the South Central Library System Collection Maintenance Sub Committee for approval and finalizing. The only pre-existing collection codes were Spanish Language Juvenile Fiction and Spanish Language Juvenile Nonfiction, so we advocated to create and include collection codes for Spanish Language Graphic Novels and Spanish Language Board Books, while another library proposed Spanish Language Picture Books which we were able to use, as well.
Spanish language kids books at Pinney Library
Beginning Phases
This paved the way for libraries to begin relabeling existing stock while incorporating the new codes into acquisitions for future materials. The effort also included removing outdated or damaged items (a process called "weeding" in library land), ensuring that only the most relevant and current resources remained on the shelves.
“What [we had to do] was take a book, go into the catalog and change the collection code and call number, then print up a new spine label to match the new information. After I put the new labels on, I re-shelved the books. It [seems] pretty easy but considering that we had to physically have hands on every single book it did take a while,” recalls Youth Services Library Assistant Jennifer L.
Overall, Madison Public Library is home to 7,548 juvenile materials in Spanish, with another 2,550 bilingual materials in English/Spanish, so when Jennifer says "every single book", she's talking about a lot of items across the nine libraries that were relabeled as part of this process! In fact, although the bilingual materials largely didn't need relabeling, about 7,000 of our Spanish materials were relabeled across the system!
New dividers in the youth world language collection section of Pinney Library
A Community Effort
The project was not without its collaborative efforts and community partnerships. A $500 mini-grant from the Madison Public Library Foundation supported the purchase of new shelf dividers, further enhancing the organization and visual appeal of the world language sections. Marc G., the library’s part-time graphic designer, was also instrumental in designing the dividers and signage as he worked closely with library staff to ensure consistency in labeling and language across all locations.
Though shelf shape and space vary throughout each library, Marc and the rest of the team were able to create signage that fit each space’s needs while remaining consistent and clear. If you're visiting one of our locations, first search for the Children's, Teen or Adult section, then look for World Languages.
Please note: While all books have finished being relabeled, dividers for all books at all libraries have not finished being installed yet. Ask library staff if you need assistance finding a specific title or navigating the World Languages Collection.
A young library patron enjoys a Spanish-language book
Good News On All Fronts
As of 2024, the relabeling project is nearing completion as library locations finish going through the last books in their collections. Now that all the Spanish language books are newly organized and consistent throughout all our libraries, when patrons ask for books in Spanish, library staff can easily point them towards one location and even point out the specific types of books within the collection.
Public Services Librarian Robin K. remembers a time the new shelving system was especially helpful for a family she helped:
“A parent came in looking for books in Spanish for their school-aged Dual-language immersion student, as we were walking to the section she lamented ‘he only wants to read graphic novels’ and BAM I showed her to the graphic novels in Spanish [that were] all neatly organized and her eyes lit up!”
Library assistants at Lakeview Library have also mentioned how helpful the newly organized shelves are:
“I can find the Spanish and bilingual sections pretty easily now, whereas it was an issue before. Our pages have also been having a much easier time shelving the books in their sections, so it’s really been good news on all fronts.”
This marks a significant milestone for the Madison Public Library in promoting cultural literacy and equity. This initiative to update the world language collection for children not only sets a new standard for organizational efficiency but also exemplifies its commitment to serving a diverse and multilingual community. By prioritizing clarity, accessibility, and community feedback, the Library continues to evolve as a space where everyone is welcome.