At C.C. Mellor, we are on a constant quest to remove barriers to access. We want using the library to be easy and fruitful for all of our patrons.
We have been taking a serious look at how our adult patrons in particular use the library. One thing that we have noticed is that people are much less likely to spend time browsing our non-fiction books than our fiction selections.
And that isn’t surprising. High shelves with tight spaces combined with little directional signage make our non-fiction space somewhat intimidating.
Enter the browsing neighborhood. We are rearranging our non-fiction books into smaller, bite-sized pieces that can be easily browsed to find what you are looking for. Looking for a local hike? Rather than needing to check the catalog for a call number, you can walk to the Local Interest Section, and find all of the Pittsburgh-based books we have! You might also find other Pittsburgh things that catch your eye.
We are starting with our local interest titles, which you can now find, and then our cookbooks, but expect all of our non-fiction titles to move into a neighborhood over the course of the coming year.
And never fear, if you are one of our patrons who feels completely comfortable looking up a call number, they aren’t going away. You will still be able to find books by call number, within their neighborhood.
