Colrain, Griswold Library: Part 2

After thoroughly going through the Griswold's fiction and non-fiction sections the library's collection is well cleared. The removal of excess books alone made for a more open, less cluttered feel. Books no longer crowded onto the window sill, book cart or squeezed into end caps. Even these small changes to the way the books were arranged made for a big difference visually.

Now that the weeding process is complete the temptation is to either fill the extra space with more books or shove the books to the side with a bookend. In either case the extra space ends up as a missed opportunity. Instead of giving up on the additional shelf realestate, the Colrain director and I worked with the extra room and came up with a solution fit for the Griswold.

Not surprisingly bookstores offered a source for ways in which to better arrange books on the shelf. From a more retail perspective, I set up display books as I completed each section. In addition to moving books out of the collection, displays helped create a more inviting space. Intentionally, facing a book cover toward the patron peaks their curiosity and draws the patron into the section. Though libraries are not bookstores some retail methods are handy for libraries. For the Griswold setting displays took a few attempts before getting the arrangement just right.

I first attempted to work the display book in with the shelved books. Display books filled in where space presented itself. A row of books sat next to or on either side of the display piece. I attempted to place one or two displays per shelf from the waist up. Below waist falls out of line of sight and creates more work than its worth. Quickly I discovered that the books collapsed or ended up in some sort of disarray. Even with bookends the displays did not quite work. Also the amount of maintenance to maintain the display books out weighed the added value of presenting the books.

I decided to simplify the process and shifted books to clear whole shelves. Three or four random books sat on the cleared shelves. Again, the titles are presented at eye level. By dedicating whole shelves to the book displays I reduced the number of bookends and display wire frames used in the collection. Also, I placed the empty shelves catty-corner to one another to add effect.

The cost to maintain the set up in the picture is much lower than my previous efforts. In this case books may fall over but the book does not ruin the whole shelf. As books move into the display area the extra bookends can be used to maintain appearances. Though as long as the collection development policy of "shelve one book and remove one book" is applied the display shelves should last until a change is needed.

Displaying books is one creative way to take advantage of shelf space after weeding. At the Griswold in Colrain, the display shelves worked well for the space and added an extra aesthetic touch.

Circuit Rider
Adam Williams