One of the best parts of visiting the library is spending leisurely time browsing the thousands of titles we have. Two floors of books? Yes, please! Romance and horror and history and self-help? Yes and yes!
And, while we have books, books, and more books everywhere, there is a definite method to our madness – which means if you need to pop in quickly for a title, and forgo the casual stroll through our stacks, we can help get you in and out and on your way. Once you get to really know us, you’ll find we have refined a system that works in our particular building, and is generally applicable to most public libraries.
Non-Fiction
If a non-fiction book is your goal, at the New Berlin Library we keep them all on our second level. And of course we utilize the industry gold standard of organizing … the Dewey Decimal System! While it is a lot of numbers, the Dewey system is, thankfully, broken down by category, making finding books on your topic easier to find.
For example, if you are looking for a self-help book, those can all be found in our 100s section. If you need some guidance cooking healthy dinners, look in section 600 – that’s where our cookbooks live. And it may not surprise you to learn each and every number in the Dewey system has a purpose, but that’s a lot of numbers to remember! If you need help, ask our professional number readers (aka librarians) for direction.
Fiction
Our fiction books are grouped into three basic categories: regular fiction books, large print books, and audiobooks. You will find audiobooks on the second floor and regular and large print sections on our main level. In all three places, the books are alphabetized by author’s last name. And, since lots of authors have actually written lots of books, if you are looking for a specific title each author’s collection is alphabetized by title, too.
If you cannot find the book you want, and it’s hot off the presses, check our New Arrivals section at the front of the building.
Your Home Library
According to a 2023 YouGov poll, 85% of Americans have a private book collection of some size. But is our system suitable for the amateur book collector? Of course! Sort of. You may not want to delve into the Dewey Decimal system at home, but there are still many ways to organize your personal book collection that are both functional and Instagram worthy.
Try shelving your titles by category, then alphabetical by author. Separate fiction from nonfiction. Or don’t. It’s up to you. You may want to experiment with grouping books by size, horizontal stacking, removing dust jackets for aesthetics, shelving books with spines facing in or the ever controversial shelving by rainbow color. Those last two are more form than function, but hey, books are beautiful, too!
Check out a recommended read to add to your collection today!