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Storms' Odd Library Plans Deserve To Be Shelved

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 24, 2008

There are thousands of places the state can save money this tight budget year, and reducing aid to public libraries may have to be among them.

But the state shouldn't try to micromanage county libraries or any other locally run agency.

State Sen. Ronda Storms, in a recent budget hearing on libraries, seemed to be appointing herself chief librarian by suggesting that the Dewey Decimal System is a waste of money and that it's time to force "little old librarians" to "wake up and smell the coffee."

She said the traditional numbering system is complicated and frustrating. The story by the Tribune's Catherine Dolinski generated hot public response. Most of the comments posted at TBO.com express absolute outrage at Storms.

Even the most elementary review of the issue reveals that switching to a different system and changing the numbers on millions of books would be more costly than sticking with Dewey.

Some system is essential to keep track of where each book is supposed to be on the shelf. Fiction is typically organized alphabetically by author, just as in book stores, but that arrangement wouldn't work well for large collections covering religion, philosophy, history, medicine, biology and many other important topics.

The system developed by Melvil Dewey in 1876 has a category for everything with infinite possibilities for subdivision. It has been updated many times and still works well.

The Library of Congress uses its own system, and major bookstores no doubt have systems that fit retail needs.

The point is, a library must have some kind of numbering system for its books, especially big libraries with hundreds of thousands of books.

And the library must also make sure each book has an identifier so records can be kept about who checked out each individual book and when it is due to be returned. A heavy-duty jacket is added to each book to help it survive rough handling by the public.

These processing costs, which can be outsourced, cannot be avoided or speeded up no matter what filing system is used or how much coffee the librarians drink.

Storms made another suggestion that has more troubling implications. She complained that libraries are buying too many DVDs of popular TV shows and should instead emphasize the purchase of books.

Why bring that up in a budget hearing unless her plan is to dictate the buying policies of local libraries?

The public has a right to weigh in on how their tax money is being spent, but the proper forums are the local boards that supervise the local libraries. A statewide policy doesn't make sense in a diverse state.

Many books are read for entertainment, not education. And some video and audio products are instructional. State lawmakers shouldn't have the time and certainly don't have the expertise to decide the proper blends of education and amusement, video and print, for each library system.

What's the next step, to require the purchase of only serious books or books that meet Storms' approval?

The budget hearing left an aroma that sure doesn't smell like coffee.

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