 Shortly after every issue of Corner Shelf is e-mailed, I look forward to the responses I receive from readers; typically, many of those responses concern our ongoing "Weeding Tips" feature. Hearing from readers makes my day, and I'm really glad that so many of you have an interest in weeding or questions for me regarding collection maintenance. Keep those comments coming, and let me know if there are other topics we can tackle in ongoing features.
Speaking of weeding, I hope your work-related New Year's resolutions include some weeding projects. Drop me a line and let me know if you have a big project lined up for this year, or if you've just completed one—I'd love to feature your library in an upcoming Corner Shelf piece. And when weeding, don't forget replacing: Booklist's Top 10 lists are terrific guides for that task. On the heels of weeding your 700s in November, look to "Top 10 Crafts and Gardening Books: 2012," for some fresh books to complete your newly decluttered shelves.
This issue's "Weeding Tips" column tackles the 800s and the fiction section. Elsewhere in the issue, John Schoppert looks at various ways to market your collection in "Retail Approach or Library Approach? Shaping Readers' Advisory"; Sarah Beasley, coordinator of e-Resources at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, tells us what's new and exciting at her library; and Michael Bills reports on enhancements to Baker & Taylor's Axis 360 in "At the Corner of Baker & Taylor."
—Rebecca Vnuk, Editor, Reference and Collection Management, Booklist
by John Schoppert
The landscape of reading is always shifting, and libraries and bookstores are sharing practices each once thought unique. Not long ago, bookstores had customers, and libraries had patrons. Bookstores were there to sell; libraries were there to inform. But readers are readers—and while booksellers hand-sell titles, librarians practice readers' advisory, and these approaches are not all that different.
Bookstores: Turnover and Connections
Due to space issues and the focus on inventory turnover, bookstores are skewed toward front-list titles, the fresh releases from publishers. Bookstores have beautiful displays highlighting current events, trends, and blockbuster authors. Dedicated booksellers know how to tie these together seamlessly and are adept at hand-selling the virtues of seemingly disparate titles and authors. They can jump from provocative nonfiction to graphic novels to the latest hot genre title with the nimbleness of mountain goats while filling your basket.
A true bookseller's breadth of knowledge is astounding—and their business depends on it. They develop meaningful dialogues with their customers. They hear their customers' wishes and stock titles and authors that reflect their customers' needs. There is an ongoing conversation between customers, booksellers, and publishers' reps. Booksellers inform customers about new titles and offer feedback to publishers about what's exciting readers. It's a Möbius strip of book buzz, with surprise sleepers and reading trends often discovered through a bookseller's network.
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by Donna Seaman
 The zestiest crafts and gardening books of 2012 celebrate the pleasures of creativity and of working with one's hands to infuse everyday life with beauty, nourishment, comfort, and inspiration, whether they offer instructions for crocheting sweaters, making jewelry, or growing vegetables.
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Top-selling books at Baker & Taylor in November for teens, children, and adults.
Top Titles for Teens
- Burned, by Sara Shepard
- Reached, by Allyson Braithwaite Condie
- Maximum Ride 6: The Manga, by James Patterson
- Falling Kingdoms, by Morgan Rhodes
- The Lucky Ones, by Anna Godbersen
- Echo, by Alyson Noel
- Days of Blood & Starlight, by Laini Taylor
- The Darkest Minds, by Alexandra Bracken
- Struck by Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal, by Chris Colfer
- Princess of the Silver Woods, by Jessica Day George
Top Titles for Children
- I Funny, by James Patterson
- The Third Wheel, by Jeff Kinney
- Trust No One, by Linda Sue Park
- Thea Stilton and the Mystery on the Orient Express, by Thea Stilton
- Florence the Friendship Fairy, by Daisy Meadows
- The Yuckiest, Stinkiest, Best Valentine Ever, by Brenda A. Ferber
- Little Cub, by Olivier Dunrea
- A Crazy Day With Cobras, by Mary Pope Osborne
- Fifty Cents and a Dream: Young Booker T. Washington, by Jabari Asim
- Cirque de Ole, by Judy Schachner
Top Titles for Adults
- The Husband List, by Janet Evanovich
- Collateral Damage, by Stuart Woods
- Kinsey and Me: Stories, by Sue Grafton
- Shadow Woman, by Linda Howard
- Two Graves, by Douglas Preston
- Dream Eyes, by Jayne Ann Krentz
- Empire and Honor, by W. E. B. Griffin
- The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2013, by Sarah Janssen
- The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, by Ayana Mathis
- Private London, by James Patterson
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At the Corner of Baker & Taylor: Innovations Expand Reach of Axis 360
Weeding Tips: Shelf by Shelf: 800s and Fiction
Retail Approach or Library Approach? Shaping Readers' Advisory
Notes from the Field: Sarah Beasley
Top 10 Crafts and Gardening Books: 2012
Baker and Taylor Best-Sellers
  
 Innovations Expand Reach of Axis 360
by Michael Bills
Through long-standing relationships, libraries have come to know and trust Baker & Taylor as an innovative supplier of books and audiovisual materials. The company has decades of experience working with libraries and publishers to deliver the content that best suits the library's collection-development requirements and meets the needs of patrons and the community.
With ever-increasing demand for materials in digital formats, Baker & Taylor draws on deep knowledge and experience to ensure that libraries continue to offer materials that are relevant and timely. Thanks to Baker & Taylor's ongoing, innovative development in e-book technology and market-defining alliances, that future is taking shape in the form of the Axis 360 digital media library.
For libraries, the recent enhancements to Axis 360 mean the experience of building electronic-content collections and the discovery and circulation of e-books and audiobooks have never been easier. Patrons of libraries using Axis 360 can now access a broader range of digital materials in more places and with more devices—all in a way that is fully integrated with a library's ILS.
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by Rebecca Vnuk
 A great deal of the feedback I get from Corner Shelf readers comes on the heels of every new "Weeding Tips" article, and many readers ask when I'm going to tackle the fiction collection. So rather than wait until we're at the end of the Dewey collection, I've decided to combine weeding the 800s with Fiction.
Weeding the 800s isn't really that much of a challenge, mainly due to the fact that the content of the books in this section tends to age well, and the materials are often in constant circulation to students. It becomes a personal point, however, because many librarians cry "Sacred!" when they think of literature. Based on your shelf space, you may be able to keep classic items longer. However, there are some specific sections to pay extra attention to.
In general, use the same guidelines that you would in any section: if it's tattered or hasn't circulated well, it's time to go. But what does "circulated well" mean in the 800s? This is where it's important to know the needs of your patrons. Criticism of classic writers is always in use by students, so if something hasn't gone out in two to three years, find out why. Is that writer no longer assigned? Are there newer, more interesting works on the author? Are teachers requiring a specific cutoff of copyright dates? I once helped a student gather all of our library's literary criticism on George Orwell only to be told that she couldn't use most of our books because the teacher wanted citations no older than 2000. Make the effort to contact your local schools and community colleges for reading lists.
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Sarah Beasley
by Rebecca Vnuk
 Sarah Beasley is the coordinator of e-Resources at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, where she oversees the databases, downloadables, and other content offered via the library's website.
Rebecca: More and more libraries are seeing the need for librarians who specialize in electronic resources. What can you tell us about your current position as coordinator of e-Resources?
Sarah: I love my current position. I get to do selection, evaluation, and organization of resources, staff and public training, and promotion. Luckily, I get lots of help from the great librarians and staff throughout the library, including our Technology Training Team, IT, and the Communications and Creative Services department. Since the world of e-resources is growing and changing so quickly, I am also involved in developing our digital strategy. It's a great mix of practical and theoretical work.
Rebecca: Tell us a little about yourself and what drew you to the library world.
Sarah: I attended library school at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I had finished my undergraduate studies but wasn't quite ready to be done with school, so I was working on a master's degree in Spanish. I was getting close to completing that and still wasn't sure what I would or could do practically with my degrees. A friend of a friend was in library school and mentioned a job posting for a UN librarian in Rome. The job requirements included the ability to speak Italian or Spanish and a library degree. My dream job! So I applied to library school. Of course, I never ended up doing anything like that, because I fell in love with public libraries.
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