Dewey to LOC Reclassification Project for University of Arizona Libraries (Poster 10)

For the University of Arizona Libraries, one casualty of the Covid-19 shutdown was the closure of its Fine Arts Library. Work is underway to relocate this collection to the 5th floor of the Weaver Science & Engineering Library (WSEL) by August 2023. The new space will house the Fine Arts collection of monographs, scores and media as well as offer improved study space, audio listening booths and other enhancements.

The University of Arizona Libraries utilizes the Library of Congress (LOC) classification system for the majority of its collection. However, over 30,000 science related monographs and over 15,000 print serials housed on the 5th floor of WSEL were classed decades ago using the Dewey Decimal System. During the Covid-19 closures of 2020 and continuing, Collection Services staff have been engaged in what we’ve titled The Dewey Project. The goal of the project is to assess for retention, transport, reclass to LOC and reshelve these print materials as part of the plan to make space for the Fine Arts collection.

The poster will present the Dewey Project including images of the space, representations of materials being assessed and reclassed and visual displays of workflows and progress. The intended impact is to demonstrate how the behind-the-scenes work done by technical services librarians and staff not only improve discoverability and use of library materials, but contribute significantly to more visible library initiatives.