By Aggie Gasior
Weeding outdated materials, adding signage, trying dynamic shelving – none of it worked. Despite my efforts, students still found our elementary school’s non-fiction section unintuitive and overwhelming. They couldn’t find what they wanted, so they stopped looking.
Then I discovered “Ditching Dewey.” After researching the concept, I decided to replace the outdated classification system of Melvil Dewey with a student-centered organization by topic. Launched in late 2024 and completed by spring 2025, here is how we transformed our space:
Step 1: Ruthless Weeding. Be merciless. I removed any title that hadn’t circulated in five years or was published before 2010 (unless the info, like dinosaurs, was evergreen). This also ensured any culturally insensitive or visually dated materials were removed.
Step 2: Engaging Students. I formed a Student NF Committee of volunteers from Grades 3–8. Meeting twice a week, we pulled everything off the shelves and grouped books into categories that made sense to them. For example, they grouped Remembrance Day, WWII and the Canadian Military together, rather than leaving them scattered across three different Dewey sections. Titles that weren’t immediately obvious were set aside for a later date. It was a messy, but essential step.
Step 3: Categorizing. This step proved to be the easiest one and the topics naturally evolved into seven major umbrellas: Language & Arts; Social Studies; Science; World History & Geography; Canadian History & Geography; Biographies & Memoirs; and General. Once these were set, we started reshelving the piles.
Step 4: Visual Rebranding. I used Canva to create color-coded spine labels and signage. Each spine label now features a topic icon and name that matches the shelf signage. While printing and stickering every book took about four months (a few books at a time), the visual clarity was worth the effort.
Step 5: Launching. Don’t forget to promote the new section. After a mid-year orientation to introduce the new layout, the response was immediate. Students loved the autonomy of the new system. Our non-fiction circulation spiked instantly and has remained steady a year later.
Considerations Before Ditching: One pitfall that I encountered during this process was the fact that the school online search catalogue records no longer match the physical location of books in the physical space. Due to our school board having centralized Library Services that catalogue our materials, Teacher-Librarians in schools do not have access to editing records. Even if we did, the program used comes with preexisting “sub categories” that cannot be changed, or have new ones added.
Despite this hurdle, I chose to go ahead with the project for the following reasons:
- Check out system (Sirsi Dynix) and Online Search Catalogue did not always reflect reality in previous system → 2 different programs – many times would display books that had been weeded anyway
- Students reported frustrations with Dewey Decimal system not being intuitive with similar topics spread across various locations.
- Melvil Dewey’s system is based on historically problematic views of classifying content that deals with race, gender, and sexual orientation.
Weighing all the information, and with TL not being in space to facilitate finding books, this was the best option for our school to help increase student agency in finding reading materials. As the Canadian School Libraries (2024) Foundations and Frameworks document notes, “It is extremely important to base all decisions about circulation and associated routines on the mission of the library, specifically to create readers, and to provide equity of access to learning.” (p. 32).
Ready to Ditch Dewey? If you’re considering a similar shift, I recommend the following resources to get you started:
- Podcast: School Librarians United with Amy Hermon (search for NF management episodes).
- Blog: Don’t Shush Me by Kelsey Bogan, specifically her three-part series on Ditching Dewey.
- Instagram: @CanuckClassroom – I do a detailed walk-through of the newly remodeled space on my teachergram (look for the Ditching Dewey highlight reel).
If you are interested in using the signage featured here and in the Instagram video, you can find the Canva files here: Section Topic Posters; Spine Labels; Shelf Labels.
Ultimately, every library is unique, so feel free to adapt these steps to your community. Whether you follow these steps or create your own, if your students are actually excited to browse the shelves, you’re doing it right.
Canadian School Libraries. (2024). Foundations for school library learning commons in Canada: A framework for success. https://www.canadianschoollibraries.ca/foundations-frameworks/
Aggie Gasior is a dedicated YRDSB Teacher-Librarian in Thornhill, Ontario, passionate about connecting every K–8 student with the perfect book to spark their love of reading.