BISAC

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BISAC

• A New Way to Organize with the Patron in Mind

Deb Hoadley, Advisor Massachusetts Library
System dhoadley_at_masslibsystem.org 866-627-7228
ext 309 (toll free in MA) 508-357-2121 ext 309
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BISAC Categories (Book Industry Subject and
Category Codes)

• ANTIQUES COLLECTIBLES
• ARCHITECTURE
• ART
• BIBLES
• BIOGRAPHY AUTOBIOGRAPHY
• BODY, MIND SPIRIT
• BUSINESS ECONOMICS
• COMICS GRAPHIC NOVELS
• COMPUTERS
• COOKING
• CRAFTS HOBBIES
• DESIGN
• DRAMA
• EDUCATION
• FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
• FICTION
• FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDY
• GAMES
• GARDENING

• LANGUAGE ARTS DISCIPLINES
• LAW
• LITERARY COLLECTIONS
• LITERARY CRITICISM
• MATHEMATICS
• MEDICAL
• MUSIC
• NATURE
• PERFORMING ARTS
• PETS
• PHILOSOPHY
• PHOTOGRAPHY
• POETRY
• POLITICAL SCIENCE
• PSYCHOLOGY
• REFERENCE
• RELIGION
• SCIENCE
• SELF-HELP

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• From the BISAC bible

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Record and label changes
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Motivation Innovation

• Browsability
• Searchability
• Items are placed together by category based on a
  language system, not numerical system
• Collection development will be easier
• Customer satisfaction
• Staff time will be used for more patron
  interaction readers advisory

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Final Layout
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Justification

• Statistical data to support
• Patrons love the new layout of the library
• Patrons love the ability to look at the sections
  and find what they are looking for
• Shelving is easier
• No conflict with consortium/just a change in
  local call number

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Information

• Webinar by National Book Network
  http//pdfs.nbnbooks.com/BI/SAC/BISACWebinar.pdf
• Book Industry Standard Group http//www.bisg.org/
• Book publishers are putting categories on backs
  of books http//waltshiel.com/2009/09/14/to-bisac-
  or-not-to-bisac/
• http//www.slideshare.net/DHoadley_Langley/bisac-a
  -new-way-to-organize-with-the-patron-in-mind
• http//guides.masslibsystem.org/BeyondDewey