Fiction/Non-Fiction changes

Regular users of the Masterton Library may have noticed some changes to our layout over the past few weeks. Our Large Print collection has been re-arranged and we have also started to reduce the amount of shelving allocated for Non-Fiction books, and increase the shelving for Fiction. These changes are part of our ongoing efforts to improve the service we offer to our borrowers.


The new layout for the Large Print books has created an alcove incorporating one of the window bays on the Queen Street side of the building. We hope this will provide a bright and pleasant space for borrowers to peruse the books, and the opportunity to have a seat, take the weight of their feet, and check out their selections. Being slightly separated, this area also provides our users of Large Print books with a quiet space, away from the bustle and activity that can be taking place in the library.

The changes to the Fiction and Non-Fiction shelving are a reflection of how the library is currently being used by our borrowers. The reality of maintaining a library in the Internet age is that our Non-Fiction collection is not getting as much use as it once was as many people are finding their information online. It therefore makes sense for us to reduce the amount of shelf space dedicated to Non-Fiction material.

This certainly doesn’t mean that we are doing away with the Non-Fiction collection. There are still many instances where people find it preferable to get their information from books rather than the Internet, and we will still be maintaining a broad range of subjects. What it does mean is that we are fine tuning the collection, making sure that the books we do have are the books that people still want to borrow.

The bonus of reducing the amount of shelving allocated to Non-Fiction is that we can increase the amount available for Fiction, something we are really excited about. With more Fiction shelving we will be able to display more books, avoid over-crowded shelves, have more books by the authors we already hold, and buy books by different authors. Fiction books continue to be very popular and we are confident that the increased range we will be able to present to the public will encourage even more borrowing.

As we look to increase the size of our Fiction collection, we would love to hear from our borrowers about the books they want in the library. We work hard to make sure we keep up to date with new books coming out. We have standing order lists with a couple of suppliers for authors we know there is a demand for, and we put a lot of effort into reading reviews and industry publications to keep up-to-date with reading trends and developments. But requests and suggestions from our borrowers are a great way for us to spread the net of the books we are aware of and purchase for the library.

Borrower requests can be made at the issue desk by filling in one of our request forms, or submitted online via our website. To suggest a title online you will need to have a PIN number activated on your card. If you have one it is simply a matter of logging on, clicking on ‘suggest a purchase’ and filling in the online form. If we do decide to get the book requested, a $1.00 charge will be added to your card, the same as for reserving a book.

While we may not always decide to purchase a suggested book, or may not be able to source it, we are very keen to hear what titles you would like to see in the library. We welcome requests for any type of library item, including DVDs and magazines, and of course if there are non-fiction titles you would like to see in the library we still want to hear about them. The layout changes we are making are in response to changing usage of the library. These along with your suggestions for the items we have available for borrowing will help keep the library a vibrant and well utilised part of our community.