Welcome to the neighborhood

hpl kids neighborhood books wide — Children’s books at the Hays Public Library are now grouped in topic “Neighborhoods,” rather than by author.

It’s not easy to find the particular book you’re looking for among more than 4,000 selections housed in the Hays Public Library’s Children’s Department.

“Parents would come in saying their child likes books about trucks and ask where they are. Well, they were scattered throughout all the shelves by alphabetized by author,” recalls children’s librarian Cathleen Kroeger.

Now, the books are in “Neighborhoods,” grouped by subject.

hpl kids cake — HPL children’s librarian Cathleen Kroeger serves cake during Monday’s “Neighborhoods” grand opening.

A grand opening and ribbon cutting was held Monday morning, with tours to be offered all day.

“We conducted a poll in August and 100% of the respondents wanted us to change to what were calling “Neighborhoods,” says Kroeger.

Orange-labeled books about Dinosaurs are first in the "Neighborhood." — Orange-labeled books about dinosaurs are first in the “Neighborhood.”

The Neighborhood topics are in alphabetical order and the related books sport color-coded stickers on their spines.

There are 13 Neighborhoods: Dinosaurs, Everyday Pets, Favorite Friends, Growing Up, Learning Time, Look and Find, Once Upon a Time, Things That Go and Wordless Books.

“Four other Neighborhoods were already somewhat in place and the children already know where to find them, ” says Kroeger.

They are: Board Books, Foreign Language, Popular and Holiday.