Heaven is for Real Call number??

[Susan Glynn Mule']

Someone donated a copy of the book Heaven is for Real and as I was preparing to enter it into the system (using Dewey) and began searching for call numbers, other libraries have used 133.901. We're not using a lot of call numbers that long in our small library and 133.9 is generally associated with the occult and paranormal so seems inappropriate for this book. I'm rarely in disagreement with our public library over call numbers, but this one has me flustered.

 

Do any of you have that in your library?  What call number did you assign?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Heaven is for Real.jpg

[Susan Glynn Mule']

Thank you so much for this discussion.  I am still undecided.  I do think it is an excellent book.  Right now, it has gotten extra attention because of that other boy, Alex Malarky withdrawing his story about his trip to heaven. People have confused him with Colten, but Colten has not retracted his story.

[Amy Ownbey]

I am with Eva on this one. HIFR is not a theological book about Heaven, but a very personal story about part of a young boy's life. I put in our biography section, the same place I put "90 Minutes in Heaven." I try to put things where my patrons are most likely to be looking for them, and the story is more biographical than theological. Sometimes, the Dewey # in the front of the book just doesn't make sense, especially for a church library.

[Amy Ownbey]

I am with Eva on this one. HIFR is not a theological book about Heaven, but a very personal story about part of a young boy's life. I put in our biography section, the same place I put "90 Minutes in Heaven." I try to put things where my patrons are most likely to be looking for them, and the story is more biographical than theological. Sometimes, the Dewey # in the front of the book just doesn't make sense, especially for a church library.

[Susan Glynn Mule']

Thank you all for your help with this!

[Susan Glynn Mule']

It looks like any and all similar books in our library are cataloged as 236.2, which is Eschatology, concerning the future state, as in Life after Death.  I am wondering if I should put it there, or move it into the 133s. Church libraries don't actually have to follow Library of Congress.  I might ask the old Parish librarian if I see her why that choice was made because maybe there was a reason.  

I did decide to move all of our grief books, though, into the actual grief call number (155s) instead of where they are now, which is 236.1 (Eschatology, death). That one seems very wrong, but the 133.901 versus 246.2 is a grayer area.

[Susan Glynn Mule']

It looks like any and all similar books in our library are cataloged as 236.2, which is Eschatology, concerning the future state, as in Life after Death.  I am wondering if I should put it there, or move it into the 133s. Church libraries don't actually have to follow Library of Congress.  I might ask the old Parish librarian if I see her why that choice was made because maybe there was a reason.  

I did decide to move all of our grief books, though, into the actual grief call number (155s) instead of where they are now, which is 236.1 (Eschatology, death). That one seems very wrong, but the 133.901 versus 246.2 is a grayer area.

[Charles Campbell]

LOC has classified two adaptations of Heaven is for Real for children at 236.24, the DDC number for heaven. It might be more likely to be found if it was shelved alongside other books about heaven at 236 or 236.24.

[Charles Campbell]

I certainly understand your concern. I am sure no church library wants to mislead its patrons, and this book certainly does not appear to be something a theologian would write. It just seems odd to classify a Christian book by a Christian author, published by a reputable Christian publisher for a largely Christian audience under "133 Specific topics in parapsychology and occultism." I can see how the LOC classifiers got there: the number 133.901 includes "personal survival, nature of spiritual world and life after death." Given the explicitly Christian nature of the book and its apparently evangelistic/apologetic purpose, however, 236.24 seems like a better choice.

[Charles Campbell]

I certainly understand your concern. I am sure no church library wants to mislead its patrons, and this book certainly does not appear to be something a theologian would write. It just seems odd to classify a Christian book by a Christian author, published by a reputable Christian publisher for a largely Christian audience under "133 Specific topics in parapsychology and occultism." I can see how the LOC classifiers got there: the number 133.901 includes "personal survival, nature of spiritual world and life after death." Given the explicitly Christian nature of the book and its apparently evangelistic/apologetic purpose, however, 236.24 seems like a better choice.

[Susan Glynn Mule']

Okay. Yeah, that is what I have but I guess I'll have to use the long call number instead of an abbreviated one. Thank you.