What algorithm is used to determine which book is attached to which genre? It is not very accurate,

I am no expert but I thought it was by what genre the book was assigned when the isbn was enterred. 

Hmm, makes sense. My non ISBNs don't show when one searches by genre, even though I have entered by the one limites and measly selection set you are given.

Books that were in the database have the categories that were assigned by the Library of Congress, I'm assuming.  But the ones we enter, or have changed, are more subjective.  However, I agree - many of them defy logic!!

It doesn't seem to work for me either. I tend to look for the chick lit, which falls under "women's fiction" but when I do the search this way on peoples' book shelves, I have almost ZERO responses. I'm guessing people DO have these books on their shelves, but they're not sorted that way.

Jeanne, I love your icon! The star of David looks beautiful against the pride flag. What a combo!

I have a very hard time looking for children's book as well. There is almost no rhyme or reason to the categorization, and I often find adult books mixed in to my search results.

Book subjects are categorized a couple of ways.  Books that have more than one subject heading have had that heading assigned from data taken elsewhere by computer, such as Amazon.

Books with a single subject heading generally have had that assigned by a human, either a member making the initial record, or a member editing the data later (although certainly items with single subjects could be taken from computer data too).

There is no algorithim that I'm aware of -- just computer sources or best human judgement, neither of which is foolproof.  Anyone may edit the subject classification of a book by choosing the Edit menu.

Cheers,

Catt

Thanks Heather.  I found it on the net a few years ago, and saved it.  And there it sat, because I never had a use for it!  Until I joined PBS.  :-)