Miscellaneous - The Circle - Church Librarians Network2024-03-29T09:06:46Zhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/feed/category/MiscellaneousWhat is the scope of your church library?https://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/what-is-the-scope-of-your-church-library2023-10-20T13:12:17.000Z2023-10-20T13:12:17.000ZMelanie Makinhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/MelanieMakin<div><p>Hello everyone, </p><p>I'm new here and I've love to hear about the libraries you manage. Who do you serve (your church or the public?) and by extension, what do you collect (Christian materials only, or non-objectionable materials by any authors)? When are you open, and what is your purpose? If your location does not house a school, who are you reaching and how? What materials get the most use and why? Any new goals? I know that we all oversee/work in church libraries, but these can all be very different!</p><p>I'll get us started. I believe that I am the first layperson given oversight over our church's library, but it was reasonably well-established when I began. It's hosted in an open room at the back of our sanctuary, and its primary intent is to contribute to the growth of our members (and their children) in spiritual health, biblical truth, and the doctrines of the church. As such, the adult collection does not contain fiction. As the budget is limited, I generally don't purchase titles that can be easily obtained for free through the public library system (which,living in Rhode Island, is very robust). It is only accessible during our public gatherings. </p><p>When I began about a year ago, there were picture books and adult books, with little in between. The picture books definitely get a great deal of use from our many families during the service and through borrowing. But I noticed that many chapter book readers had secular books in the service, and wanted to make quality materials available to them, as well. So my priority in the last year has been maintaining and consistently adding to the adult collection while also quickly building a youth/YA collection.</p><p>I'm also going to make a plug for 10ofthose.com here; they were a great resource when building up the youth collection. They were the only place I could find new editions of Patricia St John novels that weren't edited beyond recognition from the originals.</p><p>So tell me where you are, what you're doing, and how you're doing it :-)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p></div>why church librarieshttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/why-church-libraries2022-10-24T18:48:59.000Z2022-10-24T18:48:59.000ZPaul T. Jacksonhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/PaulTJackson<div><p><span style="font-size:14pt;"> It is a question, it seems, only needed for churches without libraries. I believe every church I been involved with has had some kind of library made useful to others in the congregational. Some of the libraries are those of the pastor(s), others are small, mostly because of space allowcations. The last church library I was involved with had over 2200 volumes for a membership of a little more than 200 persons, including a section of more for children, perhaps over 500. Then I went to a larger church. the first one had expanded and built a very large new building, seating in the sanctuary, perhaps 700 or more. It has a choir room, a robe room, a kitchen, an office, a large foyer, and off that an overflow room, and a fairly large library room containing perhaps 1,000 volumes; it has expanded to another area on the second floor. Then there is another very large church which had a library room; not large, but in remodeling and repurposing some areas the library was eliminated.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:14pt;">I wonder if it leadership? My own take is that most ministers talk often about books they've read and mention them in sermons. But without a library there is little way of checking it out. It seems that if the pastor thinks books are important to reference, why not have them available in a library on site?</span></p><p><span style="font-size:14pt;">Just a thought.</span></p><p> </p></div>As We Begin the New Year . . .https://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/as-we-begin-the-new-year2022-01-03T14:36:48.000Z2022-01-03T14:36:48.000ZMorlee Maynardhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/MorleeMaynard<div><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">What problems are challenging our church’s/synagogue’s library teams? Let’s encourage each other with our prayers and encouragement. Perhaps there is comfort in finding out that our teams are not the only ones facing that challenge. Or we may find someone in the Church Librarians Network who has been through that challenge before us. His or her experience may help us. </span></p></div>Remembering Maxine Bersch-Lovernhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/remembering-maxine-bersch-lovern2020-09-18T11:42:12.000Z2020-09-18T11:42:12.000ZMorlee Maynardhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/MorleeMaynard<div><p>With heavy hearts, we embrace the passing of our leader, author, and friend, Maxine Bersch-Lovern. She passed away last Sunday afternoon, September 13 at the age of 101. The family will have a graveside service Monday, September 21 in Richmond, VA. A memorial service will be held in October. An obituary will be available at that time.</p>
<p>A longtime friend and fellow church library trainer,<strong> Pat Brown</strong>, shares her recent memories of Mackie with us:</p>
<p><strong>Remembering Maxine Bersch</strong></p>
<p>Maxine loved life and God gave her 101 years to enjoy it. Maxine loved people, and all of us who knew her felt that love. Maxine loved words. She loved God’s Word and often spent hours searching the Bible for just the right Scripture passage to share through storytelling. (As in her Esther monologue.) Maxine loved teaching and anyone who sat in her classes went away with a new understanding of the art and importance of telling a good story.</p>
<p>My favorite “Maxine Memory” took place at a hotel in Dallas several years ago. We had been leading library conferences and everyone else had returned home. We spent one more night in Texas before we each flew home the next morning. We decided to have a 5:00 dinner in the hotel dining room and get a good night’s sleep before our early flight. When we entered the dining room, there was a display of the most tempting desserts I have ever seen. With her memorable giggle, Maxine said, “Let’s just have the salad and dessert bar for dinner so that we have room for one of those luscious desserts!” It sounded like a plan to me! </p>
<p>So we were seated and Maxine began telling a story about her childhood in West Virginia. Her mother was often a part of the story. Her stories were always warm and personal when she talked about family. As she talked, we drank coffee and sampled more than one of the wonderful desserts. Maxine would laugh and say, “Which do you like best? I don’t think I have ever had pineapple filling in a fresh coconut cake!” So the cake and coffee and storytelling continued until one of us checked the time. It was 8:00. Maxine began to laugh! “Do you mean we have been eating dessert and talking for three hours!” Yes, we had. With long breaks from the dessert table while Maxine continued to tell her story, we would return to the desserts for one more “sample.” The three-hour dinner (dessert party) was always mentioned when Maxine and I were together after that.</p>
<p>Last October, Maxine phoned my home around 3:00 in the afternoon. She said, “Frank (her son) and I are on I-40 about three hours from Nashville. We have been home to Richmond and are on our way back to Texas. I told him we can’t go through Nashville without seeing you and Robert. Will that be convenient?” I replied that she could stop only if they agreed to have dinner with us. And so they did. The four of us enjoyed a wonderful time together as we shared a meal and Maxine’s stories. She had celebrated her 100<sup>th</sup> birthday earlier in the year, but her mind was still filled with wonderful stories to share of how God had blessed her. Her laughter still punctuated every sentence.</p>
<p>I am thankful God blessed me with one more dinner with Maxine—but I can’t remember what we had for dessert!</p>
<p>_______________</p>
<p>Pat Brown serves with the Crievewood Baptist Church library in Nashville. She served for many years with the Church Library Department at the Baptist Sunday School Board and as director of the LifeWay Library until retirement.</p>
<p><strong>Those of you who knew Mackie are invited to share your memories through the comments here.</strong></p>
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<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7938707867,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7938707867,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="210" alt="7938707867?profile=RESIZE_400x" /></a></p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7938717289,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7938717289,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="245" height="327" alt="7938717289?profile=RESIZE_400x" /></a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7938709700,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7938709700,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="218" height="291" alt="7938709700?profile=RESIZE_400x" /></a></p></div>Inventory in Concoursehttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/inventory-in-concourse2020-09-11T14:50:01.000Z2020-09-11T14:50:01.000ZSherall Cornwellhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/SherallCornwell<div><p>Hello!</p><p>We have never done an inventory in our library and are approaching 6800 in our ascension numbers. But, we do not have a scanner! Does anyone have a scanner we could borrow, or even purchase if you are not using it? </p><p>Thanks,</p><p>Sherall</p></div>Duplicate books need a new home!https://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/duplicate-books-need-a-new-home2020-09-11T14:46:41.000Z2020-09-11T14:46:41.000ZSherall Cornwellhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/SherallCornwell<div><p>Hello! We have 3+ boxes of duplicate books that are available. I will be willing to travel about 50 miles from Mobile, AL to deliver. I do not have a list yet. We have a lot of different genres available. Please let me know if you are interested. My number is 251-348-6475 </p></div>Help from an old guyhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/help-from-an-old-guy2020-07-01T04:30:00.000Z2020-07-01T04:30:00.000ZPaul T. Jacksonhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/PaulTJackson<div><p> As a former Special librarian and retired now for about 22 years and still going, I've helped many libraries start-up or reorganize; Corporate, Public, Academic, State Prison, Churches, and Rare auto collection and an auto museum.</p><p> The last several years I've had to bow out of singing in choir, playing timpani and jazz drums in ensembles, and given up most of my Professional memberships. This; the result of cancer treatments.</p><p> However I'm still editing two publications, a Quarterly and a Themed annual book, Contrasts, for a fairly large group of writers.</p><p> Over the many years I've written articles about building library collections, some on reviews of recordings, books, and Research. More recently I wrote some blogs on Public Libraries Online, the online magazine for PLA/ALA group. These can be found here: <a href="http://publiclibrariesonline.org/author/pauljackson/%C2%A0">http://publiclibrariesonline.org/author/pauljackson/ </a>; scroll down and click on the articles for full text.</p><p> Another item I wrote is available at the Purdue University archive for downloading and may be helpful for those starting a library; any library. You can find this work (downloaded 161 times since 2017) here: <a href="https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/atg/vol4/iss4/51/">https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/atg/vol4/iss4/51/</a></p><p> While after 10 years working with the church library, I'm no longer doing much library work, but if any of you need something I'm pretty good at suggesting approaches or finding things.</p><p> I rarely go here to this site; so if you need to and CLN will allow it, send email to trescott@umich.edu.</p><p>Best wishes to all of you.</p><p> </p><p>P.S. Praise the Lord--In January of this year 2021, I became one of only 5.7% who survive the stage 4 colon cancer which I've had; discovered in 2016. My sister, my son's 28 year-old wife, and her mother, did not survive this same cancer.</p><div class="title_detail"> </div><div class="xg_user_generated"> </div></div>Birthday Wishes to Maxine Bersch Lovernhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/birthday-wishes-to-maxine-bersch-lovern2019-01-23T13:50:32.000Z2019-01-23T13:50:32.000ZMorlee Maynardhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/MorleeMaynard<div><p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Today, January 23, 2019, is Maxine's 100th birthday. You are invited to send your greetings to Maxine by doing so through your comments here. We love you, Maxine!</strong></span></p>
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<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}6055600253,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}6055600253,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="6055600253?profile=original" /></a></strong></span></p></div>reading bookshttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/reading-books2014-09-18T15:22:29.000Z2014-09-18T15:22:29.000ZMartha W. Hancockhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/MarthaWHancock<div><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">There was a good article on the benefits of Slow Reading in the Wall Street Journal a couple days ago.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/read-slowly-to-benefit-your-brain-and-cut-stress-1410823086?KEYWORDS=slow+reading">http://online.wsj.com/articles/read-slowly-to-benefit-your-brain-and-cut-stress-1410823086?KEYWORDS=slow+reading</a></span></p></div>Cowden-Smith Libraryhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/cowden-smith-library2014-05-27T20:28:20.000Z2014-05-27T20:28:20.000ZM. Bruce Maxianhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/MBruceMaxian<div><p>Sunday, May 18, 2014. Sarasota. Florida. A dedication of the new library was held and attended by approximately 50 people. The Reverend Dr. Glen Bell opened the ceremony with a few comments of brief history from Annabelle Cowden to Natalie Smith (Librarian). Portraits of each woman were unvailed by Bruce Maxian. Pastor Glen presented a Certificate of appreciation to Jim Smith in recognition to both Natalie and Jim for their time and talent to the church. Finally, Glen offered a closing prayer followed by those present hugging Jim and giving their personal reminiscences for Natalie. The Smith family was present in honor of Natalie and Jim. Photos showing the empty library and a number of those who attended will appear in the photo section of this network.</p></div>The CLN Celebrates the Ministry of Beth Andrewshttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/the-cln-celebrates-the-ministry-of-beth-andrews2014-05-06T13:15:53.000Z2014-05-06T13:15:53.000ZMorlee Maynardhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/MorleeMaynard<div><p><span style="font-family:'arial black', 'avant garde';">Join me in celebrating the ministry of Beth Andrews. Share your love and admiration for Beth as well as your experiences with her through the years.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family:'arial black', 'avant garde';">Thank you, Beth, for letting God use you in our lives in such significant ways. Thank you for all the miles you have traveled on our behalf and for all the words you have written that still guide us today. The work you have done regarding church library policies has been a true gift for most of our libraries.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family:'arial black', 'avant garde';">May your retirement be a continuation of your ministry with all of us! We love you!</span></p></div>To Read is to Flyhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/to-read-is-to-fly2012-12-06T02:42:30.000Z2012-12-06T02:42:30.000ZBuford Carterhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/BufordCarter<div><p>In my wanderings in the web I came across a blog by photographer Steve McCurry that I found to be an interesting combination of great photographs with quotations that relate to readers.</p>
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<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><a href="https://stevemccurry.blog/" target="_blank">https://stevemccurry.blog/</a></span></p></div>Christmas Greetings to Everyonehttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/christmas-greetings-to-everyone2011-12-17T19:18:59.000Z2011-12-17T19:18:59.000ZMaxine Johnson Bersch Lovernhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/MaxineJohnsonBerschLovern<div><p>As a storyteller, I have many precious memories of visits to libraries for story time. Many were public and private school libraries, but there were the public libraries in Virginia who invited me for workshops and for summer series on a certain theme. Of course, Christmas was a favorite time for stories, and I have a quiver full of them. I love to bring poetry to every program, for children as well as adults for everyone loves poetry. There is no doubt in my mind that the greatest story ever told is the story of God's love for the human race--that he loves the world so much that he gave his Son to live among us so that we could walk in his steps and find the right path! A<span style="text-decoration:underline;">nd there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:8-14</span></p>
<p><u><br /> </u>Here is a poem from an unknown author that I love to bring to my programs to adults: <span style="text-decoration:underline;">"It is Christmas in the mansion, Yule-log fires and silken frocks://It is Christmas in the cottage, Mother's filling little socks.//it is Christmas on the highway, in the thronging, busy mart;//But the dearest, truest Christmas Is the Christmas in the heart."</span></p>
<p><u><br /> </u>Merry Christmas to all church librarians! Maxine Bersch-Lovern</p></div>card makinghttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/card-making2011-02-07T21:06:22.000Z2011-02-07T21:06:22.000ZLisbeth Danielsonhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/LisbethDanielson<div><p>Our library has a card making ministry that raises about $900 a year for the library. The congregation donates used greeting cards and volunteers use them to make new "recycled cards". Then the congregation buys them off a card rack located in the library for a free will donation. At Christmas the group makes boxes and bags out of the used cards and sells those also.</p>
<p> </p></div>What a blessing...https://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/what-a-blessing2009-07-08T18:29:48.000Z2009-07-08T18:29:48.000ZJanice R. Moye (Jan)https://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/JaniceRMoyeJan<div><p>What a blessing this will be for church librarians everywhere! Thank you Morlee and team for making this happen. I'm looking forward to the exchange of ideas, encouragement and support this will allow, and will be inviting others to join also. Thanks again! Jan Moye</p></div>WAY TO GO, NASHVILLE!https://churchlibrarians.ning.com/Circle/way-to-go-nashville2009-06-14T01:46:09.000Z2009-06-14T01:46:09.000ZMarion Boanhttps://churchlibrarians.ning.com/members/MarionBoan<div><p>Thank you, so much, for this website. Yes, I have at times felt like we're out here all on our own since we lost the Media magazine. I really miss that. I realize Lifeway has a page or two for libraries deep down in their website but I'm excited about this connection and look forward to being able to communicate with all of you other church librarians and staff, on our own site!</p></div>