Church Library Ministry Classification & Subject Cataloging

CHURCH LIBRARY MINISTRY CLASSIFICATION:

• READ/CONFERENCE: Read pages 51 - 70 in the Church Library Ministry Information Service and pages 3 - 6 (Introduction) in A Classification System for Church Libraries. Read the following articles AND/OR participate in a conference on Classification and Cataloging.

• INTERVIEW three or more librarians when visiting public & church libraries in your community to see how classification of materials and subject cataloging helps users to locate and access materials more efficiently. Notice differences in classification of materials written from a Christian perspective in public libraries and what is suggested in a church collection.

• DEVELOP written procedures you will follow to begin or continue the process of classification in your church library. Make decisions as to the team members who will be responsible for this process. Determine any changes that you need to make in your current procedure.

• IMPLEMENT plans to make the needed changes in your classification procedures and also to purchase the needed resources for the classification process.

• EVALUATE your work as you begin classifying the media. Discuss the steps with those who are working with classification. When you complete your evaluation and make the necessary changes in the procedure, share how changes in the classification procedures are helping the library on the CLN's The Circle.