Q&A

Training Approaches are Shifting

Church Library Ministry is well known among other ministries for the strong history of a variety of training events through the years. While many ministries have given up on providing training for church leaders due to lack of funding, librarians hav

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Team Building for a New Church Year

In addition to budget planning, many of us are in churches that are having “Promotion Day” this Sunday. Then the new weekday schedule begins at some point during the next two to three weeks. Does this season impact your church’s library? Is this seas

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Engaging and Coordinating Library Volunteers

Debbie, I would also like to receive your newsletters:  jadams@olivebaptist.org   Thank you!

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2024 Budget Planning

I just had my first email question about creating a budget for the new year. Churches vary on budget seasons so some of us are going to be receiving forms to fill out with deadlines in the next few weeks. Others won't have to do such for a few more w

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Library Team Leadership Transitions

Email from Julianna Baucant:

Our church librarian, Nettie K. passed an article around for all library volunteers to read. The article was titled, 'Important Relationships: Church Librarians and Children.' It changed my perspective on things. The auth

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Donations Policy

I have been asked to update our policy on receiving donations. Would you  please post a question to ask for examples of receiving gifts of books and media to the media library?  Our policy has not been updated in several years and needs to be more sp

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Library Supplies

Last year, we moved to using Atriuum/Book Systems for our church library. In the past we used a computer system but still used book pockets and cards as well.  We have hundreds (maybe a thousand each) of library book pockets (2 styles) and cards (2 c

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Library serving with the In-Home Ministry

My church calls our homebound ministry the In-Home Ministry. Last night I had a long overdue conversation with the leader of our In-Home Ministry. She loves the idea of the Enrichment Center collaborating with the In-Home Ministry. 

How do you work w

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Policies

On March 4 I will be facilitating a session during the Central Alabama Spring Conference on policies. I just searched the word "policies" on the CLN. I found 46 posts with lots of replies. Looks like we have not had any discussions related to policie

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Engaging and Coordinating Library Volunteers

Edie Asbury posted the following request:

I am looking for tips on engaging with and coordinating library volunteers. This will be a focus of the next BIC Church Librarians Newsletter (BIC = Brethren in Christ).

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Location of Library

Adair Elwing posted:

Background: They moved our kids to building on far side of campus for SS and started Childrens Church in  Fellowship Hall so they are not in Sanctuary at all. Use to get kids checking out from cart in Sanctuary but now unless th

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Returns

How do your customers return items? Do you have a drop box in the hallway? A place in the library? Feel free to paste a picture in your reply or post on Photos. 

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Has anyone been sucessful at having kids library in one building and adults in the other?

Adair Elwing asks the following question:

Background: They moved our kids to building on far side of campus for SS and started Childrens Church in  Fellowship Hall so they are not in Sanctuary at all. Use to get kids checking out from cart in Sanctua

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Team Leaders Corner: Christmas or Hanukkah Gifts for Team Members

How do you plan to show your love and appreciation for your team members through Christmas or Hanukkah this year? Does your team have traditions? Do you give them a gift with words of appreciation?

 

 

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Church's Digital Presence?

Lynn Floyd Wright has a question for us to discuss:

How do you justify to your bosses that your church library is necessary?  We've got a new pastor (not even 40 yet!) and he wants to put resources into church's digital presence.

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Door Sign?

Sherall Cornwall needs our help!

We are remodeling our library after 20 years! Need ideas for our new door sign. Suggestions? This is what we have now.

 

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How do you remember names?

Do you have a way to remember names and faces of people when they checkout books?

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Planning and Budgeting for 2023

Last Wednesday evening (August 10), we had our annual Enrichment Center Team planning session which all feeds into our Budget preparations. We have a couple of new team members so that was fun getting to know each other. We reviewed our Atriuum stati

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Administration: Donations or Gifts?

How do you process financial donations in memory of someone or in honor of someone? Do you have a policy statement about such? When you remove an item that was added to the collection with donation funds, what do you do about that recognition?

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