Q&A

Health Benefits of Reading Books for Pleasure

Beth Bruning shared this interesting article during our recent Middle Tennessee Church Librarians Ministry Network luncheon.

    https://time.com/article/2026/09/16/health-benefits-reading-books-for-pleasure/

How can we share this kind of article wit

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Anniversary year

I discovered recently that next month will be the 40th anniversary of the opening of my church library. I learned this while looking through old papers such as minutes from organizational meetings, erc. I compiled all of the information into a narrat

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What Did You Learn from Your Summer Reading Challenge?

Any stories to share? How do you feel about the experience? Any ideas to improve? How was the reponse to the Challenge? Did the challenge carry out the purpose you had for the summer?

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New School Year? New Church/Synagogue/Parish Year?

Some of us serve in church/parish/synagogue libraries while some serve in school libraries and/or public libraries. Are there traditions connected to beginning the new church year and school year with libraries? Or are you doing something new and dif

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How do you advertise new books to the collection?

Kristine Primm is asking a great question!

How do you advertise new books to the collection?

 

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July 4 Ideas?

Let's revisit 19 posts made during recent years around July 4.

Search Results - July 4 - Church Librarians Network

If you have decorated a library for our 250 anniversary this next week, please take a picture and share. Click here to post a photo. Th

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Fathers Day?

Fathers Day?

Did your team do anything special for dads yesterday? 

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Themes

Marcia asks the following:

For our summer reading theme "FACEbooks"  we're displaying books(mostly biographies) with people's faces on the book.  We recently displayed HERstories about women.  I'm always looking for theme ideas.

Thanks,

Marcia

 

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Library Ministry with Parents and Graduates in 2026

Let's share what we are doing to reach new parents experiencing dedication services and high school, college, university, and seminary graduates enjoying their send off. Let's include Mothers Day and Fathers Day.

May and June have special opportuniti

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QR Codes

Do you use QR Codes in the library? Or in promotional materials?

We have a QR Code sign beside the entrance to the Enrichment Center (library) both inside and outside. The sign is also next to our self-checkout box. The Code is a link to our online

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SIGNS OF THE TIMES

I ran across some very interesting tag-lines Librarian can use for Signs if wanted or needed.

Library Display Lines

Warning: These books have been banned somewhere.

Handle with care—ideas inside.

These books were judged by their covers.

Caution: Free th

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Summer Plans

I'm thinking about our summer plans--the window emphasis, summer reading programs, etc. It is our nation's 250th anniversary, so I'm planning to work along that theme. 
i would welcome any and all ideas--particularly the reading challenges! 
Thanks! 

B

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Church Library Social Media pages

Could we start a thread listing social media links for those who have dedicated library pages on social media? There may be one all ready and I just didn't see it.
It's always great to look and get ideas from other churches and to help support other c

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Attracting more patrons

Jonna Bridgman requests the following:

My church library is slowly dying. I am the only staff. I have moved it three times. The last move was to the old choir room. The choir officially died. I need more patrons! I need ideas on how to attract more p

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Read the Bible Through 2026

I'm sure my church is not the only one launching an emphasis to Read the Bible through the coming year. I just finished the 2025 plan. The new plan for 2026 focuses on the New Testament. One difference that I am sure will draw more people to particip

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Promotion—Special Events?

In order to make our church members more aware of the wonderful resources in our library, it has been suggested that we plan some special "events" to draw our members into the actual physical library.  

Our focus would be on the young- and middle-adul

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Reading Time for Children

Also, do many churches have reading time for children? If so, what time of the week and how did you develop it? Would you consider it a ministry of the church or just an offering to parents to encourage reading? 

Denise Roberts

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Book Clubs

Do many people have book clubs in their church, and if so, how is it done, and how has it been received? 

Denise Roberts

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Preteen, Middle School, and/or High School Book Clubs During the School Year?

We are familiar with book clubs/challenges during the summer. How about during the school year? Anyone have experience with this approach during the school year?

During this summer we had 2 reading group sessions for preteens. Sort of like test runs

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Starting the New Church Year 2025-2026

Next Sunday, August 10, our church launches the new church year. How do you use this launch with teachers/leaders to connect the library with their teaching ministry?

This Wednesday our Discipleship leadership team is hosting a dinner and training ev

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