We have a church with a Sunday morning attendance of approximately 400. We have 2 church services on Sunday morning with Sunday and Wednesday evening services. I would appreciate suggestions regarding hours our church library should be staffed. Thank you for your input. Gayla
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We also have 2 worship services and the library is open 30 minutes ahead of time and then continuously until right before the second service ends. We used to be open after the second service but had to make a change with the recent lay-off of our paid person. I would recommend staying open after if you can and at other times (Wed nights etc.) if you have the volunteers. We have 25 volunteers that work one shift a month which is either the first or second service time. For each Sunday morning we have team leaders to oversee what is going on. One volunteer works the circulation desk while another volunteer works the DVD window. The team leaders are doing maintenance activities or helping volunteers/patrons. Once the service starts there is time to shelve but we keep our eye out for those who wander in. I love that the library is a "welcoming place" in the church that allows for people to come in and chat and get introduced to the church.
Thank you very much for taking time to answer my question. Our library just opened this year and I am open to ideas from seasoned librarians. I do think it creates more interest in the library when someone is present to answer questions, offer new book ideas, etc. as well as to check out books. I am praying for a volunteer who would be willing to organize the workers as I enjoy the collection deveopment, cataloging, etc. the most but until then I guess I will do my best. I do have help but no one who wants to make the commitment to be in charge to volunteers. Our church has an attendance of about 300-400 on Sunday morning. Thanks again. Gayla
Thank you for your quick response. Also, do you have volunteers who help staff the library or do you do it yourself and how many generally staff the library at one time?
Gayla, we usually have three people. Two behind the circulation desk when busy, and when not only one and the others shelve. Our circulation director is in charge of that area and she arranges her volunteers according to the amount of traffic she has. We could not exist without volunteers.
Rita, thank you for your advice. I do have some volunteers but am struggling with having to organize volunteers, doing most of the catloging and processing, marketing, etc. I enjoy the collection development, cataloging, etc. the most but can't seem to find someone to fill in the other areas. Do you have any suggestions?
Gayla, do you live near a place that has scheduled training? We always offer a course on building a library team. This conference is so helpful to our librarians in developing a group of volunteers and building them into a team. We are offering this course in our October conference here in the DFW area. One thing you might do is check in our resource notebook and go over this area. I will pray for you as you work to build your team. I know that I could not function without my dear volunteers.
Rita,
Thank you so much for taking time to help me. I will check into the Illinois conference in September and see it they offer a course in team building. Is the resource book you mentioned something I can order?
I do have some good volunteers. I work at a public library and have some knowledge of how to set up the library but need to work at team building and would love it if someone would step up to organize volunteers, etc. With working at the public library I really don't have time to do the church library justice without alot of help.
I believe the library should be staffed when events are scheduled. I suggest being open 30 minutes prior to the service or event and 30 minutes afterward. Sunday mornings I am open from 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM. We also have two services and find that people swish in and out according to the times they worship. The second service is over at 12:00 hence the 12:30 closing. On Wednesdays we are open during the summer from 6:00 - 7:30 and in the fall and winter we open at 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM because our program begins with family night t 6 PM.
Replies
Carol
Thank you very much for taking time to answer my question. Our library just opened this year and I am open to ideas from seasoned librarians. I do think it creates more interest in the library when someone is present to answer questions, offer new book ideas, etc. as well as to check out books. I am praying for a volunteer who would be willing to organize the workers as I enjoy the collection deveopment, cataloging, etc. the most but until then I guess I will do my best. I do have help but no one who wants to make the commitment to be in charge to volunteers. Our church has an attendance of about 300-400 on Sunday morning. Thanks again. Gayla
Thank you for your quick response. Also, do you have volunteers who help staff the library or do you do it yourself and how many generally staff the library at one time?
Thank you again,
Gayla Ring
Rita Kirkland
Thank you so much for taking time to help me. I will check into the Illinois conference in September and see it they offer a course in team building. Is the resource book you mentioned something I can order?
I do have some good volunteers. I work at a public library and have some knowledge of how to set up the library but need to work at team building and would love it if someone would step up to organize volunteers, etc. With working at the public library I really don't have time to do the church library justice without alot of help.
Thanks again for your valuable advice.
Gayla Ring
Hope this helps some.
Rita Kirkland