Q&A

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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Book Lists for New Libraries

Lee Smith and his Virginia Church Library Association is considering a list of books to recommend to new church libraries. Back in the 40s, The Sunday School Board church library specialist put together an annual huge list of book titles for all chur

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Summer Reading Challenge Plans?

We are putting together a reading challenge for the summer. I just read all about our local public library's summer reading challenge. There's no way our church reading challenge can come close to what all they are doing. Now I understand why absolut

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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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Non-Fiction Donations?

Bev Colquett has a situation that many of us deal with often.

  Weeding - Someone recently donated 4 boxes of books to the church library. Many of them deal with marriage, child rearing, etc. but are already  12-15 years old. Are there guideline

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Mothers Day?

What are you doing for Mothers in your church this Sunday? Do you have books in your collection for mothers? 

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A Topic of Interest for a Discussion?

If you have a topic in mind but not sure about posting it, I will start a discussion for each topic either on Q&A or one of the other tabs where it fits best. Topics may or may not be questions.

Please post your topics here. Give me an opportunity to

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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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Children's Books Organization

 Any ideas on how to organize children's books (age 0-2nd grade)?  By suthor, title, age,etc.

Barbara Brown

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Church Libraries Role during Crises?

Let's give some thought and reflection on our role when crises hit our cities, communities, and church families? 

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Easter Plans?

Easter is April 9. What are you planning to do through your church's library this year? Display? We would love to see it: Photos. Click on the red and white plus sign.

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Collection Development: Selection

Kristin Ciholas is an author who wants to know how church librarians choose books, through what publications, and how you learn about the books.

Click here to meet Kristin and her books.

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Christian Fiction written by men

Barbara Brown asks the following:

Would like some suggestions on good/interesting Christian fiction books written by men. 

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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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Picture Books?

Kim Schneider has a question:

I am looking for picture books on honoring parents, any suggestions?

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eBook Lending

Cara Shelton Asks:

I am wondering if anyone has figured out the e-book lending thing? We have many requests for e-books and for audible books. I am not either an e-book or audible book fan, so this is a whole new territory for me.  I'm still in the "

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TinyCat questions

Pam Guin Asks:

If someone is using TinyCat/Library Thing for their very small library I would love to find out how they like it and some instructions on how some of it works.  I found YouTube videos but they are a few years old.

2 Replies:

Jean Lefer

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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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Valentine's Plans?

What are your plans for your church's library in February? Any ideas from what you did last year?

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Promotion Ideas

Topic posted by Mary Reynolds on January 18, 2023:

Our church library has been in a terrible state for the last 6-7 years. We have about 2000 books and we don't even have a budget until January. We have one bulletin board just outside the room & I wo

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