How to fix your parish library

[JoanREDirector]

As far as fiction goes… Anne Rice (yes, the same one who wrote Interview With a Vampire and several other… spooky books) is a recent revert to Catholicism. She has two books out in a series, Christ the Lord, a historical fiction about Christ’s life. They are Out of Egypt and The Road to Cana. I am unsure when the third one is due. Though I do not care for her other works (even during my own “goth” days), I did appreciate the fact that she does tremendous research about the time periods that she is writing in, and even one of my history professors recommended some of her books to get an idea of the historical period written about in a certain book.

I’ve read both books that are currently out in the Christ the Lord series. I don’t see any erronious information, and in fact, I recognize some of the events that happens is taken from the Protoevangelum of James and other Apocryphal works. Though there are some fictional characters, the information about Jesus Christ is spot on.

E

I couldn’t read stand to read the Anne Rice vampire series only because they were too graphic. In real life, I faint at the side of blood. Her rhapsodic descriptions of bleeding to death made me physically sick. Hopefully her power can be turned for good.

 

[datingtrappists]

I probably didn’t speak as strongly about my dislike of Anne Rice “back in the day”. Truth be told, I couldn’t stand her writing, and like you, I found the copious descriptions of exsanguination… very distasteful. The only thing that I appreciated was her attention to making sure that the historical periods that she wrote in was as accurate as possible.

So… for me to recommend an Anne Rice book (or books) is saying quite a bit! Maybe check and see if your local library has it so you can read it before deciding.

~E

 

[Joe_5859]

I’ve gone through lots of old theology books for similar “merge and purge” type enterprises, so allow me to share my thoughts.

Parish libraries are not the place for heretical books, nor books on other religions (unless those books are from a specifically Catholic perspective, such as a book by a Catholic presenting info about Islam). I can see having such questionable books in an academic setting, but definitely not a parish setting. A parish library is geared towards the average Catholic, not the average theology Grad student.

When looking at an unfamiliar older book, I check to see what they say on the Eucharist (because if they can’t get that right, there’s little hope they get anything else right) or else what they say on moral issues (specifically contraception and abortion). If it’s a book on Scripture, I check to see what they say regarding the miracles of Jesus, or else what they say regarding the Creation story in Genesis. From there, I can pretty accurately gauge where the book falls on the spectrum (and whether it’s worth keeping).

If finance is an issue in obtaining new books, try contacting publishing companies directly. They may be able to work with you to get you some materials for free, or at least for a discount. Ask for a “review copy” of the books you are interested in. Many publishing companies budget for this sort of thing as publicity (because it does give them publicity when you prominently display their books in a public setting *). You’d be surprised at what you can get if you just ask. Don’t be afraid to beg!

Start with Our Sunday Visitor. They are the best of the big Catholic publishing companies [and for the record, I do like Ignatius Press better than OSV, but Ignatius is a mid-size Catholic publishing company, not a big one]. OSV’s books are pretty sound, yet accessible. I think they even have a foundation set up for things like this (i.e. money set aside for special projects to promote the faith).

Many of the smaller Catholic publishing companies may not be as generous simply because they can’t afford to be. But even they will usually give some type of discount to parishes.*

 

[Joe_5859]

What are the chances of getting discards from college libraries of reference works like collected works of the early church fathers and the like?

I’d say, it never hurts to ask! Most libraries periodically have book sales to sell off the titles that have poor circulation. If you have a nearby Catholic college, I would definitely get in touch with their campus library to get first crack at those titles.

Also, try contacting Liturgical Press and see what they can do for you regarding Jurgens three volume set Faith of the Early Fathers (phone: 1-800-858-5450; email: sales@litpress.org). It’s a must have!

You might also go the multimedia route and get a copy of the Faith Database and/or Welcome to the Catholic Church. These software programs give you more bang for your buck with tons of Church documents and writings from the Church Fathers. But, of course, your parish library would need to have a computer!

And remember, don’t be afraid to ask for them to give books to you for free. The worst they can say is no. If your parish is small and struggling financially, be sure to mention that as well. Remember, you’re doing them a favor by promoting their books in your library (which can lead to sales for them).

 

[JoanREDirector]

You are all sweethearts. Thanks for the information about good new books and how to get expensive reference works in the best way.

Joan

 

[JoanREDirector]

I probably didn’t speak as strongly about my dislike of Anne Rice “back in the day”. Truth be told, I couldn’t stand her writing, and like you, I found the copious descriptions of exsanguination… very distasteful. The only thing that I appreciated was her attention to making sure that the historical periods that she wrote in was as accurate as possible.

So… for me to recommend an Anne Rice book (or books) is saying quite a bit! Maybe check and see if your local library has it so you can read it before deciding.

~E

E

I’m willing to give the new Ann Rice a try. What a witness that she’s a revert.

JoanREDirector

 

[Califman831]

And also ensure that every single book in the library has an Imprimatur and a Nihil Obstat from a Catholic Bishop who has never been excommunicated for any reason.

except those that hold traditional beliefs

 

[Califman831]

I work in a public library and agree with what the previous posters have shared. To get rid of books auction them off on ebay or give away to prison ministries.

If the parish has limited space for its own library I would recommend donating several to the public library system. Given the current economy these libraries are also struggling for book funds. You many want to stamp them with something that they came from from your group’s effort, such as donated by the knights of columbus (new york chapter), donated by st john’s catholic church, etc.

Public libraries have their own established lending systems so you are not burdened with coming up with your own. A disadvantage would be that they will have no reservations about weeding out the old catholic books, regardless of their rarity or the value held by the local catholic community. There are open source library lending systems that you can download for the pc.

With rare books you may consider not lending them out and keeping them for solely for in library viewing. That is another issue you will deal with, lost books.

 

[JoanREDirector]

And also ensure that every single book in the library has an Imprimatur and a Nihil Obstat from a Catholic Bishop who has never been excommunicated for any reason.

You realize that this system is optional now days. Bishops are no longer in the book business. Don’t know why. Look at the books by modern, orthodox authors who are faithful to the Church and are published by the most reputable publishers. No Nihil Obstat … no Imprimatur.

I asked our archdiocesan library staff how to judge modern books for orthodoxy. Was told we’re on our own. Do we trust the author? Do we trust the publishing company? I’m not going to throw out good books written in the last 20 or so years. Our pastor, by virtue of his office, has the final say about the library but he has a parish to shepherd and, most emphatically, doesn’t want to get in the book business either.

What to do?

JoanREDirector

 

[Mimi]

You realize that this system is optional now days. Bishops are no longer in the book business. Don’t know why. Look at the books by modern, orthodox authors who are faithful to the Church and are published by the most reputable publishers. No Nihil Obstat … no Imprimatur.

I asked our archdiocesan library staff how to judge modern books for orthodoxy. Was told we’re on our own. Do we trust the author? Do we trust the publishing company? I’m not going to throw out good books written in the last 20 or so years. Our pastor, by virtue of his office, has the final say about the library but he has a parish to shepherd and, most emphatically, doesn’t want to get in the book business either.

What to do?

JoanREDirector

I don’t think Scott Hahn’s books carry an Imprimatur. About the only thing I’ve seen him criticized for was something he wrote on the Holy Spirit; that appeared in New Oxford Review. I’ll send you the link for it if you PM me.

You can check and see if it is for sale on the EWTN catalogue for one suggestion.
I have also done this (and may have suggested it in another post); take the author’s name and put it in the search box at the Catholic Culture web site.
www.catholicculture.org
You can usually tell quickly by the article written in regard to the author whether he or she has (or is now) in trouble with the Church in some way.

I’d be cautious about stuff from Paulist Press.

A few authors I found by simply doing a google search, pairing the name in question with Call to Action. Many dissidents will have spoken at CTA conferences.

Often, you can tell just by reading bits here and there. I say, When in Doubt, Toss it Out. Why be an accomplice to possibly turning someone away from orthodoxy? Better to err on the side of caution, hmm?

If you like, I can send you the list I’ve compiled. It seems to get longer every month (sigh). Just PM or email me & I’ll send it.

But there may be somewhat of a dilemma if an author’s earlier writings were orthodox, and then they later drifted into questionable territory.

I had to compromise with the Joshua series. The author is a priest, Fr. Girzone, but he has been sequestered (it seems in addition to ill health he may have gotten in hot water some way, but I’m unable to find out). Amy Wellborn critiqued his work, and that was enough for me, but I got trumped by our pastoral associate who thinks his books are great (she got to meet him once), so the books stayed.

Hope that helps!

Mimi

 

[Joe_5859]

I don’t think Scott Hahn’s books carry an Imprimatur. About the only thing I’ve seen him criticized for was something he wrote on the Holy Spirit; that appeared in New Oxford Review. I’ll send you the link for it if you PM me.

I am not sure why people keep saying this. Dr. Hahn’s books DO have the nihil obstat and imprimatur, including the book “First Comes Love”, which is the one criticized by NOR (and frankly, I stopped taking NOR seriously a long time ago).

 

[Joe_5859]

I say, When in Doubt, Toss it Out. Why be an accomplice to possibly turning someone away from orthodoxy? Better to err on the side of caution, hmm?

Heresy!!! Just kidding. I am naturally averse to throwing out books, no matter how bad they are (hence why I have collected 4 copies of McBrien’s awful Catholicism over the years). I just can’t bring myself to do it. I would never give them away to the unaware, nor put them in a parish library, but I still hold onto them. I’ve got a whole shelf of stuff by Rahner, Schillebeeckx, Curran, and company. They are bad, but they’ve been so influential that the perpetual student in me thinks they may come in handy some day. Throwing them away just seems too Fahrenheit 451 for my tastes.

This thread reminded me of an earlier thread on Catholic Publishers from a couple years ago. I outlined my take on some of the major Catholic publishers. I think I would probably tweak my comments a bit now, but they’re still mostly on target (IMHO). Looking at the publisher can be helpful, but it’s far from an absolute. I think I’ve found at least one worthwhile book from every Catholic publisher. It’s a helpful first step in evaluating books, but I wouldn’t stop there.

 

[JoanREDirector]

Heresy!!! Just kidding. I am naturally averse to throwing out books, no matter how bad they are (hence why I have collected 4 copies of McBrien’s awful Catholicism over the years). I just can’t bring myself to do it. I would never give them away to the unaware, nor put them in a parish library, but I still hold onto them. I’ve got a whole shelf of stuff by Rahner, Schillebeeckx, Curran, and company. They are bad, but they’ve been so influential that the perpetual student in me thinks they may come in handy some day. Throwing them away just seems too Fahrenheit 451 for my tastes.

This thread reminded me of an earlier thread on Catholic Publishers from a couple years ago. I outlined my take on some of the major Catholic publishers. I think I would probably tweak my comments a bit now, but they’re still mostly on target (IMHO). Looking at the publisher can be helpful, but it’s far from an absolute. I think I’ve found at least one worthwhile book from every Catholic publisher. It’s a helpful first step in evaluating books, but I wouldn’t stop there.

Hi, Joe;

Book burning (even symbolically) disturbs me too. I’ve got some hot ones in the trunk of my car that I can’t bring myself to destroy. Some posters here say I may not expose them to the world by giving them to a used book dealer or a public library. What do you say … burn them or let them circulate?

Joan

 

[Joe_5859]

Hi, Joe;

Book burning (even symbolically) disturbs me too. I’ve got some hot ones in the trunk of my car that I can’t bring myself to destroy. Some posters here say I may not expose them to the world by giving them to a used book dealer or a public library. What do you say … burn them or let them circulate?

Joan

It’s a tough issue (at least for me). If a book is truly awful, I don’t think I’d want to donate it to a library or used book seller. Perhaps one could justify selling it online with the argument that the person was searching for that specific book and was going to buy it regardless of whether or not you were selling it. Of course, on the other hand, you don’t know who might pick up that book. It might be someone like me looking for a cheap copy in order to become familiar with the voice of the opposition.

Another option might be to contact a group that’s in the business of Catholic apologetics (like Catholic Answers or Catholics United for the Faith) to see if they would be interested in the books. As they field people’s faith-related questions, I’m sure people call them with questions about heretical books/authors, so they might find it useful to have such titles on hand in order to review and refute them. Thus, you can use a bad book for a good end.

Or you can send them to me. I can add them to my growing pile of dissent.

 

[Shin]

Toss them in the waste bin, use them to warm the hearth.

You are too attached to material things. It is a very good thing to get rid of stuff like that, and if you give it to someone you can become responsible for all the harm it does in the future. Bad books aren’t going to Heaven, you can’t take them with you.

There aren’t too many people lacking bad books to read for bad examples, and if they are, they can go get them on their own.

Even decent books are generally harmlessly thrown away, there’re not going to last forever, and books are no longer rare commodities.

I have a large library of thousands of books, and since many were left over from my more secular days, many go in the waste bin as I prune it. It get smaller, not larger as time goes by and I buy mainly spiritual books.

Throwing away things is generally a good deed, getting rid of things and living a less encumbered life, getting rid of heretical books and worldly books that are simply secular entertainment is a good thing.

We’re Catholics, not ancient Egyptians. What we get rid of here benefits us, not what we keep.

 

[RosaMystica]

I recently went to a used book sale at a local church festival. Most of the religious books I saw would have to be placed on the “heretical” shelf. It seems like these books are widely available, so to toss the few that come to you isn’t going to make a dent as far as access to the material is concerned. I say, use them for a family marshmellow roast. If someone wants to do research on the wild theologies of the post-Vatican II era, they have plenty of resources, including many of our “Catholic” universities!

 

[Mimi]

I recently went to a used book sale at a local church festival. Most of the religious books I saw would have to be placed on the “heretical” shelf. It seems like these books are widely available, so to toss the few that come to you isn’t going to make a dent as far as access to the material is concerned. I say, use them for a family marshmellow roast. If someone wants to do research on the wild theologies of the post-Vatican II era, they have plenty of resources, including many of our “Catholic” universities!

Hee hee; “use them for a family marshmallow roast”! Actually, that is my intention, but I think it is only fair to bring it to our pastor’s attention that these are being submitted. I hope he lets me do with them what I intend. We do have a fireplace…

Mimi

 

[Mimi]

Joe 5859:

Another option might be to contact a group that’s in the business of Catholic apologetics (like Catholic Answers or Catholics United for the Faith) to see if they would be interested in the books. As they field people’s faith-related questions, I’m sure people call them with questions about heretical books/authors, so they might find it useful to have such titles on hand in order to review and refute them. Thus, you can use a bad book for a good end

I suppose that I could save them & use them to illustrate how well-meaning people can twist scripture or doctrinal statements to their own purpose (say, in an apologetics class).

True; though I have thought of - What happens to my personal library if I should happen to pass on? How would the collection influence (for good or ill) those relatives who would see what’s there and, thinking me a serious Catholic, have doubts about orthodox Catholicism? Guess I could paste a label on the cover (read at your own risk – this is not an orthodox theologian/author).

I have no compunction getting rid of garbage by burning; at least they’d get put to good use warming my home. I just wouldn’t make a public spectacle of it, or do it when the family is over for Christmas dinner!

Mimi

 

[Joe_5859]

Joe 5859:

I suppose that I could save them & use them to illustrate how well-meaning people can twist scripture or doctrinal statements to their own purpose (say, in an apologetics class).

True; though I have thought of - What happens to my personal library if I should happen to pass on? How would the collection influence (for good or ill) those relatives who would see what’s there and, thinking me a serious Catholic, have doubts about orthodox Catholicism? Guess I could paste a label on the cover (read at your own risk – this is not an orthodox theologian/author).

I have no compunction getting rid of garbage by burning; at least they’d get put to good use warming my home. I just wouldn’t make a public spectacle of it, or do it when the family is over for Christmas dinner!

Mimi

I had a friend who put red circle stickers on the binding with the word “BAD” scribbled on them.

The average Catholic ordinarily has no need to delve into questionable books. I have found it useful on occassion to have some of those books to look through. Most of the time, it’s when someone asks me if so-and-so is a good person to hear speak. Not only can I tell them “No”, I can tell them why.

 

[JSSebastianoP]

Secondly, learn how to catalogue books properly. A school librarian happens to be the chair of our committee, so we learned how to properly catalogue and shelve the books, make the index cards, etc., with their ISBN #'s, and then we enter them into our computer database, which is currently being revamped. Our parish library is run just like a regular library, except we don’t fine people for overdue books!

Do you know any good online resources for learning how to catalogue books? Or something…

I’m not sure about what to do with the dissident books – some I have returned, but there are not names on a few others. I suppose I will have to see our priest about this. He has quite a full plate, and I don’t want to bother him with details, but think he should know this stuff is coming in and the committee is united in weeding it out.If anyone has suggestion, I’d appreciate it!

God bless,
Mimi

If you have any extra space (or even if someone is willing to take them into his home), you could put them in “storage” until you are able to decide. Storage is also good for another reason. If someone wants it, he has to ask for it, so it gives a chance to warn about potential heretical nature of the book.

Pax,

Sebastiano