How to fix your parish library

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Mimi said:
Sounds great … can you set it up. I have no idea, really, what a “wiki” is, except wikipedia.

It’s not like a blog site I guess.
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I already did. 🙂

http://catholicparishlibrary.wikispaces.com/

Basically, like wikipedia, it’s a website anyone can edit. We can create individual pages for books, authors, publishing companies, parish programs, etc. I’ve left the permissions wide-open right now, so anyone can edit (even non-members). If we run into problems with people adding questionable commentary, I can always scale it back.
Califman831 said:
why not just form a group for that. Thats the third tab on the top of the screen.
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That’s another good option. I haven’t fully explored CAF’s group functions, so I’m not exactly sure how to go about it. :o
 
I would absolutely include John Eldredge’s “Way of the Wild Heart” in a Catholic library. Through a lot of his book I found myself wondering if he was Catholic. He’s a Protestant minister with a respect for early saints.
 
Mimi said:
Change of topic – I may start a new thread on this:

Banned books.

We’ve discussed this somewhat already on this thread, but it would be nice to have a place to enter books as we find them along with the reason they are banned.

I was browsing at our public library today where many discarded books are for sale REAL CHEAP; patrons may also donate books.

I found a gem! The Life of Christ by Fulton Sheen – for $1!

I was wondering about Shoes of the Fisherman; I know it was made into a movie starring Anthony Quinn, but would it be a good novel for a Catholic library? I suppose I’ll have to read it.

The book I bought which I would ban was in the children’s section: Young Jesus of Nazareth by Marianna Meyer. Beautifully illustrated with classical prints of paintings, many of which I’ve seen in other places. As I was skimming through the 1st few pp, I read:

Huh??? Never heard that one before. I figured I’d buy it just to keep it out of anyone else’s hands. I’m glad it was discarded! In the author’s note in the back, she writes:

So, that explains the weird stories. There’s also the one in there (which I’d heard before; I think the scene may be in a movie) where 5 yo Jesus made sparrows out of clay; he claps his hands, and “At once the clay figures sprang to life and flew away.”

I’m going to keep this as an example of how careful we should be in selecting books for our children

I hope others will send in titles (esp. of children’s books) you would not house in your parish library.

Tomorrow I may go buy the one on Margaret Sanger…and build a nice fire when I get home!

God bless,
Mimi
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Mimi–I’m glad you brought this up. Someone earlier had mentioned the new Anne Rice books about the life of Christ, and she also includes the clay figures being changed into sparrows by the child Jesus. I also had a problem with the first book (didn’t read the 2nd one) because it also portrays the child Jesus getting upset with another boy & laying on a hand on him & killing him. He brings him back to life, but my belief is that Jesus NEVER did anything harmful to anyone! My take on those Anne Rice books is that they SHOULD NOT be in a Catholic parish library. :nope:

Laura
 
Califman831 said:
why not just form a group for that. Thats the third tab on the top of the screen.
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Maybe I will take the lead on this. When I do, I will post a notice here.

OR, if anyone else would like to, please go ahead & notify the rest of us here.

Mimi
 
Mimi said:
Maybe I will take the lead on this. When I do, I will post a notice here.

OR, if anyone else would like to, please go ahead & notify the rest of us here.

Mimi
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I DID IT!!!

Please check it out and JOIN! Leave a post.
Name of group: PARISH LIBRARIANS
I already directed a message to this thread so we (hopefully) don’t get a lot of duplicate information.

THANKS for the inspiration/idea, Califman831.

Mimi
 
jmcrae said:
What about inserting a one-page book review that contains that information, along with information about what the book is useful for?
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I think that is an excellent idea, rather than a “yuk” (sorrry). We have had our library for at least five years. I will tell you the key word to start a Parish Library is “donations,donations” Put a notice in the bulletin asking for books that parishioners have read and placed in a box to store. Amazing how many books Catholics read, you will see. Another way to stock your library at least this is how we have gained many books as well is from the deceased, either by being bequeathed or by family members not knowing what to do with all of the books left by their relative. Of course you could have a card in the front of the book announcing through the generosity of:. This opens the road to more books because as the people see these donated books they will remember when an opportunity may come for them to donate. Along with these ideas your Pastors and priests are readers of course. At least most have duplicates if not ready to give more at the moment. One more avenue. We have two priests in our parish, both avid readers but one is also a Catholic periodical guru, walla.! these can mount up so hold a few months at a time and weed out by placing by the “coffee hour” as freebies. We have over 2000 books without really trying. One more, one more, the parish bought at least twenty reference books,our DRE is on look-out for children’s specials. We have cd’s,dvd’s videos,audios. God Bless
 
I can tell you that I could use some donations of books for the Saints’ Quotes series of websites. There are a great many works of the saints that it would help to have to draw from. 🙂

The next big purchase I will make for the website will be the Evergetinos, which is quite a few dollars, but it should be priceless.
 
:cool:I have never been to my parish library.I wonder, how do you check out books there?
Is it like a regular libary?
Thanks
 
HollyDolly said:
:cool:I have never been to my parish library.I wonder, how do you check out books there?
Is it like a regular libary?
Thanks
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In most parish libraries, they use a card system where you put your name, contact information, and today’s date in the marked spaces on the card, and drop it into a box. You can then mark on a little slip of paper that’s attached to the back inside cover of the book, the date that you mean to return it. There will be a poster somewhere in the library that tells you when they expect you to return your books (two weeks, a month, whatever). 🙂

If there is a librarian there, she or he will help you with all of that. I have not yet encountered any parish libraries that have been computerized.
 
jmcrae said:
If there is a librarian there, she or he will help you with all of that. I have not yet encountered any parish libraries that have been computerized.
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Yes, the Children of the Lord often lag behind the Children of the World in terms of technology. 😉
 
Joe_5859 said:
Yes, the Children of the Lord often lag behind the Children of the World in terms of technology. 😉
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Do they ever. I asked for a list of Youth-oriented books, and the librarian told me, Well, the list is on the computer, so I said, Great, you can e-mail it to me, and she said, um, no.

It turns out that they are still using DOS - no e-mail, no printing, nothing - just green words on a black screen.
 
jmcrae said:
Do they ever. I asked for a list of Youth-oriented books, and the librarian told me, Well, the list is on the computer, so I said, Great, you can e-mail it to me, and she said, um, no.

It turns out that they are still using DOS - no e-mail, no printing, nothing - just green words on a black screen.
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That is both very funny and very scary.
 
Hello All,

And Happy New Year!
I hope you all made some time to relax and enjoy just looking at your pretty Xmas tree and spend time with family!

I’d just like to remind you that back in November I started a Parish Librarians Group, so come on over and post something from time to time. Here’s a quick link to it:
forums.catholic-questions.org/group.php?groupid=340

I’ve been finding a wealth of info at the National Church Librarians web site. One-pagers (pdf) on how to develop a donation policy; a materials-selection policy; weeding; developing a mission statement and other useful info.

Here’s a good page from the Catholic Library Assoc:
cathla.org/links.php
There may even be a chapter in your state.

Hope we can keep the ideas & discussion going!

God bless,
Mimi
 
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