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The Libraries in Churches Discussion
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Last updated Sunday, April 3, 2005 |
Libraries in Churches
Tech Talk by Shawn Brouwer These articles were written for the British Columbia
Congregational Libraries Association newsletter, The Rare Bird. The focus is
on using technology in the congregational library. On DVDsThree summer projects
Without computersIs there any such thing as a computer expert? |
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Online
book buying
January 2005 I went shopping last week and never left my desk.
On-line shopping that is, for library books.
I visited nearly a dozen websites looking for eight titles comparing price,
ease of use, shipping and security concerns.
Here’s what I learned. Finding what I wanted was sometimes tricky. My list was sketchy; it included things
like “The Message Bible,” a novel by Ben Witherington set in the first
Century; something in the “Mandie” series as well as specific, current
titles, a perennial favourite and an obscure out-of-print title. Just like in a real bookstore it sometimes
takes some browsing to find what I wanted and the more information I had the
easier it was to find the right item.
A few websites offered helpful responses such as “Did you mean Eugene
Peterson” when I mistyped a name.
Other sites seemed a little overeager-- finding 1178 results for “message bible”
assuming I was interested in anything with either word in the title. Having found an item it was also a
challenge to know if it was the right one.
A picture of the cover is helpful, as is a brief synopsis of the book. Some websites offered enough information
for a complete bibliography including dimensions, weight, number of pages and
type of binding. Most helpful were
added conveniences such as the ability to read a portion on-line, links to
author interviews and customer reviews. The reviews are something any librarian
should look at. Some are done by
professionals while others are simply reader opinions. Reading these give insights into what
others feel about the book and may be good springboard for discussion with
library patrons about the title. On-line prices are comparable to local
bookstores’ and most have a “bargain bin” to tempt extra dollars from
you. The biggest two sites provided
links to used books for a title they were selling new. Now if you think buying “used” will save
money hold that thought while we talk about shipping. Shipping costs may be
the biggest obstacle in completing an online purchase. Many online sellers offer free shipping if
you purchase enough items at one time but others have a stepped fee for
shipping so you may pay $7 shipping whether you buy one or ten items. That makes bulk buying a wise necessity for
cost-conscious libraries. Used booksellers do not seem to offer free
shipping. Shipping also complicates on-line shopping a
little more, especially if an item is out of stock. Some sellers will send everything together
in one shipment, others send what they can right away and then charge you
another shipping fee when they send a back-ordered item. As for buying used books, shipping
practices can really frustrate – allow up to 90 days some sellers suggest and
shipping fees for my sample list peaked at over $20 for one title which made an apparent
used-book bargain more expensive than a new book. On-line security should be a concern for on-line
shoppers. You want to make sure the seller
is trustworthy; that they won’t target you for unwanted ad mail, that they
will protect your personal information, including your credit card number
from unauthorized snoops. All the
sites I visited gave assurance that I was safe. A colleague who buys out-of-print material
for a major library tell me that sometimes she has been charged for items
that were never delivered but in most cases it’s more likely the result of a
disorganized seller running a used bookstore out of his garage then criminal
intent. She advises testing the waters
with small orders before making a major purchase. Is it worthwhile to shop for books online? The answer may depend on where you live,
the relationship you have with your local bookseller and the titles you are
looking for. Even if you never make an online purchase for your library,
“e-tailers” provide a way to window- shop and compile a wish lists, project a
budget or get reviews without leaving you desk. Sites visited: SalemStorehouse.com Ottawa-based Christian bookstore Chapters.Indigo.ca Canadian big- box bookstore. Includes links to used books Amazon.ca Canadian
outlet of Abebooks.com Used
book exchange Christianbook.com Providentbookstore.com
Prices in $CDN On
DVDs
October 2004 Browsing the flyers recently I spotted a DVD
player priced under $50. That’s big
news and it’s going to affect your library, if it hasn’t already. It means that DVD players are going to be
under a lot of Christmas trees this year.
Is your congregational library ready to handle patron requests for
material to put into their DVD players? Here’s some basic information to help you
understand this amazing new media. First,
let’s get the acronym right – DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disc.
Most people think the ‘v’ stands for video but
it’s much more than just a replacement for video tapes.
Secondly, although DVDs look like CDs, there is a big difference. Yes,
they are compact and it is true that they are discs. A DVD however,
can contain nearly 7 times more data than a CD. One holds the soundtrack to a movie; the
other may contain the soundtrack, the movie, the theatrical trailer, outtakes
and other special features! Thirdly,
this format is not as sturdy as it may seem.
To get all that data onto the disc, it seems that the protective
layers had to get thinner and more susceptible to scratches. More data on the disc also means that the
laser that reads the disc has to be more exacting. A small smudge may render
the disc unplayable until it is cleaned.
Some reports suggest that older, top-of -the line DVD players tend to
have a very low tolerance for disc distortion or scratching. And cheap DVD players may actually scratch
discs! Marketing decisions also tend
to favour low quality discs to maximize profits. Although there is a problem with
vulnerability to damage, most scratches can be repaired cheaply by disc
refinishers found on the internet or in the yellow pages. As well, resourceful
companies sell stick-on guards and sprays that they claim protect discs from
scratches. To care
for your discs keep these tips in mind: ·
Handle discs by the edges, not the flat surfaces,
especially the “bottom” side. ·
Don’t bend or flex the disc, even when removing it
from its case. Learn how to release
discs from the cases they come in and teach your patrons this skill. ·
Use a soft-tipped, non-solvent based felt marker to
mark the label side of the disc. Avoid
adhesive labels. ·
Store discs like books: upright, away from heat,
humidity and strong light. ·
Clean discs with a soft cotton cloth, wiping in a
straight line from the centre of the disc, never in a circular motion What
else do you need to know? Discs are often encoded to work only in a specific
global region. If your congregation obtains discs from overseas they may not
be playable without a “multi-region” player.
Demographics should be a big factor in considering how heavily you
invest in the new format. Some
observers suggest that seniors and children will probably continue to be VHS
users. Seniors, because they may be
unwilling to invest in yet another new technology; kids, because they are
getting “hand-me-down” VCRs from parents buying the latest gadget. However,
if minivans predominate in your church parking lot, they may have DVD players
intended to keep their upwardly mobile passengers occupied as they are
ferried from Sunday School to soccer practice.
Finally, when purchasing DVDs, look for features that make the DVD
format so versatile; scene access or
“chapters” that let you select the part you want to see rather than fast
forward through the whole program are a useful feature as are language and
close captioning options. Want to know more about DVD?
A very informative report is available from Canadian Video Services at
www.cvsinc.ca.
(Registration is required) Three
summer projects
August 2004 Ah… August, the month before all those kick-off events!
I hope you’re somewhere between Relaxed and Ready. Here are some simple
computer-based projects to help wake up any library that’s in the doldrums.
(I use Microsoft Word and have put key commands in bold. Use your Help
menu for more information) Signs—There’s no excuse for any library with access to a
computer and printer to have tatty-looking signs. Get some nice paper, choose a clear, easy
to read font or two (but not more than three!) and replace all the worn-out
signs, instruction sheets, labels and posters in your library. Experiment with font sizes and paragraph alignment to find a pleasing arrangement and use
it consistently to create a welcoming, professional look for your resource
area. Use tables to create lists you can sort. Creating and using tables in Microsoft Word is
easy (and gets easier with practice.)
A table with 5 columns like the one below could serve as a simple
catalogue or database for small libraries, or for sub collections such as
sermon tapes or pamphlets that you don’t want to add to your library
software. For each item in the collection, type in the
information, (use the tab key to move from column to column and row to
row). Once the initial entries are
done, use the Table menu to select the entire table and then use the Sort tool in the Table menu to sort the list by any of the
headers such as author, call number or
subject. Print the lists and voila! A simple,
but functional public access catalogue you can put in a 3-ring binder. Or,
sort by format or call number to produce a shelf list for inventory purposes.
For an o n-line catalogue, use the Find function
(CTRL+F) to
find a word or phrase in your database. If you are feeling really ambitious
create your table with additional columns for details that are important in
your library, such as second authors, illustrators, publishers, ISBN,
accession numbers or even additional subject headings. It’s possible to use the table you created
to print out spine, pocket and card labels but I said I was going to focus on
simple tasks! (Hint: explore the Mail merge menu in Word)
Given plain-Jane books a makeover; discard dusty
dust jackets; Make use of the Text box
tool to create dust jackets that will appeal to your book browsers. Draw text boxes that match the dimensions of the covers and
spine of your book. Align the boxes and then add some text or even
graphics. For example, write a review
or synopsis to go the back cover, have fun with fonts on the front cover and
use the Text direction menu so the title runs
down the spine. Search on the internet
for graphics or to copy and paste into your cover. (Be sure to acknowledge your source
on the cover.) Add your library’s name
discretely to the design and print it out.
Trim and wrap with clear plastic and it will look like you have a new
book on your shelf. You may, of
course, be limited by the size of paper available to you. Without
computers
May 2004 Sarah was keen to revive the church library that
had been dormant for several years -- until Pastor Dan said “We should
probably get a computer in there for you.”
That made her heart sink. She
liked books and reading and helping people but had little experience with
computers apart from what her husband demonstrated for her. Her church’s library was in a small,
unlocked alcove and held about 500 books. A simplified Dewey system was used
to classify the material which was labelled and had pockets and charge cards
in each item. To get the library up
and running again, the congregation had approved a small budget. When I met
Sarah in her library, to discuss computerizing her library, we talked about
the strengths of the collection and
her plans to get things back on track. A few days
after our meeting, Sara told a mutual friend that she could have hugged me when
she heard what I said about a computer for her library. Had I discovered a new “pick up line” that
appeals to mature church librarians? I
don’t think so. But in case I did, let
me try to recall what I said and why. Sarah’s collection was small.
A computer is wonderful for keeping
track of a fast-growing collection with over a thousand items. In
Sara’s library however, it would be just as easy to say “Oh that book; it’s
on the third shelf, about halfway in with the yellow cover.” For Sarah’s library, growth would be slow
and the collection would remain limited in size because of space limitations
in the church. It would be easy for library staff to quickly become familiar
with what was in the library. Space was at a premium in her library. Sarah’s
little knee-hole desk would be overwhelmed by a desktop computer-- the monitor, processor, keyboard and mouse, and
all the wires that connect them to each other, a printer and to the rest of
the world. Sarah’s library was unlocked
and used by other groups as a meeting room.
Computers are expensive and attractive to thieves, as well as
inquisitive kids who pass through the church.
It would be difficult to protect the hardware or any of the data that
would be on the computer from theft or misuse. Her small budget would
only go so far. Even if a computer and
software were donated to her library,
Sarah would still have to divert book-buying funds and time to purchase
computer support items such as an adequate desk, security and the things that
don’t come with the computer but are essential (electrical surge
protectors, wrist supports, diskettes,
helpful advisors) Sarah herself was uncomfortable
working with computers and lacked a computer-savvy helper to work with her. I could tell that Sarah had a lot of
enthusiasm for book talks and working with the children and promoting her
library in many ways. Chaining her to
a computer would be crushing drudgery for her and her ideas. I told Sara.
“Computers can be a great tool for librarians. But you don’t need a computer in your library.” (Those were words that made Sarah want to
hug me) I didn’t stop there, however.
In the next issue of the Rare Bird I’ll explain how Sarah could use a
computer at home or in the church office, to do some simple tasks that would
help her revive her library and fulfill her dreams. Is there any such thing as a computer expert?January 2004 Is there
any such thing as a computer expert?
Where I work, the staff designated to handle computer problems
sometimes do the same thing I do: shake their fist and scold the computer for
being uncooperative. They are experts because of what they do next. They slowly, step-by step, think through
the technical problem they are facing and eventually solve it. Their expertise is based on experience,
training and creativity. Those three
things are available to any of us. Add
patience to the mix and you too will be on your way to becoming an expert. When I
was asked to be a computer resource person for CLABC I was glad to say yes. A
resource person, after all, isn’t really an expert, but someone who knows
where to look for answers –just like any good librarian. So here I am, with my experience, training,
creativity, patience (and any other gifts the Lord bestows) ready to help you
become a computer expert for your church library. A little
about me: I work in a university
library as a circulation coordinator –keeping track of some 200,000 items so
that 3000 or so patrons can use that material for a reasonable amount of time. Some of my job involves using a computer
and I know how to use the applications I need. There are some things,
however, that I just don’t get. I sometimes delete files that I shouldn’t. I get confused when my computer asks “Are
you sure you don’t want to save?” And I use a lot of paper, because I can
read a printed page easier than a flickering screen. Does that sound like you? We’ll then, let’s become experts together. What did
I do to become a computer resource person?
The same things you can do.
First of all, I get training. I have taken a course or two which
formed a foundation for my knowledge.
I also go to the public library and check out computer magazines – and
then read them in front of my computer so I can try out things right away. I
ask colleagues “how do you do that?”
and I keep asking until I can do it too.
Secondly, I get experience. I’m
always asking my computer questions. “What happens when I do this?” “What does this menu control?” “What’s in this folder?” Sometimes the computer doesn’t answer, and
sometimes I make mistakes (but they get fixed.) I explore and practice in the
same way I would if I was learning a musical instrument, trying out a new
recipe, or planning a trip to some faraway destination. I recognize that gaining experience takes
time so I don’t expect to conquer big projects using new equipment or
software right away. First I practice
on small tasks until get a handle on the basics and a few of the frills. “’Practice makes perfect’ and ‘learning
takes time,’” I remind myself.
According to the ads, our computers are tools to help us unleash our
creativity, not frustrate it. All the
learning, the exploration, the practice and “what if?” questions are the
groundwork for becoming a creative computer user. The more you use your computer, and look at
what others are doing with theirs the more creative input you amass. But it doesn’t come easy. "Genius is
ninety-nine per cent perspiration,”
Thomas Edison warned, “and one per cent inspiration.”. Let me plug a great tool
for church librarians with computer access: LINC-List is the Libraries in Churches
discussion list. If you can use email
or find a website, than you already have the skills you need to participate. Ask a question of church librarians around
the world, or offer your own advice on church related discussions. To join, send blank email to join-LINC-L@ patience.twu.ca,
wait for a confirmation and then join in on the discussion. The LINC-List webpage at http://members.shaw.ca/scbrouwer/home.htm has a good list of resources for church
libraries with links to even better church library sites. CLABC members are a diverse group with a
wide range of computer skills. I’ll
try to include a few tips that will make you a better computer user in each
issue of the Rare Bird. Are you mouse-dependent?
You lose a lot of efficiency when you switch back and forth from the
keyboard to the mouse to do simple tasks.
Next time you fill in a form try using the tab
or arrow keys to move from box to box
and the spacebar or enter
key instead of using the mouse to click on action boxes such as ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ ‘save’ or
‘cancel.’ If you are already
comfortable using common Windows shortcut keys like ctl+z
(to undo the last action) ctl+x (to cut
selected items) or ctl+v (to
paste) why not learn some new ones?
Use your Help menu to expand your skills. |
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