"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light and there was light." (Genesis 1:1-3. KJV).

This passage could also be describing the beginning of a church library ministry. In the Living Bible, verse 2 says "the earth was at first a shapeless, chaotic mass . . ." When this new ministry is first contemplated by a church, it has no shape and its intended space is dark. If the church is trying to revive the ministry, it may seem like a chaotic mass.

Beginning a library ministry or reviving a dormant library is an exciting time in the life of a church. Planning with the pastor and other church leadership just how this vital new ministry will enhance the life of the church family can be an invigorating experience. In the beginning stages of planning a library, many questions must be answered.

What is the mission statement for your church? Everything done by a church library team needs to carry out the mission of your church.

Who? What? When? Where? How? Explore the answers to these questions as you apply the mission of the church to the ministry of the church library.

How will the library be organized? Consider the types of spiritual gifts needed by individuals on the church library ministry team. Identify the types of positions for team members. A team leader is one position. The other positions need to relate to responsibilities assigned to team members. For example, your team may have a technical specialist and a promotion specialist.

How will the team be trained? You will find that several avenues are available for training your church library team. First, the Christian Growth Study Plan has five certificate plans for church librarians. These courses can be done individually, as a team, or in a conference.

Second, your association and/or state convention may sponsor library networks, as well as training conferences throughout the year.

What criteria will be used for selecting media? The church library ministry has the responsibility to serve as steward of media resources that strengthen and support the total church ministry. A selection and gift policy is suggested to help guide the library team with selection decisions. This policy is also very important to help when unsuitable material is donated. The selection policy needs to be voted on by the church in a business meeting, thus reflecting the desires of the church rather than the opinion of one individual.

How is the budget planned? Budget planning is an important task that impacts everything else through the year.

What about space and furnishings? Look for a location with high traffic flow, where people gather, and one that is easily accessible. A separate room is best, but a table or a mobile shelving unit works well.

How is media circulated? Develop policies regarding the hours the library will be open, length of time media can be borrowed, the use of fines for past-due media returns, and other circulation concerns.

How do you prepare media for circulation? The technical tasks of accessioning, cataloging, labeling, storing, and shelving are important parts of the preparation of media.

How should people be encouraged use the library? Promoting the use of the library involves planning for the visual, verbal, printed, and activity-oriented ideas. Begin circulation as soon as media processing has begun rather than waiting until everything completed. Help people feel they are part of the new library ministry. This approach will generate excitement and become a great promotional tool.

What services should be provided? The basic service of the library is to provide easy access to appropriate media. As personnel and resources are available, add services, such as storytime for children, media clubs, book reviews, and special support activities for age-group ministries.

As your church launches this fantastic ministry, take each step with prayer. Each phase is very important, and organization will be the key to getting a quality ministry up and going. Never forget the most important key is prayer. Remember, every church library had a beginning.

Sue Berthelot is the leader of the library team at Ascension Baptist Church in Gonzales, Louisiana, and serves as a national church library ministry specialist. This article is courtesy of Lifeway Christian Resources.

 Bookstore/Library Product Roundup

ResourceMate Library Software
The Extended Circulation Add On Module allows you to set up circulation rules such as: maximum number of items checked out per patron, maximum accumulated fine per patron, maximum number of items overdue per patron, and the maximum fine per item. These can be established system wide, and privileges can be given or taken away for a particular patron group or for individual patrons. You can set rules so that patrons cannot check out based on location and resource type.
www.resourcemate.com

Fleetwood Group
Each piece in Fleetwood's Library Collection is designed and crafted with attention to form, function, and value. The construction is solid, from the high-pressure laminate used on all tables, to the rugged 1" shelving standard on all bookcases. The company now offers laminate with texture that appears very similar to veneers. Their design is timeless; it is truly made to last a long time and look great all the while.
www.fleetwoodgroup.com

Bretford's Wire Frame Book & Utility Truck
Bretford, supplier of technology and media furniture that improves how people work and learn, has introduced a new two-wheeled Wire Frame Book & Utility Truck. The new model is ideal for transporting books, DVDs, CDs and other materials in a library. It arrives fully assembled to eliminate set-up hassles and is sized to ship according to UPS standards for reduced delivery costs. Further, it is the only wire book truck with a 12-year standard warranty for complete long-term coverage.
www.bretford.com

 Texwood Library
Texwood Library is the brand of quality library furnishings from Infinite Furniture Solutions and has served the industry for more than four decades. Their comprehensive product line includes a variety of shelving, seating and storage options, as well as custom circulation desks with a wide selection of color and wood grain options. Mobile units are also available on many models. The Mobile Bookstore Shelving is featured in photo. 
www.texwood.com

Buckstaff
Pictured is the Gaines B. Stanley, Sr. Biblical Studies Reference Collection at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. Customizing Buckstaff's Woodford Collection furniture with a two-tone finish created a unique, but time-honored look for the Stanley Room. The tables combined modern electrical components on traditional- styled lamps that maintained a classic appearance. Buckstaff's stylish Tribune series chairs were at each table. The Stanley Collection is not only a tribute to a great contributor to Christian studies; it is a great biblical studies resource.
www.buckstaff.com

Surpass
Surpass Software helps libraries by automating administration, circulation, and cataloging. Integrating Surpass ID card printers and Surpass Self-Check kiosk maximizes the use of your Surpass automation software. Surpass can even catalog both a school and church libraries, allowing you to select which collection is searchable from each patron search station. Some Surpass products, such as the popular Surpass Copycat cataloging software, work with any automation system.
www.SurpassSoftware.com