Church libraries. Does your church have one?
Mine does. I go to a large church and so our church library, while not enormous, is a decent size. Each wall is lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves packed full of all kinds of great books.
This past fall I joined the staff at my church library. I’d been mulling over doing so for several months and felt lead to finally help out for several reasons.
First, I have a lot of books that I not only purchase, but that are also given to me as gifts from family, friends, authors, and publishers. My shelves are bulging with more books than I have space to hold. Rather than try to hang on to all the books, I wanted to find a place that I could donate to on a regular basis so that I could share the book-love with others. Why not my church library?
Second, I joined the library staff because I realized that if I started donating tons of books, I wanted to make sure people would come to the library to read them. As an author, I’ve learned how to make use of numerous platforms to help promote books. And I realized I could make good use of that knowledge to help bring attention to my church library and all of the books there.
So over recent months, I’ve helped add content to our library website, get announcements onto the big screen in our worship center, post pictures of new books on Facebook, and even get a “mobile library” next to our church’s coffee shop.
I also decided to take part in my church’s library ministry because I’m passionate about seeing more Christians get involved in reading. I’m always saddened when I hear people say they don’t have time for reading. I want to ask them (but am too polite!) if they have time to watch TV. The truth is, the average adult watches five hours of TV a day (according to the New York Times), which means the “no time for reading” is usually just an excuse.
For those who genuinely are too busy to read, I always encourage them to consider audiobooks. I personally rely upon audiobooks for almost all my reading pleasure. I listen to books as I drive, exercise, cook, etc. Audiobooks make every task a pleasure.
Finally, I wanted to get involved in my church’s library because I’m super passionate about Christian fiction. When I talk about Christian fiction with church members, I’m surprised by how little most people know about what’s available. Most churchgoers don’t realize almost every genre is available in Christian fiction that can be found in secular fiction, everything from suspense to dystopian to thriller to fantasy, and more.
The fact is, the Christian fiction market has exploded within the past ten years to include every type of book. I want to make people more aware of their choices.
Not only that, but I want Christian readers to realize that there are clean, wholesome alternatives. While I have nothing against secular books (and read my fair share of them), one never knows exactly what one might stumble upon. Not all Christian books contain deep spiritual threads, but the messages are usually uplifting and inspiring.
For the very spiritual who might condemn Christian fiction (especially the romance genre) as too fluffy or perhaps worthless, I always say, “Readers will read. Would you rather them pick up Fifty Shades of Gray or a Christian romance?”
I feel called to make sure friends, family, and fellow church members are aware of the wonderful alternatives that are available in Christian fiction—books that uplift, inspire, entertain, and even challenge us to greater depths of knowing God.
Won’t you join me in promoting Christian fiction to your friends, family, and fellow church members? One great way to do that this holiday season is to give books as Christmas presents!
What other ways have you been able to promote Christian fiction to your circles of influence?
Jody Hedlund
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I too am a church librarian! So wherever I go, I try to ooze Christian books. I find out what genre someone reads and bring them a suggested book. My library is small, but I have been weeding out the old and markdown-store books and putting in fresher, more relavant books, like those written by Jody Hedlund!This doesn’t break my library budget, because I also donate from my own stash.
Hi Debbie,
I’ve been doing the same thing with suggesting books! I always ask people what they’re looking for when they start browsing the shelves. It’s a lot of fun for me to introduce them to new authors. I’ve had to weed out lots of old books and am making space for new books which has given our fiction section a whole makeover. It’s exciting to see more and more people coming to the library every week!
Every book I get, whether given to me or I buy gets donated to my church library. Of course after I read and review them. I made a vow two years ago that I would review every book I read and I choose wisely so that I can always write positive reviews. My husband appreciates my donations too, otherwise we would be swamped in books! The only ones I can’t part with are the ones autographed to me. Libraries are my heart and I was one of two that got ours started at our church. It has grown tremendously in several years time and when our little room gets too small our older books get donated to a local jail and/or women’s shelter.
I enjoy your books so much Jody and have learned so much real history from reading them.
Hi Gail,
That’s so neat to hear that you helped start a library in your church! That could be an encouragement for other fans of Christian fiction to consider doing the same thing at their churches. I believe it’s a critical ministry in our churches–a way to provide people with alternative “entertainment” since so often the mainstream options don’t glorify God.I love your idea to pass along books to jails or women’s shelters. Thanks for sharing that!
I so love that you are doing this, Jody! I think your personal advocacy will go a long way in your church toward making people more interested in Christian fiction. You’re right, many don’t know what’s out there–and many might be overwhelmed at the idea of finding something they’d actually like. Everything that you’re doing is sure to answer both problems!
I need to do more audio book reading, too, since my to-read list is outpacing me. That will be so helpful!
Hi Jocelyn,
It really is an education process! One person came into the library a couple weeks ago and told me it was her first time being there but that she saw my pictures on Facebook and decided to come check out some of the new fiction. She said she normally goes to the public library. But it’s difficult there to locate the Christian fiction since it’s all mixed in and so spread out.
If you haven’t considered Audible, you definitely should. It’s my lifeline! 🙂 (Read your Widow of Gettysburg through Audible!) The monthly membership is a nice way to go about it. You could even ask for the membership as a Christmas present!
A neighboring parish has a lending library, and I donated a copy of my first book. (Need to get the second one over there!) It seems it is OVERWHELMINGLY non-fiction, so I don’t know if anyone goes for the fiction, but I guess just having the books there is a start.
Hi Carolyn,
Yes, I hear you on the non-fiction taking center stage in church libraries. Ours was the same way. But slowly I’m helping to give the library more balance! I almost think non-fiction as a resource has declined in recent years because so many people go online for their non-fiction information or inspiration. But fiction, on the other hand, will always draw people and usually more regularly.
Our church library is fortunate enough to have a separate non-fiction library, right across the hall from our fiction library. And our children have their own library in a building all their own.
Great post, Jody. Our church has a bookstore, and years ago, I volunteered to work in it once a month for the same reasons you mentioned. The pastor who oversees the bookstore is amazingly well read, and I love to talk about books with him. I always get great recommendations. As for audiobooks, I’m with you. I’d be lost without them. I’m guessing that 80%-90% of my reading these days is via audio.
Hi Robin,
How cool to have a bookstore in your church! I wonder how it’s fared in recent years with more people buying books online? I’ve found that pastors can have a great deal of influence in whether church members gravitate toward reading or not. I personally think more pastors should encourage Christian fiction, but again so many of them don’t even realize what’s available.
Jody, our church has a thriving Arts Ministry, including a writers group, so I’m sure that helps the bookstore, too. The bookstore is open throughout the week. It seems to do well. I don’t know how far back it goes, but we’ve been at the church since 2002. So a long time.
I love the sound of the work you’re doing at your church library! Do you have any of my books there? When you have a chance, let me know, and I’ll mail the library the books of mine it doesn’t have. 🙂
Thank you Becky!!:-)
Great post, Jody. Our church has a wonderful library. I’m trying to see if they can start a book club.
I’d love to start a book club too! I’m looking forward to getting more people reading and then taking that next step. 🙂
My mom is in charge of our church library, but it suffers due to a few ultra-conservative members who won’t allow anything that doesn’t match their tastes to be put in the library (even if they aren’t on the library committee). Since they are the ones that use the church library the most, it’s hard to branch out. Any tips on getting the rest of the church more involved in the church library? Or on making a church library more useful to church members?
Jody, Thank you for this post. Your church and library sounds a lot like mine. I am an avid reader and I donate books to our church for others to enjoy. But, You have inspired me though to do a bit more with our library ministry. I’ll check in with them this Sunday and see what else I can do to help in this ministry.
Hi Dana,
So glad the post inspired you! I’m excited to think about all of the possibilities that we can do through our church libraries!
Hi Tricia, I’m sorry to hear about the ultra conservative nature of people making decisions regarding the library.I think that’s a difficult situation when your hands are tied. It’s hard to get the rest of the church coming to a library that doesn’t meet their needs or have the selection of resources that would attract them. We just had a library meeting last week to brainstorm more ways to promote the library. One of the ladies suggested bringing the DVDs out of the library to display them on a table in the lobby with popcorn, along with a flyer about the library. The DVDs and popcorn would attract kids and families. And then make them more aware of the library for future visits.
I also volunteer in the church library and have for almost 40 years. The library is 75 years young and we have 15,000 books, books on cd, and dvd’s for all ages. Check out our online catalog when you get a chance.
http://www.churchatthemall.com/library
Merry Christmas to You & Yours.
I’ve read Christian off and on over the years, but it wasn’t until this past year that I realized how much is available in the different genres. I have so many new favorite authors and love to share them. And so many books on my to-read list!
Hi Jennifer, There are so many different genres within Christian fiction that it’s really very cool! I think one of the best places to see all the Christian fiction in one place is over at Christianbook.com on their fiction page. I love looking there (and they always have such great deals!)
Thanks for the suggestion, Jody! BTW I see you’re in Michigan. I am too. Maybe we will run into each other someday. 🙂
This is a wonderful post, especially to remind people that every genre can be found in Christian fiction. In the last 10-15 years, terrible language and events have found their way into children’s (8-12 yrs.) literature. Before I retired two years ago, many of my 5th graders came to me with library books that contained bad language, wanting to know why they were there. Some of them wanted to write the authors and ask them not to use such language.
Love the John Wesley quote as I have been a lifelong Methodist.
Hi Betty, Thank you for sharing about your experience as a teacher and what your students experienced reading. Sadly it’s very true (which was one of the reasons I wrote a YA series –geared more for older teens). Our children and YA section at our library isn’t very big yet, but I’m hoping to keep adding to it and make it a safe place for kids to find all kinds of Christian books.
Oh, and I hear you on the quote! I wanted to show that most heroes of the faith were avid readers too!
I started a library at my church a few years ago.
Wonderful, Jan! Hope that it’s going well!
I wish our church had a reading library.I get my books at the public library I also order on Ebay and Amazon.I just finished reading Luther and Katarina and really enjoyed it.I prefer to hold a book in my hands and read it.When I am done with some of my books I donate them to the public library so others can enjoy them.
Hi Diana, So glad to hear that you enjoyed Luther and Katharina. I love holding books in my hands too. I’ve never quite adjusted to ebooks and prefer paper. The public library is also a good place to donate books as long as they take them. Thanks for helping to promote Christian fiction! 🙂
Your church library sounds awesome. I promote Christian fiction by sharing the books I’ve read with others. It works and gets people interested in books they otherwise may not have read.
Hi Linda, You do an awesome job of promoting Christian fiction!! Thanks for all you do!! 🙂
Jody, thanks for the wonderful article about church libraries. I am the assistant librarian at mine – our head librarian is a retired research librarian from our city library. I think every church large enough to maintain a good library has it’s ups and downs. We have had people complain over the years – not unlike Tricia’s (above) – that we shouldn’t have any non-Christian books. But our pastors and staff are firmly in the camp that believes that variety is good for the discerning mind and soul. So we have some secular fiction and a lot of Christian fiction. And a wonderful non-fiction selection as well, with all the great Christian authors. Any church blessed with a library will always face challenges. But like you and the other ladies above, I love those challenges and the excitement of new choices.
As the head of my church library, I just want to thank you for donating books to your library and for giving your time to help out. And, of course, for writing great books! Since I took over almost a year ago, I have received many compliments about what a great library we have. It is thanks to all of the great Christian authors out there that we have such a wide selection of books to interest all ages. It was this library, more so than our town’s public library, that cultivated my love of reading. I strongly believe in the ministry of church libraries, and it saddens me when I hear others say that they don’t have church libraries or they don’t have very good ones.
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