Prepared
by Barbara J. Hampton, Librarian
In partial fulfillment of the requirements of ILS 534-70
Southern Connecticut State University
Graduate School of Communications
Department of Information and Library Science
Under the supervision of Dr. Elsie Okobie
Through the donation of "Alexandria" stand-alone integrated library system software and a desktop PC computer, it has become feasible to create an electronic catalogue of library materials for Collister Memorial Library at South Britain Congregational Church. The advanced search features available in an electronic catalogue, together with the ease of entering data, will greatly accelerate the development of a catalogue of library holdings. By using internationally accepted electronic cataloguing standards, it will be possible to add our catalogue records to other bibliographic databases and to develop an effective consortium among area congregational libraries, thereby expanding the scope of and access to religious library materials for people of faith throughout the region.
Congregational library materials are especially valuable in the Christian Education mission of the church. By developing a convenient catalogue of resources, both print and digital, the minister, deacons, Bible study groups, and church school teachers will have better access to materials to support instruction and learning. Members will have ready access to materials for worship services, Christian fellowship, Christian parenting, and Christian life.
Because the history of South Britain Congregational Church (as well as many other area congregations) is an important part of the history of the area, a well-developed electronic catalogue will also serve archival and research purposes.
Until recently, the South Britain Congregational Church library consisted of a mish-mash of books stuffed into the back side of an unused altar. Volunteering to become the church librarian, I have organized the resources we had. Thanks to the generous donation of memorial funds by the family of the late Dorothy Collister, the Jessie Gates room on the Garden Level of the Parish house was remodeled by volunteers from the Property Committee, including architect Garland Anderson, painter Bud Bennett, handyman Hugh Humiston, and carpenter Gary DeWitt. Shelves were built into the walls above the wainscoting and track lighting was added to directly illuminate the shelves. Large upholstered arm chairs were added to the general seating.
The mission of the Collister Library of the South Britain Congregational Church is to support and enable the faith explorations and journeys of our church's members and friends who seek to grow in greater understanding of Jesus Christ's teachings and to incorporate those teachings in our daily lives, as set forth in its Constitution and Bylaws by maintaining a collection of books, periodicals, audio-visual materials, and other information resources, including:
† assisting the congregation in worshiping, celebrating and bearing witness to the living God we know in Jesus Christ;
† facilitating the spiritual growth and Christian education of members and others;
† aiding the congregation and staff in the governance and administration of the church;
† supporting the Christian outreach of the congregation to those in need;
† promoting ecumenical understanding;
† supporting the Christian fellowship activities of the congregation;
† providing comfort and Christian guidance to individuals and families in times of crisis and times of celebration;
† offering wholesome cultural and recreational materials which value the gifts and talents given us by God;
† helping us to live according to Christ's teachings.
Collister Library will serve as a leader and model for access to library collections of inspirational and educational information resources for members and friends of South Britain Congregational Church, the Christian community, and others seeking a closer relationship with God. These resources will include historical archives for the Church, print materials, and digital resources. The Library Committee will advocate for increased quality and availability of religious materials through collaboration with public libraries, other congregational libraries, and theological libraries. Members and friends will have increased access to these materials through the use of library technology. The Librarian will offer consultations and instruction to assist users in obtaining fast, efficient, and convenient access to these materials.
Members and staff of the South Britain Congregational Church are the primary clients of the library, including
† approximately 250 confirmed (adult and young adult) members;
† approximately 80 children attending our Sunday School;
† one full-time ordained minister (presently an interim appointment);
† one part-time organist/choir director;
† one part-time director of Christian education;
† one part-time secretary.
Other potential users of the Collister Library include members and friends of the congregation, seekers, researchers (genealogical, historical, architectural, theological), casual visitors, and the surrounding general community. Regular visitors include:
† Cub Scouts;
† Girl Scouts;
† Alcoholics Anonymous meetings;
† Southbury Historical Society;
† Bent of the River Audubon Society;
† Connecticut Choral Society;
† Master Chorale;
† Alamanda Women's Chorale;
Our church is currently searching for a settled pastor and is interviewing candidates
and offering them a tour of our church's facilities. The library and its resources
are one feature that may be a consideration for some candidates.
† Approximately 144 linear shelf-feet;
† Approximately 1,500 items;
† Special sections devoted to materials for children, young adults, parents, and teachers;
† A small serials section and vertical file;
† A portion of the historical records of the church;
† Some items used long-term in classrooms and pastor's office;
† Seasonal tabletop displays of materials in the Gathering Room;
† Majority of items predate cataloguing in publication, some pre-1900, many © 1910-1960;
Facilities and Community Environment
Collister Library at South Britain Congregational Church
† located on the ground floor of the Parish House (ca. 1800) of our church;
† limited accessibility for mobility-impaired users due to lack of elevator between street level and ground floor;
† electrical, telephone, and cable wiring is not presently adequate for internet access from the library, although telephone jack in hallway outside library;
† across the street from our Meeting House;
† located on the Garden Level of the Parish House, near the Pomperaug River and thus in a potential flood zone (although no actual flooding has been experienced);
† Gates library room (originally the kitchen and birthing room of the home that became our Parish House) has limited shelf space near capacity at present;
† room is used for adult and child Christian education, committee meetings, and community group gatherings.
† Librarian available for unscheduled reference primarily only on Sunday mornings;
† Parish House open when church office is open T-F, 9-2 (library unsupervised) and during committee and community group meetings;
† separated from the Meeting House and our primary parking area by a moderately busy state highway;
† South Britain General Store (a deli and convenience store) adjoins our Parish House property and generates a steady stream of commercial traffic, as well as a risk of vermin from the food waste.
Communities of South Britain and Southbury
† approximately one mile south of the sole state residential school for mentally retarded individuals (several of whom attend and are members of the church);
† in a bedroom community of about 20,000, bisected by Interstate 84;
† residents include descendants of first European settlers, well-to-do corporate transients, working poor, and migrant farm workers;
† large population of elderly and disabled in retirement condominium communities, life care facilities, and nursing homes;
† community is home to about a dozen Protestant churches, a Roman Catholic church, a Greek Orthodox Catholic church, a Russian Orthodox chapel and community dating from the Russian Revolution, and Jewish congregations of the Conservative Reform traditions;
† other major religious groups are represented in adjoining towns: B'hai, Muslim, Hindu, and Society of Friends, among others;
† strong public library (in process of constructing new building) in Southbury and also in surrounding towns;
Collister Digital Library
† Library Web site (http://members.aol.com/CollisterDigital/ ) (developed in connection with Librarian's graduate school coursework) and unofficial church Web site (http://members.aol.com/redlineis/ ) offer limited server space (20 megabytes and 10 megabytes, respectively) for digital content;
† free ILS software package does not include online catalogue capability;
† on-site access to internet limited to dial-up connection at present;
† DSL service unavailable at SBCC location;
† cable modem available but not installed (approx. $440/yr.)
Sorting, Initial Classification, and Shelving of Materials
The Library Committee examines initial holdings and subsequent acquisitions to establish an approximate shelf location by Dewey Decimal Classification. Children's, Young Adult, and Parent/Teacher resources are grouped in designated sections. This permits users to locate related materials by proximity searching of the shelves. This also permits the Librarian to evaluate the depth and breadth of the collection and implement the collection development policy.
Weeding and Disposal
of Materials
Current holdings and subsequent donations are examined for relevance, authority, currency, condition, and consistency with the mission of the Library. Materials which fail to meet these criteria are removed. Some discards of historical significance have been donated to the Yale Divinity School library, which maintains an extensive church historical materials collection. Others are offered for sale at our annual Apple Festival book sale.
Seasonal Book Displays
Because the main collection is located on the Garden (lower) level, accessed by stairs from the Village Green (street) level, the Librarian selects materials for display in a rotating seasonal tabletop display in the Gathering Room, where coffee and light refreshments are served after church and many weekly meetings occur. Printed pathfinders are available for users to take home, and books may be checked out at the display.
Collister Digital Library
The Digital Library allows users to obtain a wide variety of resources for their faith journey directly from computers at home or in the public library. As the computer space available for the Digital Library expands, this will also be an alternative way to view materials that are not widely published or distributed or are unique to our church, such as our Constitution and Bylaws, church history documents, and photo galleries. Seasonal featured resources are displayed on the homepage.
Worship and Christian
Education Resources
Worship services are the combined effort of the pastor and many lay leaders. Library resources assist in the planning and conduct of worship services, with liturgy, Bible study and pronunciation, and music resources.
Christian Outreach and
Community Service
Our church buildings are used by a variety of community service organizations. Seasonal book displays and library holdings are an extension of our outreach to these groups. Particular Christian Outreach projects are supported with materials for organizers.
User Education
Articles about the resources of Collister Digital Library are published in the church's monthly newsletter, The Weathervane. An annual report is published for the church's annual meeting. The Librarian is available after church and by appointment for individual consultations with users.
Under the current bylaws of the church, the position of Librarian is a volunteer task, not an elected office. The Librarian develops and manages the Library budget and reports to the Board of Christian Education. The Library Committee consists of other interested volunteers, on an ad hoc basis.
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Description
† Hardware Components (donated by member)
•Stand-alone Compaq Windows-based PC w/Pentium III processor, internet ready;
•Hard Drive: 7 gigabytes
•128 megabyte RAM
•Floppy Drive (5.25")
•CD-ROM Drive
•17" Compaq monitor, 256 colors
•Standard keyboard & mouse
•Printer: (existing onsite) NEC Spinwriter impact printer; (elsewhere in parish house or offsite) HP Laserjet; (future acquition) compact laserjet for exclusive library use;
† Operating System
& General Office Software Components (donated by member)
•Operating system: Windows 98se;
•Office productivity: MS Office 2000 (Word, Excel, Access, Powerpoint, Outlook), McAffee Virus Scan, Quickbooks;
† Integrated Library System Software and Modules for immediate use (other
modules are available for an additional charge but will not be used in this
installation)
•Alexandria ILS by COMPanion, single workstation installation, acquired as donation by vendor;
•Acquisitions: Alexandra maintains contact information for vendors, materials records for order or re-ordering, shipping information, and accounting/budget information. Budget category allocations can be compared against commitments, expenditures, and balance remaining.
•Holds and Reservations: Users can place holds on materials not currently available so that they will be set aside when returned. Advance reservations check an item out for a future date to ensure that it will not be checked out during that time.
•Cataloguing: Alexandria supports USMARC format for cataloguing records. Records for new materials can be added to the catalogue from other Z39.50 compatible catalogues online or, using Alexandria's SmartMARC feature, by scanning an item's UPC symbol. Local cataloguing can be entered with traditional MARC fields or using the programs "Easy Entry" labeled fields, designed for non-specialists. Alexandria integrates with Brodart Precision One CD ROM to create full MARC/MARC21 records. Authority control tools aid cataloguing consistency. Patron records include fields that manage library privileges.
•Circulation: Circulation and inventory records are managed from a single screen which includes a transaction log, useful in identifying problem areas. The system can be enabled for self-service check-outs.
•OPAC Searching: Patrons can search library holdings in six modes: Explore, Simple, Boolean, Browse, Study Program, and Z39.50. The Explore search uses nested customized icons to narrow a subject field search, particularly useful for beginning readers. Six levels of Boolean searching are available within Author, Subject, Series, or Keyword fields, with menus of Boolean commands (AND, AND NOT, etc.) to guide the user. The Browse search takes the user to an index of subjects from a keyword entry. The Study Program search searches materials coded under a study program such as Reading Counts or Accelerated Reader with reading level parameters, subject searches, etc. Phonetic searches which identify "sounds like" terms can overcome problems with different spellings of terms.
•Reports: Alexandria generates both custom and preset reports, such as circulation statistics, overdue notices, defined policy parameters, and collection analysis (by copyright date, call number, policy parameter, etc.)
† Integrated Library System Software Modules for possible future use (depending upon budget constraints and development of a congregational library consortium)
•Web Access: The Alexandria catalogue and circulation functions can be published to the web using AlexandriaWEB which includes a built-in webserver program (bypassing Windows NT or Novell setups). This allows patrons to search the catalogue, place holds/reservations, and view their patron records remotely.
•SIP Interface: This add-on integrates Alexandria with circulation products from 3M, Checkpoint, etc. for self-service check-in and check-out.
•SneakPeek: OPAC records are enhanced with access to images of book covers, tables of contents, book summaries, and reviews.
•SearchALL: This add-on access multiple search and information sources simultaneously with a query, avoiding the need to retype or resubmit the query.
† Library Consortia
•Membership fees for area public library consortium, Bibliomation, preclude Collister Library's joining;
•Membership fees for Connecticut Digital Library union catalogue, request, preclude Collister Library's joining;
•reQuest advises that Collister's MARC records can be uploaded to reQuest at no charge as part of global catalogue, though not individually searchable;
† Internet Access
& E-mail
•DSL service not available at Library location at present;
•Cable modem internet service available but not installed;
•Telephone line for dial-up access currently runs to location in hall outside library; laptop connection possible for short periods; additional jack needed for long-term connection;
•Church does not currently subscribe to an internet and e-mail service;
•Unofficial church Web site (http://members.aol.com/redlineis/) and Collister Digital Library Web site (http://members.aol.com/CollisterDigital) are currently maintained on Librarian's personal AOL accounts;
•License for Alexandria ILS software does not include right to upload catalogue to Internet; additional fee required which exceeds budget;
Goals and Objectives of ILS System Installation
SYSTEM GOAL I: System catalogue
will be complete and MARC and Z39.50 compatible;
† OBJECTIVE I(A): catalogue will include all print, videos, audios, and
vertical file material of library;
† OBJECTIVE I(B): catalogue will include all digitized resources available
on CollisterDigital Web site;
† OBJECTIVE I(C): catalogue will include selected Web site links contained
on CollisterDigital Web site;
† OBJECTIVE I(D): records created will be accepted for inclusion in Connecticut
Digital Library reQuest database;
† OBJECTIVE I(E): catalogue will be internet-ready, should that function
become available;
† OBJECTIVE I(F): catalogue records will be developed and maintained so
as to facilitate migration to other ILS systems;
SYSTEM GOAL II: System will maintain an accurate record of circulation (so far
as possible under honor system);
† OBJECTIVE II(A): paper library cards will be produced for all church
members and regular attendees with unique identifying bar codes linked to patron
borrowing records;
† OBJECTIVE II(B): all library materials will be marked with unique identifying
bar codes linked to bibliographic records;
† OBJECTIVE II(C): a system for recording circulation records on paper
will be available in lieu of electronic bar code scanners;
SYSTEM GOAL III: System will produce reports on holdings useful in collection
development and funding library programs;
† OBJECTIVE III(A): an inventory report (by DDC class and by date) will
be presented at the annual congregational meeting;
† OBJECTIVE III(B): a report of yearly circulation (by DDC class) will
be presented at the annual congregational meeting;
† OBJECTIVE III(C): a report of acquisitions (by DDC class) will be presented
presented at the annual congregational meeting;
SYSTEM GOAL IV: System data will be secure from theft or accidental destruction;
† OBJECTIVE IV(A): duplicate copies of bibliographic, patron, and circulation
records will be recorded on removable storage devices (i.e., floppy diskettes)
and stored in separate locations in the Church office and off-premises;
† OBJECTIVE IV(B): inventories of bibliographic holdings, computer software
and hardware, and other library equipment will be tendered to the church's property
insurance carrier for coverage;
† OBJECTIVE IV(C): the hard-drive of the computer will be routinely scanned
for viruses and for disk errors;
† OBJECTIVE IV(D): all software installed on library computer will be promptly
registered under church's name and back-up copies of software programs will
be maintained in a secure location;
† OBJECTIVE IV(E): access to patron data will be password protected on
the library computer;
† OBJECTIVE IV(F): use of library computer will be password-restricted
to authorized church members, including library committee members, Sunday School
teachers, Youth Fellowship leaders, pastor, deacons, Bible study groups;
Goals
and Objectives of System Operation and Service
OPERATIONAL GOAL V: To
create provide a convenient, intuitive access to the church's information resources
through a searchable database of the library holdings so as to support the work
of the church.
† Objective V(A): Survey users' information seeking behaviors and incorporate
in cataloguing and system operation plans;
† Objective V(B): Analyze Alexandria search records to determine nature
of search failures and revise system accordingly;
† Objective V(C): Incorporate multiple avenues for feedback and suggestions
from users;
† Objective V(D): Create pathfinder bibliographies for high-interest topics;
OPERATIONAL GOAL VI: To
better manage the collection by maintaining more accurate and complete holdings
and circulation records.
† Objective VI(D): Prepare circulation reports for Christian Education
Committee, Church Council, and Annual Meetings and make recommendations therein
for future library improvements;
† Objective VI(E): Maintain records of library inventory and valuation
for historical, planning and insurance purposes.
OPERATIONAL GOAL VII: To
assist in the development and implementation of a long-range technology plan
for the church, including the library budget.
† Objective VII(A): Meet at least bi-monthly with ad hoc technology committee
to contribute to planning and development of technology resources for the Church,
including official Church Web site, e-mail service, and e-publications;
† Objective VII(B): Consult with stakeholders who might benefit from Church
technology resources to identify requirements, preferences, and concerns;
† Objective VII(C): Develop and maintain database of volunteers who could
contribute to maintenance of Church technology resources;
OPERATIONAL GOAL VIII:
To present the information resources of the library as a positive feature for
church members and employees and provide appropriate demonstrations, classes,
and coaching to support use of library.
† Objective VIII(A): Prepare bulletin board displays, newsletter articles,
and coffee hour workshops to showcase ILS system;
† Objective VIII(B): Offer coaching sessions on ILS system and library
resources for interest groups (deacons, Bible study groups, Sunday School teachers);
† Objective VIII(C): Be available for meetings with candidates for pastorate
to demonstrate library system and resources as collateral benefit to support
ministry;
† Objective VIII(D): Offer workshop on church library automation through
Connecticut Conference of the U.C.C.
† Objective VIII(E): Offer workshop on digital resources for church libraries
through Connecticut Conference of the U.C.C.
† Objective VIII(F): Harvest data from all search queries (in person, telephone,
and online). At option of patron, use query topics to compile e-mail alert of
new and recommended resources of interest.
† Objective VIII(G): Prepare Welcome Packets, including user guide, map,
information on internet resources, Collister Digital Library, and NetLibrary,
and pathfinder(s);
OPERATIONAL GOAL IX: To
be a testament to our church's commitment to spiritual growth and Christian
teachings;.
† Objective IX(A): Use ILS to identify and showcase seasonal resources
to support members' faith explorations and journeys;
† Objective IX(B): Maintain accurate and accessible records of the Church's
values, ministries, and progress;
OPERATIONAL GOAL X: To
enhance general community awareness of and interest in religious information
resources.
† Objective X(A): Collaborate with area congregational libraries at local
churches and synagogues to share information technology knowledge and library
resource information;
† Objective X(B): Collaborate with regional religious libraries (Ruth Dudley
Resource Center; John Webster Library; Hartford Seminary Library; Yale Divinity
School Library; Andover-Newton Theological Seminary Library; Bangor Theological
Seminary Library) to share information technology and library resource information;
† Objective X(C): Collaborate with area public libraries to share information
on religious library resources and to encourage reference referrals of appropriate
patron inquiries;
OPERATIONAL GOAL XI: To
develop an effective committee of church volunteers to support the development,
cataloguing, and promotion of the library and its resources.
† Objective XI(A): Recruit volunteers for bibliographic data entry for
ILS catalogue;
† Objective XI(B): Conduct training for data entry volunteers;
† Objective XI(C): Collaborate with committee volunteers to identify problems
and needs for the ILS and library resources;
† Objective XI(D): Invite committee volunteers to attend relevant librarianship
conferences and seminars, such as Connecticut Library Association and Church
and Synagogue Library Association programs;
Activity 1: Evaluate &
weed holdings (completed)
Activity 2: Rough DDC sort,
read shelves (completed)
Activity 3: Install &
test donated hardware & software (completed)
Budget: $0.00 (charitable gift)
Activity 4: Order labels,
cards, etc. (completed)
Budget: $200.00 [Highsmith]
Activity 5: Install DDC
shelf labels
Activity 6: Enter bibliographic
data for books with CIP information prior to Annual Meeting of the Congregation
(25 Jan. 2004); Label all books with unique barcodes as catalogued; Apply spine
labels, date due pockets, and circulation cards to all materials as catalogued
so as to permit borrowers to provide circulation records for subsequent entry
to ILS system; Back-up data and store securely off-site; (Dec. 2003, Jan. 2004)
Activity 7: Test ILS catalogue operation (Jan. 2004)
Activity 8: Meet with SBCC Tech. Comm. (Dec. 2003, Jan. 2004)
Activity 9: Enter patron records for key users (Jan. 2004)
Activity 10: Test ILS circulation operation (Jan. 2004)
Activity 11: Recruit data entry volunteers (Dec. 2003, Jan., Feb. 2004)
Activity 12: Demo ILS &
train volunteers for CIP records (Jan. 2004)
Activity 13: Enter bibliographic
data for church administration materials prior to Annual Meeting of the Congregation
(25 Jan. 2004); Label all books with unique barcodes as catalogued; Apply spine
labels, date due pockets, and circulation cards to all materials as catalogued
so as to permit borrowers to provide circulation records for subsequent entry
to ILS system; Back-up data and store securely off-site; (Jan. 2004)
Activity 14: Create library
user accounts for all members and Sunday School students, with printed library
account cards prior to Annual Meeting of the Congregation (25 Jan. 2004) and
distribute cards there; Back-up data and store securely off-site; (Jan. 2004)
Activity 15: Enter bibliographic
data for materials significant in the Lenten & Easter seasons of the church
year by Shrove Tuesday (24 February 2004); Label all books with unique barcodes
as catalogued; Apply spine labels, date due pockets, and circulation cards to
all materials as catalogued so as to permit borrowers to provide circulation
records for subsequent entry to ILS system; Back-up data and store securely
off-site; (Jan., Feb. 2004)
Activity 16: Prepare reports & demo for annual meeting (25 Jan. 2004, Jan. 2005)
Activity 17: Demo copy
cataloguing & train volunteers (Feb. 2004)
Activity 18: Enter bibliographic
data for all remaining materials in children's section prior to conclusion of
Sunday School year (30 May 2004); Label all books with unique barcodes as catalogued;
Apply spine labels, date due pockets, and circulation cards to all materials
as catalogued so as to permit borrowers to provide circulation records for subsequent
entry to ILS system; Back-up data and store securely off-site; (Mar., Apr.,
May 2004)
Activity 19: Design &
conduct user survey (Jan. 2004, Sept. 2004)
Activity 20: Enter bibliographic
data for all remaining materials in young adult section and teacher education
materials prior to resumption of Sunday School and Confirmation classes (15
August 2004); Label all books with unique barcodes as catalogued; Apply spine
labels, date due pockets, and circulation cards to all materials as catalogued
so as to permit borrowers to provide circulation records for subsequent entry
to ILS system; Back-up data and store securely off-site; (May, June, July, Aug.
2004)
Activity 21: Design &
conduct user coaching sessions (Jan. Feb., Sept. 2004)
Activity 22: Design &
enter original cataloguing for unique records; Label all books with unique barcodes
as catalogued; Apply spine labels, date due pockets, and circulation cards to
all materials as catalogued so as to permit borrowers to provide circulation
records for subsequent entry to ILS system; Back-up data and store securely
off-site; (Apr., May, June, Aug., Sept., Oct. 2004)
Activity 23: Select &
enter copy catalogue general book data & process; Apply spine labels, date
due pockets, and circulation cards to all materials as catalogued so as to permit
borrowers to provide circulation records for subsequent entry to ILS system;
Back-up data and store securely off-site; (Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. 2004)
Activity 24: Prepare circ. reports & recommendations for CE (Mar., Nov. 2004)
Activity 25: Prepare inventory & insurance valuation (Mar., Nov. 2004)
Activity 26: Test catalogue records for MARC & Z39.50 compliance (Mar., Nov. 2004)
Activity 27: Upload MARC records to reQuest (June, Nov. 2004)
Activity 28: Collaborate with area congregational libraries (Mar., Oct. 2004)
Activity 29: Collaborate with regional religious libraries (May, Sept. 2004)
Activity 30: Collaborate with area public libraries (Mar., Oct. 2004)
The quality and usability of the ILS catalogue and circulation system will be evaluated from three perspectives: technical accuracy and functionality, user satisfaction, and community response. By staging the cataloguing of materials from the simplest cataloguing-in-publication materials to copy-cataloguing to original cataloguing, training, evaluation of the adequacy of data entry, and necessary corrections can be initiated without an extensive investment of volunteer time. Since these will generally be the newest materials, these will also form an appealing demonstration catalogue which can "go live" at the annual meeting of the congregation.
An initial user information
needs survey will be distributed at the annual meeting, along with copies of
the Library's annual report and technology plan. Welcome packets and other user
education materials will be available. Users will receive borrowers' cards with
which the circulation function will be evaluated for accuracy and functionality.
Initial users will be asked to provide brief feedback regarding the catalogue
and circulation demonstration.
Library committee volunteers
will analyze initial survey responses and search histories on the ILS system.
After testing manual copy cataloguing procedures and results, the volunteers
will evaluate the functionality and accuracy of the system. Librarians from
public and congregational libraries in the area will be invited to tour the
system and may also provide helpful feedback.
If MARC records
are in order, they will be uploaded to reQuest. During Spring 2004, user training
will be integrated with church study groups. A more detailed user satisfaction
survey (using the LibQual format, Hernon, 2001 Westbrook, 2001) and will be
developed and distributed at this time. User comments/suggestions forms will
be available at multiple locations.
While it is unlikely, due to budget constraints, that this system could be replaced (other than with a paper catalogue), evaluations will be important in guiding the structure of the catalogue, collection development, and user education programs. A satisfactory evaluation will also guide the development of a consortium of congregational libraries which might share this system. In the interim, evaluation will also be of value for congregational libraries considering Alexandria as a stand-alone system.
Church and Synagogue Library Association (1993). Standards for Church and Synagogue Libraries, Guidelines for Measuring Effectiveness and Progress (2nd Rev. Ed.). Portland, OR: Church and Synagogue Library Association.
Cohn, J.M., Kelsey, A.L, & Fiels, K.M. (1999). Writing and updating technology plans: a guidebook with sample policies on CD-ROM. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers.
Collister Library Collection Development Policy (2002). Retrieved November 20, 2003, from http://members.aol.com/redlineis/collectiondevelopment.htm
COMPanion Corporation. Alexandria. Retrieved September 22, 2003 from http://www.goalexandria.com/
Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ. (2003) Ruth Dudley Resource Center. Retrieved October 4, 2003 from http://www.ctconfucc.org/resources/RDRC/index.html
Connecticut State Library. Division of Library Development (2002). Library technology plan. Retrieved November 6, 2003 from http://www.cslib.org/techpln.htm
Hernon, P. (2001). Delivering satisfaction and service quality: A customer-based approach for libraries. Chicago: ALA.
Kersten, D. (1990). Classifying Church or Synagogue Library Materials. (2nd Rev. Ed.). Portland, OR: Church and Synagogue Library Association.
Kersten, D. (1990). Subject Headings For Church or Synagogue Libraries. (2nd Rev. Ed.). Portland, OR: Church and Synagogue Library Association.
Planning models for an ILS. (2003). Library Technology Reports, 39 (3), 38-47.
Smith, R. (1997). Cataloging Made Easy, How to Organize Your Congregation's Library (2nd Rev. Ed.). Portland, OR: Church and Synagogue Library Association.
United Way of Chittenden County (2002). Guide to Technology Planning. Retrieved November 14, 2003, from http://www.unitedwaycc.org/teamtech/techplanguide.htm
Westbrook, L. (2001). Identifying
and analyzing user needs: A complete handbook and ready-to-use assessment workbook
with disk. New York: Neal-Schuman.
Questions? Comments? Please contact page owner Barbara J. Hampton.
Last Updated: 6 December 2003