Volunteering for UUCSR Library

Volunteered for a couple of hours this morning in the Social Hall lending library, Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Santa Rosa.

UUA announces 2016-2017 ‘Common Read’

My earliest opportunity in library collection development was as volunteer administrator of a small lending library for a Unitarian Universalist (UU) church.

An important addition to the library’s collection was the Unitarian Universalist Association’s annual Common Read.

I have long appreciated the shared experience of reading a book in common and, since the program’s inception, I’ve closely followed — and publicized — each year’s announcement of the latest Common Read.

The program continues to resonate with me in my professional capacity as Religious Explorations administrative coordinator for a local UU church.

Via congregation blog, post to social media and MailChimp email campaign, I had occasion this week to publicize the 2016-2017 Common Read: The Third Reconstruction: Moral Mondays, Fusion Politics, and the Rise of a New Justice Movement, by The Rev. Dr. William Barber II and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove.

The Common Read selection committee believes this is a moment for UUs to answer a call by Rev. Barber, to build and sustain a movement for justice for all people. A discussion guide for the book will be available by Oct. 1.

Library work: My first 1,000 hours

Wearing my Hogwarts robes in Bellview library

With the completion of my contract-year in Bellview Elementary School library, I have amassed more than 1,000 hours in my library service career.

Reading selections support UU parenting

Image credit: Karen Bellavance-Grace

When it comes to wanting to inform constituents about available resources, there is little difference between me as “Religious Explorations” administrative coordinator for the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, and as administrator of a small UU lending library.

Last day of work at Lake County Record-Bee

Cat memorabilia given me by co-workers at the Record-Bee

Feb. 28, 2013 was my last day of work at the Lake County Record-Bee. The month’s close marked the end of a professional association that lasted 15 years.

‘Acts of Faith’ by Eboo Patel in UUCLC Lending Library

Eboo Patel’s memoir Acts of Faith, a Beacon Press book originally published in 2008, is the UUCLC Lending Library’s Book of the Month for February.

Patel’s book is presently being honored as the 2011-12 Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Common Read.

A 2008 speaker at the UUA General Assembly, Patel is founder and executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), an international, nonprofit, youth service leadership organization.

A Common Read invites participants to read and discuss the same book in a given period of time. A committee of UUA staff selected Acts of Faith.

“Ten years after 9/11, the book describes the vulnerability of youth to violent, fundamentalist influences and makes a case for all of us, particularly youth, to promote pluralism through engagement in interfaith dialogue, education and social justice work.”

For more information about the UUA’s common read, visit http://www.uua.org/publications/commonread/index.shtml.

The UUA Bookstore wants to hear how readers used the UUA Common Read in their congregations or on their own. Stories can be emailed to Ben Jackson at bjackson@uua.org.

Cynthia Parkhill

UUCLC Lending Library

February 2012

Lending Library’s collection policy approved

The UUCLC Lending Library has a collection development policy, created by administrator Cynthia Parkhill for her studies toward an Associate’s degree in Library and Information Technology from Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo. The policy was approved May 1, 2011 by the UUCLC Governing Board.

Author’s update, Aug. 6, 2014: A link to the document in my Slideshare account corrects a severed link on the UUCLC website.

‘Say Something’ by Peggy Moss

The UUCLC Lending Library’s featured book of the month for May 2011 is Say Something by Peggy Moss.

A child who never says anything when other children are being teased or bullied finds herself in their position one day when jokes are made at her expense and no one speaks up. Say Something by Peggy Moss teaches children that being a silent bystander isn’t enough.

Lea Lyon’s bright, fluid watercolors illustrate the story, which also includes resources for getting involved in the community.

Peggy Moss worked as an assistant attorney general in the civil rights unit of the Maine Department of Attorney General and as associate director of the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence. Moss now works with schools, both as a consultant to the center and independently, to prevent bullying and teasing.

Custom spine labels on lending library books

Bright, catchy graphics paired with a brief phrase, affixed to the spine of a book: subject classification labels provide an immediate display of what a book is all about.

The UUCLC Lending Library has a special “chalice” symbol on the spines of particular books. These books specifically address our Unitarian Universalist beliefs and heritage.

A library supplier provided “Fiction” labels that adorn our fiction books. Look for other, non-fiction, labels to adorn other books as well. I’ve found, however, that unique characteristics of our lending library require a custom approach. Hence, the chalice labels affixed to several of our books.

Other labels draw upon heros of civil rights and the Unitarian tradition. The books that are labeled “Biography” bear the likeness of Margaret Fuller, whose Bicentennial is being celebrated this year by the UUA.

The labels designating “Civil Rights” bear the likeness of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Watch for other labels to debut that further highlight the unique character of our UUCLC Lending Library.

While it is true that a reader cannot always judge a book by its cover, the subject classification labels are purposely designed to say a lot about a book’s character.

Cross-posted from the UUCLC Lending Library’s WordPress blog.

Book cart debuts in UUCLC Lending Library

Photo circa June 2010

The mission of the UUCLC Lending Library is to serve as a resource for deeper understanding of the Unitarian Universalist faith and to present our congregation with reading material from a variety of spiritual traditions.

A double-sided, wheeled book cart debuted last week, which enables us to bring the lending library into the main hall each Sunday as part of set-up for services. Members of our congregation can sit and browse the books. As our library continues to grow, the cart will feature a rotating selection.

Any books checked out this Sunday, Nov. 15, have a requested return date of Sunday, Dec. 13. (The due date is always four weeks after the checkout date, although you are certainly welcome to bring books back before that time has lapsed.)

UUCLC Lending Library book cart

Imagine a portable double-sided book shelf, parked next to the most comfortable chairs in the Kelseyville Senior Center’s main hall, where members of our congregation can sit to browse books in the UUCLC Lending Library. Your librarian ordered a book truck, which arrived this week. Look for it to make its debut with a rotating selection of books.

UUCLC Lending Library wish list

Please consider purchasing a book on behalf of our lending library. I have posted a wish list of books produced by the UUA imprints, Beacon Press and Skinner House, on the bulletin board in the main hall. There is space for you to sign off on sponsoring each book I have requested.Your donation will be noted on the inside front cover of the book, in much the same way that the UUCLC acknowledges donation of hymnals.

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Shelving cart for UUCLC Lending Library

Schoolhouse Outfitters, LLC

As we begin to accumulate more books for the UUCLC lending library, I envision a sturdy wheeled shelving cart that can transport books from the annex into the main sanctuary during social time after the services.

UUCLC Lending Library brochure

An informational brochure about the UUCLC Lending Library debuted last Sunday at the welcome table inside the front entrance of the Kelseyville Senior Center. You can read about the lending library as well as other informational brochures about our congregation and the UUA. The UUCLC Lending Library can be found in the senior center annex.

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UUCLC Lending Library serves first customer

The UUCLC Lending Library recently served its first customer. OK; so I checked a book out to myself, it was so inviting to see the books that members of our congregation have donated. You can read about a couple of those books in the discussion forums on the UUCLC’s Ning site. June and July books of the month have been posted there. A new title will be featured each month.

Lending library getting organized

I made excellent progress on the UUCLC Lending Library this morning, while the board of directors held its monthly meeting. I filled out binder sheets for more of the books and put borrowers' card envelopes in each of them. The library is getting organized.

UUCLC Lending Library

I am getting involved with the local Unitarian Universalist congregation's lending library. I hope to have it up and running soon.