2015 in Review

Welcome to 2016!

FBR Library users have had another year of amazing growth in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. This blog was viewed 689 times last year. The most popular post was “Angels Walking by Karen Kingsbury” out of 13 posts. Our patrons are mainly fiction readers as evidenced in the chart below. The circulation breakdown of 536 items circulated shows that 45% were Christian fiction materials. The next biggest category in demand by our patrons were DVDs.

 

In case you don’t know how much FBR has invested in the library collection, I have posted the Value Chart below. The total value of the materials alone is over $100,000! And the beauty of it is that it’s all available to our congregation AND to our mission field (the general public) at no charge.

 

 

The Library Team strives to model Hebrews 10:24:

“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.”

We work every week to make sure quality, uplifting, educational, and inspirational materials are ready for stirring others up. Make 2016 the year of growing in grace and knowledge of Him.

Virtually Yours,
Library Ministry Team

2014 in Review

Happy New Year and Welcome 2015!

FBR Library users have had another year of amazing growth in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. This blog was viewed 1,100 times last year. The most popular post was “Unshelved: What Is Pastor Brandon Reading?” and a close second was “Reading Keeps Your Brain Young.”

We had our first ever Open House with over 200 people in attendance. Forty people entered the fiction prize drawing. Of those 40 people, one-third of them own a portable eBook device. This explains why the top blog post of all time is
A. W. Tozer’s, Pursuit of God Free eBook Download. And the book is still free if you haven’t downloaded it.

In case you don’t know how much FBR has invested in the library collection, I have posted the Value Chart below. The total value of the materials alone is over $100,000! And the beauty of it is that it’s all available to our congregation AND to our mission field (the general public) at no charge.

 

 

The Library Team strives to model Hebrews 10:24:

“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.”

We work every week to make sure quality, uplifting, educational, and inspirational materials are ready for stirring others up. Make 2015 the year of growing in grace and knowledge of Him.

Virtually Yours,
Library Ministry Team

Open House Sunday June 22nd

You are cordially invited to attend an

OPEN HOUSE

at the First Baptist Raytown Library
Education Building, Room B201

Come & Go from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

• Enjoy refreshments, giveways, & demos
• Sign up for your own library card
• Check out the latest additions

Join us for a few minutes. The Library is conveniently located. Watch for signs & see map below.

FBR Library Ministry Team

Just Look What You’ve Done

The end of January is upon me, and the new year is in full swing. There’s something you should see that captures the past year at a glance. The FBR Library Ministry Team hasn’t published an annual report of sorts in quite awhile. But library users are the most valuable asset, and they deserve to know what they’ve done in 2013.

At A Glance:

• Items circulated= 739
• Card holders= 2,183
• Items circulated per card holder= 2.95
• New Materials= 65
• Blog Posts= 38
• Blog Followers= 87
• Blog Visits= 1,245

We’ve worked out the bugs in the online catalog and configured a reservation system. All you need is a PIN to reserve materials online. Card holders may obtain a PIN by emailing the library director.

Virtually Yours,
FBR Library Ministry Team

Where Does the Library Fit Into FBR’s Mission?

The new branding for First Baptist Raytown was launched recently and included a new logo, mission and values. The beautiful logo features 3 swooshes that swirl around the center cross and symbolize the 3 core strategies of our mission:

• Engage our community with the love and message of Jesus Christ.

The library is open to the public and does not require church membership for usage of our materials including check-out priveleges, which allows us to engage people from all over the Kansas City metro area.

• Equip our congregation with biblical principles to reach their maximum potential.

The library collection is heavily centered on discipleship training with high-quality materials to help believers grow in their walk with Jesus Christ.

• Empower our core leaders for ministry in the church and mission in the world.

The library collection features materials for Sunday School teachers, ministry leaders, and missions volunteers to help them prepare for lessons, leadership, and living out the love of Christ in our world.

The library ministry is an integral part of all 3 of these areas.

Pastor Brandon: “It’s my vision to see First Baptist Raytown become an “equipping epicenter.” May what God does in our hearts here on our campus send “shockwaves” into every sector of influence in our city. Our vision for the future must not only make disciples of Jesus but also equip our disciples to in turn make more disciples. ” 

We’re excited to be a part of an “equipping epicenter”!

The FBR Library Ministry Team

Volunteer Opportunities for Book Lovers

The FBR Library needs several people to serve as circulation assistants for Sunday mornings. This is our busiest time for checking out and getting busier every week. If you are looking for a place to serve that involves helping people connect with inspirational  resources such as books, cds, and dvds, then we would love for you to join the Library Ministry Team.

Complete training is provided and minimum requirements are one Sunday morning per month. Hours are 8:15 – 9:30 and 10:45 – 11:15, which can be covered by the same volunteer or split up depending on your availability.

Contact Beverly Stanley by email or drop by the library on Sunday morning. Ask for Beverly at the circulation desk.

Virtually Yours,

FBR Library Ministry Team

FBR Library Ministry Team Gets Training

This month, Eva Nell Hunter from Alabama came to Kansas City to conduct a training workshop for church librarians. She covered electronic resources for church libraries, e-books, processing materials, and my favorite topic: promotion! We gleaned dozens of great ideas from Eva Nell who has been in the church library field for many years and knows everything about their operation and ministry impact for the Kingdom of God.

One of those great ideas was to add a section to our blog about e-books, such as how to choose a portable device, where to find Christian e-books, and sources of free e-books. So stay tuned as we expand the blog and add this feature in the coming weeks.

She also encouraged us to have an open house for new members which we thought would work wonderfully with our new pastor coming on board very soon. We’ll have at least 8 new members next month when the pastor and the student pastor begin their ministries, so an open house would be a perfect way to welcome them and get acquainted with our library users and ministry team.

Virtually Yours,

FBR Library Ministry Team

P.S. If you have a heart for libraries or are looking for a place to serve, we’d love to have you working in the library on Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, or Wednesday evenings. Just submit a volunteer form online or send an email.

Corrie ten Boom portrayed by Evelyn Hinds

Join us Friday, April 27th in the FBR Atrium for a dramatic presentation of Corrie ten Boom’s life. Corrie survived the Holocaust and traveled around the world with a message of hope, forgiveness, and love. This inspiring performance begins at 7:00 p.m.

To learn more about this giant of the faith, visit the FBR Library where you’ll find 17 books to choose from:

Corrie’s Christmas memories – by ten Boom, Corrie – (c1976)
He cares, he comforts – by ten Boom, Corrie – (c1977)
Don’t wrestle just nestle – by ten Boom, Corrie – (c1978)
Plenty for everyone – by ten Boom, Corrie – (c1973)
He sets the captive free – by ten Boom, Corrie – (c1977)
Special friends – by Knaack, Twila – (c1981)
My years with Corrie – by Stamps, Ellen de Kroon – (c1978)
Prison letters – by ten Boom, Corrie – (c1975)
Father ten Boom, God’s man – by ten Boom, Corrie
Tramp for the Lord – by Ten Boom, Corrie – (c1974)
Not good if detached – by ten Boom, Corrie – (c1974)
In my father’s house – by ten Boom, Corrie – (c1976)
Prisoner – by ten Boom, Corrie – (c1971)
Her life her faith – by Carlson, Carole C – (c1983)
Amazing love – by Ten Boom, Corrie – (c1975)
Clippings from my notebook – by ten Boom, Corrie – (c1982)
Hiding place – by ten, Boom, Cornelia – (c1971)

If you’ve never read anything about Corrie, you should start with The Hiding Place. Your life will be forever changed by her story!

A. W. Tozer’s The Pursuit of God: Free E-Book Download

Amazon is offering a FREE Christian e-book download for a limited time. When I checked the price today, it was $00.00, but make sure to verify the price before downloading. I download them to my Android phone, but there are many choices of devices to use.
 

The Pursuit of God
by A. W. (Aiden Wilson) Tozer

You Belong @ the FBR Library

National Library Week is observed April 8-14, 2012 by all libraries across the U.S. The celebration first began in 1958 when the American Library Association sponsored the first one. Now libraries of all types participate in the observance to celebrate a place where we all belong.

To see what libraries are doing to celebrate, go to atyourlibrary.org or like them on Facebook.