I. Library Committee
The Library Committee is a standing committee of the Meeting and its members are appointed by the Meeting on nomination by the Nominating Committee. It is both a working and a policy-making committee. Its chief responsibilities are:
• the care and development of collections, space, programs, and promotions;
• the selection of books, pamphlets, periodicals, and audio-visual materials;
• the accession, classification, cataloging, and labeling of permanent acquisitions;
• the management of borrowing library materials;
• the withdrawal of books and other items.
II. Purposes and Principles
The Meeting Library is primarily for the use of members and attenders and serves adults, youth, and children by providing materials broadly related to Friends and Meeting interests.
III. Arrangement: Card Drawers: Author, title, series, co-author, illustrator, and audio-visual cards are filed alphabetically in drawers with white labels. Subject cards are alphabetically arranged in a separate set of drawers with pink labels. Shelf cards (Appendix I) serve as inventory, and are filed in the green-labeled drawers. Non fiction and biography are first numerically arranged by call/classification number and then sub-arranged alphabetically. Note: The computer program uses “call #” and the Mt. Toby guide book uses “classification” for the same number.
Wall shelves: The order of call numbers on books does not run the full length of the walls. Instead, the shelves are divided vertically into stacks, delineated by colored stripes.
Adult fiction is on the shelf bordering the hallway divider.
Children and youth fiction, nonfiction and biography are on the shelves bordering the hallway divider.
Audio-Visuals materials are on the bottom shelf on the window wall, under the cupboard.
Periodicals: The Section XIII list is posted above the periodicals that are placed on the top of the periodical case at the entrance of the library. Significant older issues are stored below in labeled slots in the periodical case for a twelve-month or annual period. All may be taken and kept with the exception of Friends Journal. Friends Journal, although not accessed, must be returned to ensure a complete set for annual packaging, and so requires a borrower card. Past Friends Journals and their annual Indexes are on shelves in the Fellowship Room. Other journals from past years are in archive boxes on upper shelves in the library and the fellowship room, but they are no longer collected. These may be borrowed by special arrangement with the library clerk. When Friends Journal is borrowed from the archives, fill the attached card on bundled issues or record the bound volume. Be sure to return card to issue and return to bundle. (Note: we stopped the costly binding in favor of annual bundles.)
On the library desk there are two copies each of the current year’s Business Meeting Minutes and Newsletters. One of each is labeled for borrowing and after the current year is placed on the shelf next to the card drawers, with older copies stored on the right end of the south top shelf. They may still be borrowed. The other set of Minutes and Newsletters may not be borrowed, and at the end of the year are given to the History and Records Committee. The desk also holds: the current Meeting Handbook and Meeting Directory, the Library Handbook, the Librarians’ Guide Sheet for the Library Committee, Mt. Toby Friends Meeting Library Classifications Alphabetical & Numerical, and the accessions books—all to remain in the library except when the latter two are used by the one accessing materials. The current roster of Meeting offices and committees is available on display.
The Library also facilitates the free take-away shelves in the fellowship room for withdrawn and individually supplied materials.
IV. Circulation The borrowing period is four weeks. Postcard reminders for overdue books are usually sent quarterly on ready-made postcards (Appendix II) , and a notation with date sent is written on the borrower card. Return card to borrower card box. Follow up may be necessary. Borrower cards of long overdue items are usually kept in a separate box.
Cataloged materials have a borrower card in a pocket to print (preferably) the borrower’s name, and both card and pocket are stamped with date due. For material without a book card, write a temporary borrower card. Borrower cards are filed alphabetically by author or by title, for title entries, and kept in the file box on top of the supply drawers. Borrowers are asked to leave borrower cards on the desk, but some put them in the front of the file box. Borrowers are usually members and attenders of the Meeting. Refer to the Meeting Directory on the desk for those you do not know. Ask those not in the Directory and those from outside the Meeting to add their address and contact number on the borrower cards.
Returns are left on the hallway divider lower shelf. Cross out the borrower’s name on the borrower card and place the card in the pocket. Be sure the card and pocket data all match. Be aware that some items have copy numbers and may have separate accession numbers. The accession number is printed on the borrower card and at the bottom of the copyright page for books and on audio-visual spine labels. Return the item to the shelf.
V. Acquisitions: Purchases and Gifts The committee and/or clerk study Friends Journal and other book reviews of Quaker interest, receive suggestions for purchases, and approve gifts before adding any to the library. Unaccepted books and materials can be placed on the fellowship room take-away shelf or returned to the donor. The FGC Bookstore Catalog and emails are an important source of information; however, purchase through local independent bookstores, who often don’t charge shipping, should be considered.
The library regularly subscribes to Pendle Hill Pamphlets that are accessed, classified and cataloged, including a series card for the Pendle Hill Series section in the drawer. PendleHill Pamphlets are shelved, usually in the classified holding boxes. Friends Journal is the other regular subscription (not accessed), and has a book pocket and card attached to ensure return for annual packaging and storage.
VI. Budget and Funds:The committee annually requests funds from the Finance Committee for acquisitions, supplies, and software purchases. The committee clerk sends bills to the Meeting treasurer for payment (Appendix III). The committee keeps an informal accounting of expenditures.