http://ownbeyss.blogspot.com/2010/08/library-suggestions-august-18-2010.html
Subject: Suggestions for Motivation for more Use of the Library by the Ownbey Sunday School Class
I was asked for my suggestions for how we can motivate more use of our Library and this paper is the result.
I have talked with some folks and I also have some ideas. First some comments.
Comments
- What is our Objective, ie what type of ideas have you asked of me:
- I think it simply is for ideas motivating more usage of the Library resources and books by the Ownbey Class (right now anyway). We sure have a big investment in it.
- I think you, in essence, are asking me for ideas to motivate, for example, myself to use the Library more.
- We have a wonderful Library. Nice place to visit and read and study though I think we need more desks and more chairs. See suggestions below. There is disruption from folks using the adjoining classrooms but that is acceptable.
- We have a wonderful MPUMC Library Web Site, but Ownbey folks probaly will not or cannot use it, based on my experience in almost begging people to learn and use theInternet. A few folks might be able to but I find most do not have the combination of skills, interest, equipment, or cable to use that resource which removes one big plus we initially would think we have.
- I am not sure our class in general wants to read more. That I hope is an over statement for I can name many who do read but, for example, few if any read the books we discuss on class except teachers. I never have understood how we can discuss a book when only the teacher reads it. I have provided off and on for years links to the books on my Blog and back when I ran the official Web Page. Never have I heard of any one using the links and certainly not to buy the books.
- I wish I were more interested in working to make this objective happen. The flag issue is one I was excited about until I was told by our leader he did not think we should discuss it on class as it was dicey. I wonder what discussion class means if we cannot discuss something as simple as whether to have an American flag. That blew much of my enthusiasm away and I have been trying to get it back
- Readers love to own and hold and feel and know where their books are. The library takes that emotion away.
- Can mark up own books, turn down the corners, abuse them, make them you own.
- Hard to keep up with the covers used by our Library and they have the numbers, not the books! (See the video)
- Need someone there . .
- Kids are not encouraged to read books
- Poor eyesight.
- small print
- Kindles are taking place of books
- Internet taking place of books.
- etc
- Folks do not know about the library.
- Cannot see a catalog of books sans-internet
- Do not understand Internet in using the Library Web Site
- It is trouble to go to Library.
- It is a lot of trouble to remember to bring a book back and some of us lose them.
- Some of us like to read many books at a time. I am in the middle of 10 or 15 books almost always, most I will finish, some I will not. I can't see checking out the books I want for only three weeks under my system. Though I could get one or two I guess.
Here are suggestions and ideas.
It might be good for us to rate these ideas say from 1 to 10 as I have not organized by subject yet.
These are others' ideas. Some are not directed to just Ownbey Reading Project but in general to using Library more overall. I highlighted the ones I thought specific to Ownbey.
- One person commented that one cannot get people to do what they are not inclined to do, no matter how motivated someone else is to make it work . . I don't know about that always. There are people and ideas and projects that get me/us motivated in trying new things or procedures.
- A person suggested our Ownbey teacher group should use books in the Library for the Ownbey class. I like that one a lot. Maybe we could save money and make use of what we already have.
- A person suggested a competition between classes. I commented that would make it more than an individual effort. I think you folks already thought of that and were trying out just one class - Ownbey
- Realizing individuals make up the groups, and a free meal was appealing as a suggestion for motivation.
- We discussed the idea that $50 does not motivate folks and whether any amount would. That is when we got the comment #1 above.
- No one in this group of friends suggested certificates or other awards, as it did not come up and I did not raise the question.
- Some did say that using and checking out books is hard as there is a lot of writing to do. I feel that way but felt I could live with the system but each time I do it, I seem to mess up and I only done it twice.
- After our discussion someone suggested that the $50 award I was giving him be given to the Library Fund. I was thrilled and want to work on how to make using honorariums and memorials some way into a motivation for our objective of Ownbey using the Library more. I have not figured it out yet . .
- Staffing the desk during more periods of time, especially high church attendance time. I know that is a staffing issue but you are asking for suggestions and this was one I received and I think has merit. I am passing along the suggestion, not volunteering.
- One person suggested we test the program on younger classes as the younger folks do internet better. He mentioned ages 20- 30. Ok idea if there is someone interested in pushing it I guess.
- Same person suggested inviting Queens Students to use our Library
- Same person suggested that all teachers in the Church be geared into what is going on in Library and what facilities we have and encouraged to use it more.
The above are others' ideas.
Mine are below and include:
- We need to bring it up on class to gauge the interest in this Project. Ask for ideas. I do not think this subject would be too dicey to ask the class to discuss. So far however I have not found a lot of interest in doing it, but I have pushed and asked for ideas anyway. If you or someone has the passion for pushing this big time, it could work but there is a lot of work involved. The present state of the Library and the Web Page represent a tremendous amount of work and dedication. from amny people especially the Pearces and Nancy Swonger, all Ownbey folks (well on the Ownbey Roster).
- I am big on doing surveys and letting people anonymously express their thoughts so that might be a way if class discussion is not ok.
- The Library Web Site is great but Ownbey folks are not going to use it, at least most folks, at least not much, no matter how we try to motivate them . I suggest a printed list or catalog of Books in the Library that folks can look at without being on the computer. I personally would like it even though I like the web site and I can use it ok.
- Do a Video on how to use the Library Web Site and have it on line and avaialable in the Library. You guesed, I made an amateur attempt and maybe Hood would o one better for us. Check in the links section.
- Make the check out system easier. Too many numbers to fill out. What happened to the old slot in the back with a card to sign your name?
- More publicity including Book reviews in Cornerstone or Bulletins.
- Building on an idea from the previous list about Queens, check out what their Library looks like and see if WE could use theirs or get any ideas from what they do.
- Build up books on Tapes and Cd's. Probably CD's are more usable. Maybe Ownbey would be interested, nah . . probaly not . . As for many of these ideas
- Provide head phones for books on tapes/cd's for use in the Library.
- Provide head phones for books on tapes/cd's to be checked out.
- Provide small TV's and head phones for viewing Videos.
- No one needs forget what I was saying
- When James/others do some of their talks, encourage folks to read the book before hand. Reminds me of the time, however, during the Year of the Bible when he told me it would make people feel uncomfortable if he asked them to bring Bibles to Church Sevices when I made the suggestion.
- Not sure it fits in with more Library usage, but we need more computers available in the church (Library?) for folks to use. I wish we had enough to do classes to help with double clicking and cut and pasting! I probaly should mark this half red, maybe pink.
- If we are talking about reading, should it just be books in Library? Of course our objective is to use library more but maybe it could be to encourage reading (of certain books)
- Larger Print copies and publicity about that, never saw a youth in the Library much less looking at books there.
- Consider Books that are not just Religious oriented. WOW!
- More publicity including Book reviews in Cornerstone or Bulletins.
- Youth should be using the Library. I never have seen a young person in the Library. Is that something they are told about. Do youth even read books now?
- Have more Library Book Review Meetings. I enjoyed the one Book Review meeting put on by the Library Staff though only a few were there. We might have selected too controversial a book - Blood Done Signed my Name. I am so glad I read that Book and would not have if there had not been a planned MPUMC Book Review meeting of it. Nancy Swonger did a great job and it was fun.. Incidentally that Book should be required reading . .
- Find out how Book Clubs work. How are folks motivated in them. What ideas from them. Do people really read books or do like our Sunday School class?
- Start an Ownbey Book Club, have meetings, meals, fun, enthusiasm . . Dinner meeting for ones interested. Folks could read and take a few minutes for telling about each book or one person do a longer review. I don't know how this would work . .I don't know, I never been a member of a Book Club.
- Not sure about this - Ask for money/Scholarships for rewarding readers or make contributions in their name to good cause, as we are doing with Helping Hands and my $50.
- Check to see if the Library System can track books read and print out comparisons
- Need an automated system for tabulating results. After we talked I realize it is not another data keeping job for me.
- Not sure meetings ahould be held in the Library as it blocks access at times.
- However we determine what awards or recognition, I suggest we count 1 point a page read, honor system
- Double Points for reading a book used in the Ownbey Class either before or after it is taught.
- Double points for some books such as Witherington or (maybe) Howell.
- 100 points +/- to anyone writing a review of a book from the library which they read.
- Points for Magazines in Library too, related to religion or Church - not Sports Illustrated! We have a great seklection of magazines.
- Points for listening to CD'S too. Not sure how to count, maybe 20 an hour, what do you think?
- More publicity about the magazines we have.
- Visits to other Class Rooms to build up support and tell about the Library.
- Use Honorariums and Memorials as recognition for reading books . I have not figured this out yet. . .working on it . .cooking. .
- Most Books stores have a place to sit and drink coffee. We have only a couple of tables in Library . We could make it more inviting with more work areas and maybe the Coffee idea. I know we now discourage drinking/food in there but , hey, we need ideas.
- An award could be free meals at Hot Wednesdays for certain number of points. Special lower $$$ charge from the church for us to finance this? I think that is more appealiong than to some restaurant at least for lower volume of reading.
- I do not want to get much deeper into this as I have fought and lost too many similar battles within the church and I am worn out. I am thrilled we have such a technologically designed Library Web page. Having said that, I do have suggestions for improving. For example, if one wants to see all of Dr Howell's books one has to look at many pages of thumbnails. It would be easier just to list the books. I have lost too many battles already and do not have the enthusiasm for another one. I am speaking of no Church Directory on line, no email address roster in the Directory or on line, Small screen for our MPUMC web page, un workable mail links on web page, seven years of begging to connect the Ownbey Site to the Church Site and finally done, no detailed History of our Church on Line, destruction of previous work of mine on the Ownbey Web site as they said the staff was taking over and that came back to the classes with much loss of work, a calendar that is hard to use, on and on.
Links of Interest
Click here for Video or go to (7 1/2 Minutes) http://donredding.smugmug.com/02-Church-Sunday-School/MPUMC/2010-MPUMC-Library/13354459_eg7PH#970994611_bpEYt-A-LB
Click here for Library Web Site or go to (Maybe 8 minutes to look over) http://myersparkcatalog.surpasssoftware.com/myerspark/
Click here for Ownbey Sunday School Blog or go to (spend only a minute or so here, I just want you to see it) http://ownbeyss.blogspot.com/
The main attraction and reason for this request ( no password now, if I decide to add I will let you know)
Click here for THIS paper of Suggestions for Motivation for more Use of the Library by the Ownbey Sunday School Class) or go to ( ?? minutes to look over)
http://donredding.com/libraryownbey.html
