CHURCH LIBRARY LOCATION - Room F208 Franks Bldg.

Across from the Church Office.

"Enriching Minds So God Can Change Lives"

The Church Library Ministry is a service organization.  The Ministry supports the church staff and all the church ministries and programs for advancing the kingdom of God.  Our mission and the church's mission are the same.

Library Hours:  Sun.   8:30 - 10:00 AM & 4:45 - 6:00 PM

                        Tues.  9:30 - 11:30 AM & 1:30 - 4:00 PM

                        Wed.  9:30 - 11:30 AM; 1:30 - 6:15 & 7:15 - 8:00 PM

                        Thurs. 9:30 - 11:30 AM & 1:30 - 3:00 PM

SMILING FACES

At the circulation desk, you may find one of these team members giving service with a smile: Brenda Wood, Fran Fuqua, Rebecca Fajardo, Joseph Hegwood, Kim Kennedy, Gene Lanier, Margaret Perkins, Carolyn Pope, Lisa Smith, or Ann Townsend.

The Church Library ministers to individuals in the church and the community, meeting their personal needs as well as providing resources for deepening faith and spiritual transformation.  A computer is available to patrons for personal search.

FREE

Library card applications are available to the church members as well as non-church members.

Media is available for all groups, including home school families, on a variety of subjects and in various formats: DVD's, CD's, Videos, Books on Tape, Audiocassettes, Large Print Books, Baptist Record, Consumers' Guide, Biblical Illustrator.

GROWING UP SPIRITUALLY
“Elect to Read Our Favorites” is the theme for the 2008 reading program for adults. Its purpose is to encourage adults to read one book a month from the Church Library. When the club ends in August, we will enjoy a pot- luck dinner in Fellowship Hall at the church.  Sign up in the library and get your booklet.

LOTS OF FUN
Every summer we encourage children to read by having a reading club for children from Preschool to 6th grade. Parents will find a large variety of good books that under gird their teaching at home.

ON THE ROAD
Media is selected for the residents of Trinity Apartments and taken to them twice a month. Dot Burdeshaw and Laverne Goforth give a personal touch to this ministry.

SERIOUS TRAINING
Church library work is specialized work and takes special training. The Library Team enjoys the fellowship at training experiences during two state-wide conferences each year, as well as on-the-job training. 

Church Library Team members are prayerfully enlisted with their varied gifts in mind.  Various types of work are involved in making resources available for check out.  Additional volunteers are needed now in some areas.

Ministry Team Leader
Margaret Perkins
Email: mperkins@columbusfbc.org

Church Phone:  662-328-3915

 

A Brief History of First Baptist Church Library

 

The earliest record of a library at First Baptist Church was made in 1882 when 300 volumes were reported to the Columbus Association.

 

 In 1936 the library was a project of the Ann Judson Sunday School class, taught by Mrs. S. B. Platt, Sr., who was chosen the librarian in 1937; fifty volumes were carefully selected.  Miss Beulah Culbertson was chairman of the Library Committee.

 

Mrs. R. E. Lee was librarian in 1942; at that time 325 volumes were on the shelves.  The Library Committee was composed of the following: Miss Rhobia Taylor, Mrs. C. N. Brandon, Mrs. S. B. Platt, Sr., Mrs. R. W. Stephenson, and Miss Beulah Culbertson (who continued to give her valuable help in the library during the next 40 years).

 

 Mrs. Zack Pulliam served as librarian in 1943, and Mrs. G. W. Weaver filled the post in the 1944-46 period.  In 1945 the library was named The John R. Laws Library when Mr. Laws’ sons, John, Latham, and Edwin, gave $600 toward enlarging the library’s facilities.

 

 From 1946-51 Youth Director Mrs. Mildred Phillips served as librarian; Allen B. Puckett was chairman of the Library Committee, and during this period the library led the state in circulation of books.

 

During the 1950’s, Youth Directors continued to have the library responsibility, and thus it was possible to have the library open all day through the week as well as Sunday mornings and evenings.  Youth Director Mrs. Maude Fancher Sparks was librarian in l952.  Other Youth Directors between 1953 and 1958 who were also librarians were Betty Lou Swetman, Jean Bush, and Bettye Peeler.

 

From 1959-62 Miss Lucy Howard was librarian and chairman of the Library Committee.  She completed a card index of the missionary appointments and accomplished much cataloging; the library then contained 4057 volumes, including many of the classics.

 

In 1964 Mrs. J. C. Perkins became librarian and continues in that position now.  The library was moved into its present location in 1971 at the time of major renovations of the office area. The Audio-Visual Committee was merged with the Library Committee in 1981 thus expanding the resources and space of the library. 

 

During 1988 a branch library for children and children’s teachers was opened in the Woodson Building, using a specially designed bookcase on wheels given in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Pennington.  In 1989 the library hired Allison Pope, the first of several high school girls, to type catalog cards, greatly relieving the volunteer staff.  In November of 1990, the library was redecorated and expanded to include a children’s room.

 

The library was computerized in 1994. In 2001 space from an adjoining room was incorporated into the library and named the Margaret Perkins Room. A new circulation desk was custom built to enhance the area. 

 

The 2008 Library Ministry Team currently has 14 team members working together to provide for the media needs of the congregation and the community.  The collection now contains 15,709 items.  To God be the glory!