Library and Information Science Commons^™

Utilizing Online Software For Surveys, Alice B. Ruleman

The Christian Librarian

In institutions where assessment is part of our everyday vocabulary, we are always looking for ways to collect the data that we need in a more efficient manner. Online surveys may be one answer. There are some major advantages in using online surveys but there are also some critical disadvantages especially concerning representative population samples. In order to make an informed decision, we need to determine if and how these advantages and disadvantages affect our situation. We also need to understand what features are offered in these programs so that we can select a program that meets our own needs …

Improve Your Church Library, John Engle

The Christian Librarian

I began my journey as librarian for my church sometime at the end of 2004. I truly enjoyed the library experience at my previous church and wanted my new church home to offer a wide variety of great materials for our congregation. The good news for me was that we already had a room and materials that served as our church library. The bad news was that most of the materials were really outdated and only a very few people were using the library. So, I took a step back and devised a strategy for bringing our library back to …

The G. Allen Fleece Library Goes To Prison, Jo Ann Rhodes

The Christian Librarian

Preparing a library and setting up library services in a state prison setting presents some unique challenges for the planners. The librarians at the G. Allen Fleece Library at Columbia International University have recently faced such a challenge as they participated with other college officials in the Prison Initiative Program planning and preparation. Tools provided by the Association of Christian Librarians proved exceptionally helpful in the planning and preparation of the library, and in its usability once the program began.

Blogging: Rants, Raves, And Random Thoughts, Linda Jones

The Christian Librarian

Unless you have been asleep or just born in the past three years, you will have found many library articles touting the growth and value of the weblog.1 You may also have attended one of the many technology/library conferences, such as Computers in Libraries, and even an ACL Conference and gone to a presentation on blogs. You will have heard that you must blog, and in conjunction use RSS – whatever that is – if you wish to communicate more effectively with your patrons, your staff, or anyone else.2 Hopping on the blogging bandwagon can “save” your institution, make you …

Resources Available For Review, Phyllis Fox

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Frontmatter (The Christian Librarian 50:2)

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

William Tyndale As An Evangelical Theologian, Donald Dean Smeeton Ph.D.

The Christian Librarian

William Tyndale is rightly remembered as a sixteenth century Bible translator, but he was also a significant contributor to the formation of the English language and, more importantly, he was a theologian. This article highlights Tyndale’s contribution in each of these three areas and shows that his theology is compatible with ACL’s Statement of Faith. His theology motivated and guided his work as a translator and as a polemical and exegetical theologian.

Managing Up: Subtle But Effective Communication With The “Powers That Be”, Lindsay L. Van Sicklen

The Christian Librarian

There are plenty of resources on managing employees but only in recent years has there been an emphasis on managing those to whom we report. The article entitled “Social Styles and the Art of Managing Up” by John R. Darling published in the Journal of Academic Librarianship in 1987 was the springboard for a lively discussion that included seven library directors and eight individuals from a variety of positions.

Preparing For Abhe Accreditation: Suggestions For Essential Elements 7 And 11, Carol Reid

The Christian Librarian

What can you do to bring your library up to the ABHE Standards for Accreditation? At the 2006 ACL Conference, a panel of librarians (Patty Agee, Tony Garrett, and Carol Reid) looked at two essential elements of the requirements to see how our libraries measured up. Our areas were the library’s relationships with the faculty (essential element number seven) and with the information technology personnel on our campuses (number eleven). After examining the new Library Guidelines for ABHE Colleges and Universities, which are posted on the ACL website as a member benefit under the Bible College section link, we graded …

Weeding The Circulating Collection At Bailey Library, Mick Williams Ma, Mls

The Christian Librarian

The weeding process used at Nyack College’s Bailey Library involves a year-round, piecemeal approach during a five-year cycle. The weeding of the circulating collection involves roles for student assistants, librarians, and teaching faculty, and is designed to be user-friendly and yet contain necessary checks and balances.

Resources Available For Review, Phyllis Fox

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Resource Reviews, Phyllis Fox

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Anniversary Greetings From The Friends Of Acl, Alice Ruleman

The Christian Librarian

For our special 50th anniversary issue,we decided to replace our usual News & Views section with greetings from friends of ACL. We contacted companies who have been involved in our vender exhibits, previous keynote speakers and pre-conference presenters, organizations that ACL and our member libraries have relationships with, past-presidents and the wonderful members of ACL. Many have graciously responded and shared their well wishes and memories of the Association. I hope that you are as touched as I have been as you read these greetings.

Cila: Librarians On A Mission, Georgianne Bordner

The Christian Librarian

ACL members have long been involved in serving international libraries, both by going overseas to work in libraries there, and by providing resources and advice from home. The Commission for International Library Assistance (CILA) was formed in order to develop a strategic plan to accomplish this mission more effectively, through publications, training, consultation, and other assistance. This brief history shows that over the years, changing technology and circumstances have changed some of CILA’s strategies, but the mission remains the same.

Frontmatter (The Christian Librarian 49:3)

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

What Acl Means To Me, Bob Triplett

The Christian Librarian

What can one say about an organization that has played such a vital role in promoting the professional development of Christian academic librarians? Ever since my first conference in 1984 at Houghton College in Houghton, New York, I have experienced a growing love and appreciation for this wonderful organization called the Association of Christian Librarians and for its many fine members.

Frontmatter (The Christian Librarian 49:1)

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Cut-And-Paste Plagiarism: Teaching Student Researchers Boundaries, Tami Echavarria Robinson

The Christian Librarian

Librarians affiliated with educational institutions, as members of an academic community, participate in teaching students and future scholars how they share in the responsibility of upholding ethical standards of scholarship and values of academic honesty. Academic honesty, in its variant forms,was part of issues in education long before the introduction of computers. Two forms, plagiarism and copyright infringement, were chronic problems in the print realm and present additional dimensions in today’s electronic environment. The causes of copyright infringement and plagiarism are extensive and complex. Divergent positions are represented in the literature on how to deal with these issues. They are …

From Achievements To New Possibilities, Clyde R. Root

The Christian Librarian

It’s the year of Jubilation.The ACL has been in existence for fifty years now. The first meeting of the Christian Librarians’ Fellowship was held at Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University) in 1956. There were only five librarians in attendance.The organization has come a long way from its humble beginnings to its present permanent headquarters in Cedarville, Ohio. I wrote an article on the 25th anniversary back in 1982. It is time to reflect on ACL’s past successes and achievements since 1982 and look to what possibilities the future holds.

What Acl Means To Me, Alan Cappella

The Christian Librarian

I joined the Association of Christian Librarians (ACL) in 1997, at a time when I was seeking God’s will for my future in library work.The previous year, I had been unexpectedly let go after eight years in a Bible college library position due to downsizing, and my heart was still in academic library work.

I found ACL to be far more than a facilitator for library job searching. This association is foremost a Christian one, and provided something far better than networking just to advance oneself. Attending my first ACL conference in 1997, I was greatly encouraged by a group …

The Impact Of The Christian Faith On Library Service, Stanford Terhune

The Christian Librarian

The library profession is in flux and uncertainty due to its lack of a well-founded philosophy of service. The Christian faith provides the necessary philosophical framework. Three implications follow from the application of a Christian worldview to library practice. First, Christian librarians should provide access to collections that will allow students to integrate faith and learning. Second, they should demonstrate love and concern for library users by offering diligent, humble service.Third, they should teach students the ethical use of information resources. Christianity has an impact on “library service” in three areas. First, the word library presumes a collection of library …

What Acl Means To Me, Edythe Feazel

The Christian Librarian

The first time I ever heard of the Association of Christian Librarians was in 1983.After just completing my MLS, I took a position as Reference Librarian at Olivet Nazarene College.A group of us drove up for the day for the Wheaton conference. I heard a speaker that day – I have forgotten most of the details – but she said that women were “the crown of creation.” I had been laboring under the impression that women were second-class since Eve sinned and brought the curse on mankind.This speaker told of God’s progressive creation. I’ve felt better ever since! After all, …

Building Connections Between First-Year Students And The Academic Library, Betsy Barefoot Edd

The Christian Librarian

It is an honor to be with you here on this lovely campus. This is not my first trip to Indiana Wesleyan. I have many friends here and recently worked closely with Indiana Wesleyan’s faculty and staff in a major yearlong self-study and improvement planning process for the first year. I very much appreciate the invitation extended to me by Sheila Carlblom to reflect with you about your important role in Christian college settings and how what you do – helping students become knowledgeable and ethical seekers and consumers of information – is so important. In my remarks this morning, …

Connecting Ethics To Action: An Introduction To Ethical Decision Making, Rory Patterson

The Christian Librarian

A patron calls the Circulation Desk late in the evening and gets a student worker.The patron wants to know what their roommate checked out so they can be sure to return all of the materials. The student gives the information, trying to be helpful to the patron.The patron comes in the next morning very upset because his privacy has been violated and threatening a lawsuit. The student worker defends his actions, saying he was trying to give excellent customer service, just as he learned in the orientation manual. How does one calm the patron, educate the student worker, and otherwise …

Spiritual Literacy: A New Concept For A New Reality, Felicia A. Smith

The Christian Librarian

The idea of literacy is prevalent in today’s society, especially among librarians.There is much discussion of technological literacy and the digital divide. There are volumes written on cultural literacy and how we interact with different groups such as younger generations. There are books dedicated specifically to literacy in the 21st century. There are growing specialized “literacies” but none dealing with religion, per se. It is critical that librarians are aware of spiritual undertones inherent in information, in order to provide balanced information to patrons.

Letter From The Editor-In-Chief, Anne-Elizabeth Powell

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Acl: An Amazing Story, Nancy J. Olson

The Christian Librarian

When one stops to contemplate and consider the phenomena of the Association of Christian Librarians as it celebrates the 50th year of its existence, it is nothing short of amazing! In the beginning there was a tiny band of five volunteers with a vision and passion for sharing Christian fellowship, providing access to evangelical journal literature, publishing a professional journal, and facilitating professional development amongst evangelical librarians from institutions of higher education.They had no idea what God would do with their vision, passion and hard work. No one can doubt that God has done far more than they could ever …

The Christian Periodical Index, Acl’S Longest Service Project, Barbara Nelson

The Christian Librarian

When the Christian Librarians’ Fellowship (CLF) was first formed in 1956, those early librarians were not just focused on their own needs, but they were also concerned with the information needs of students at Christian institutions. Part of their earliest vision was the establishment of the Christian Periodical Index (CPI).And so began a project which continues to the present day. It has far exceeded anyone’s vision at the time if its creation. Who knew about the coming explosion of publishing – to say nothing about the Internet! Yet the mission of CPI – to provide access to English language articles …

What Acl Means To Me, John E. Shaffett

The Christian Librarian

I was a librarian for ten years before I heard about the Association of Christian Librarians.Three years ago, a friend asked me if I was a member of the ACL. I asked him what the acronym stood for. I assumed it was a sub-group of the American Library Association. He told me it stood for the Association of Christian Librarians. I looked up their web-site and was impressed.

What Acl Means To Me, Tami Echavarria Robinson

The Christian Librarian

Imagine not knowing that Christian higher education or The Association of Christian Librarians existed. Being surrounded by a secular world in your profession and having no one that you knew to discuss the issues in librarianship who shared a Christian perspective. It’s an isolated position to be in, but it was just how it was. At the time I had no idea that there was an alternative.