I was very pleased to have the opportunity to meet some of you at the Fall annual conference in Cambridge this past September. The majority of questions you asked are about software appropriate for your Church Library, so for our second topic, I thought it best to start right in.
This subject is not an easy one to address, because software rarely comes in a one-size-fits-all format. The different types of software available merit several issues worth of discussion, so I have decided to start at the beginning with an overview of databases in general (which is what specialized software designed for libraries really is), and some rather uncomplicated options you may be overlooking.
Databases are software programs that help manage data or information in a variety of different ways. The most popular and common generic database programs used today are MS Access, Dbase, and MS Works, and these often come pre-installed on your computer, so there’s nothing to buy. Database software can provide you with lots of information about your data, as well as organize it in any manner you desire. I have created an example database using MS Access with 19 fields or categories of data, and real items catalogued by my local church librarian (yeah, Mom). As shown, each field can be formatted to identify the type of information displayed, and often you can set up your software to auto-enter information such as the date you input the information. It is useful to set up more fields (categories) than you actually think you will need at first, or ensure that your software allows you to add more fields as you need them. In our example, we have included fields such as Pages (how many, if any), Acquisition (where did it come from), Cost (very useful to find out how much you’ve spent on any one group of items, such as children’s picture books), Cards (in this case, do we need to print some- Yes or no), Acquisition Date (when did WE get this item), and an interesting and useful idea, “Category”.
This last entry allows this library to identify major groups of items by where they are shelved, and quickly create bookmarks or other lists of topical items. It is not necessary to fill in every field with information, often books or videos do not have second or third subject headings. Just use whatever information you think your library will need to identify and group your materials.
I would recommend including price (Cost) and date of acquisition, as you can then use the software to identify how much you spent in a year (or any time period), or by any category.
The greatest strength of database software is the ability to arrange information so that your printouts can look any way you want, and include any information you wish, without having to type the information in more than one time. Often called reports, these formats can be used to create catalog cards, book lists, subject guides, shelf cards, or accession lists. You can design your own forms or reports- very often, the software package contains tutorials or small sample lessons on how to do specific things. The other wealth of information is always the HELP files within the program itself- software developers spend months writing these how-to files and they are usually very useful. In addition, you can get help and training on the use of specific software from local adult education courses, congregation members who are familiar with them (and don’t forget the kids), or from books on how to use your software.
One last thing….It is very important to make sure you make several back-up copies of your database files and update them on a regular basis. In our example library, the task of recreating 2300 items would be daunting- you might want to keep a fresh copy in your church or synagogue safe or strongbox, as well as extra copies at home JUST IN CASE!!!
Well, if this all sounds too much like work, and you have neither the time nor the inclination to make up your own database (which in many cases is probably more than sufficient for a small church library), there are several pre-designed software packages designed for use by church libraries.
