Berean Baptist Church, Portage, Michigan, hosted the annual conference of the Evangelical Church Library Association. Discussing the theme “A Light in the Darkness,” librarians from churches and Christian schools, as well as booklovers, expressed the importance and challenges of Christian libraries.
“Christian libraries have a unique opportunity to help and guide readers as they navigate through the ever-darker influences of our culture,” says Denise Roberts (left in photo above), librarian at Berean Baptist.
She and fellow librarian Debbie Dehart (right in photo above) moderated a roundtable for church librarians. Authors Lynn Austin, Susie Finkbeiner, and Mary E. Morgan spoke in main sessions. Several other authors also attended, chatting with people over lunch and at their book tables.
Denise has been the librarian at Berean Baptist since January 2013, after taking over the role from her mom, Alice Smith.
But when Denise began the role, she knew nothing about running a library. “Fortunately, God had already placed in my life a dear friend who had way more knowledge about the function of a library.” That friend was Debbie Dehart. “Very quickly, we formed a team,” Denise says.
Debbie, an avid reader who had studied library science, introduced Denise to the Dewey decimal system (“I totally did not see the point, but I must say now I cannot live without it,” Denise says) and enhanced the cataloging system Alice had started.
“That first year was made up of fun-filled, exhausting hours where we regrouped things and developed the library we have today,” Denise says.
The library now includes a children’s corner, an online catalog, ebooks, digital audiobooks, videos to stream, and reading programs for adults and children. Browsing the shelves or website, patrons will find both nonfiction and fiction: books for personal Bible study and those “that offer the simple pleasure of a well-crafted story,” Denise says. And a team of librarians—“people who love books,” Denise says—now serve throughout the week.
“I think Alice, my mom, would be proud of the library we have today,” Denise says.
The library is now called the Alice Smith Library “as a tribute to her tireless ministry,” Denise says. Alice “impacted many people with her book selection, her summer program Camp Read-a-Lot, and her genuine love for everyone who entered the library. Alice went to be with the Lord in November of 2013, but her legacy lives on.”
Culture is “challenging the Christian church and its values,” Denise says. But Berean Baptist’s library is encouraging followers of Christ and equipping them “to stand courageously and accurately on the Word of truth.”
