News from our NCLA Fox Valley, WI Chapter

The Fall Meeting of the Fox Valley Chapter of the National Church Library Association was held Saturday, October 2, 2010, at Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church, Waupaca, WI. The meeting began at 9:00 am with registration and coffee and concluded with a light lunch around noon.

Devotions led by Pastor Dave Martin zeroed in on our meeting theme, “Grief and Loss - Library Resources and Church Helps." Guest speaker Len Sheard spoke on his personal loss of his wife due to breast cancer. He presented clips of a video from the Grief Share recovery group, touching on thoughts and helps from persons that have experienced grief, and explaining how we too, can benefit from the community, understanding, support and encouragement of such a group. He also focused on dealing with grief during the holidays.

A roundtable discussion was led by Karen Saari. Church librarians shared books and resources their libraries have found helpful on the difficult topics of death, divorce, loss of jobs, lifestyle, loss of homes, illness, and military deployment.

Kathleen Bowman, new NCLA Board President, gave a brief presentation of NCLA happenings, followed by a viewing of the video "From Deep Roots Grow New Branches", made by NCLA outgoing President Chuck Mann.

We also elected new officers for 2011.

~Anne I., NCLA WI Fox Valley Chapter

Librarians Helping Librarians: Don’t Just Walk By!

I have an ideal location for the library and 2 wonderful 6 ft. display cases 4 shelves tall. I get many, many compliments on the seasonal library displays of which I'm very appreciative of. YET, there are so many people that pass us by. Members might say ‘Oh, your windows are beautiful’ and I respond ‘well stop in after church.’ Some do, but many don't. Thus I created the following invitation to drop a stronger hint to come into the library:

Don’t Just Walk By – Stop in to Say Hello!

Certain habits are hard to break. I still find myself reaching for a light chain in the basement a long time after a wall switch has been installed. But I would like YOU to change one of YOUR habits…and that is walking past the library AND stopping in to say hello to our volunteers, other families, friends, etc. Many friendly faces frequent the library and we want you to stop in and say hello or introduce yourself.

It’s not always easy as there are places to be, various groups to participate in, friends to chat during coffee but the open doors and window displays are sending out a special invitation just for you. Are you ready to change your habits of walking past each Sunday? We wish to have you enter the library to gain knowledge, grasp God message, and expand your mind to God’s plan in your life. Yes, we are all very busy, but are we too busy for God’s message? Fall is a good time to change your habit.

Look at the books! Wonderful books of all kinds…fiction, church history and geography, Christian life and even parenting books. Don’t they beckon to you? Browse as long as you wish; they will entice you. You’ll succumb to the vast resources available all to you free of charge as we all look for economical ways to learn new things and develop a positive habit.

Aha…now you are hooked on a new habit! Now wasn’t that easy?

~Bev E., St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Germantown, Wisconsin

New Church Library Opens Doors: Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Oconomowoc, WI

Congratulations to Berdine Mumper and Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Oconomowoc. Wisconsin, on the grand opening of their new library! See the first issue of the new OSLC Library Newsletter: