Moving the building library to the 21st century.

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mprusse
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Moving the building library to the 21st century.

#1

Post by mprusse »

I'm the agent bishop this year in our three ward building and I've been watching the use of the building library in anticipation of making some changes. After obtaining feedback and some observation, I've noticed the large library now primarily serves to distribute chalk, scriptures and to make copies. The several shelves of VHS tapes, TV/VCR combos, large laminated pictures and overhead projectors are never even touched.

This year I would like to direct a complete overhaul of the building library and I'm looking for ideas of how other wards have transformed their libraries into a more usable tool. I can already see us dumping the overhead projectors at least. Perhaps even the laminated pictures in favor of several copies of the Gospel Art Book (06048090). I definitely don't want to transfer the old VHS tapes to DVD as they are of a by-gone era and not appealing to many members. They can easily be replaced by copies of the newer DVDs recently produced by the Church. If we go DVD, then we can dump all the TV/VCR combos.

Thoughts & ideas? Thank you.
techgy
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#2

Post by techgy »

macsense wrote:I'm the agent bishop this year in our three ward building and I've been watching the use of the building library in anticipation of making some changes. After obtaining feedback and some observation, I've noticed the large library now primarily serves to distribute chalk, scriptures and to make copies. The several shelves of VHS tapes, TV/VCR combos, large laminated pictures and overhead projectors are never even touched.

This year I would like to direct a complete overhaul of the building library and I'm looking for ideas of how other wards have transformed their libraries into a more usable tool. I can already see us dumping the overhead projectors at least. Perhaps even the laminated pictures in favor of several copies of the Gospel Art Book (06048090). I definitely don't want to transfer the old VHS tapes to DVD as they are of a by-gone era and not appealing to many members. They can easily be replaced by copies of the newer DVDs recently produced by the Church. If we go DVD, then we can dump all the TV/VCR combos.

Thoughts & ideas? Thank you.
Years ago we used to make multiple copies of the satellite broadcasts at the stake center in VHS format and give these copies to each of the building libraries. With the availability of many of these broadcast in the member's homes, we found that the popularity of these recordings has diminished to where we no longer make these copies.

In addition we only make one copy of a satellite broadcast and this copy goes into the stake library. From what I can tell these copies are not a high check-out item. Again, for the same reason - that the broadcasts are available in member's homes and they tend to record what they're interested in.

I think we've entered a phase of Church technology where the various media presentations are more available - often in member's homes, which has resulted in a reduced use of the meetinghouse libraries.
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russellhltn
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#3

Post by russellhltn »

I'm surprised you're seeing such little use of the large laminated pictures. It would seem to be the easiest media to incorporate into a lesson. If the teachers are unwilling to use those, then I don't know as there's much hope for anything else.

You might check and see if the issue is the lack of a list, or suggestions of what pictures might go with a particular lesson. At one time I think the teacher's books had suggestions, but I don't know if they still do.
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JamesAnderson
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#4

Post by JamesAnderson »

Same here on the VHS tapes, although I don't see everything that goes on.

I typically see laminated pictures, especially of things not in the Gospel Art Book, and some others because that is there, and I do see the TV/VCR combo out there, we have one of those and two DVD plyaers. The DVD player gets used every week because I use it for the new Family History curriculum when I teach that. I have seen other wards use more or less on the video things as well, but I'm often the only one that takes out the DVD player most weeks.

Sometimes pictures of the temple (Provo in my case) get taken out also.

Oddly, I don't see the Gospel Art Book being used, so I find the right picture for some lessons and put that up for the person giving it, and some have after class asked about it.

What we're both seeing may be US-centric, outside the US and more developed areas we could be seeing something quite different when it comes to what is used from the Meetinghouse Library (or Materials Center as some signage calls it).
Barmstr-p40
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Same Challenge

#5

Post by Barmstr-p40 »

We are in the process of also eliminating the VHS tapes that are not in the Church catalog. We are also replacing all of the VHS tapes we can with DVD's. A former librarian took a picture of each of the pictures in our library and printed a catalog of pictures. Each page contains 3 - 5 pictures and is arranged by Old Testament, Book Of Mormon, etc. We are in the process of updating this material.

One of the problems I see is that teachers are not using the AV equipment because they do not prepare early enough. We have some teachers come in at the beginning of class to have materials copies. Another obstacle includes TV's that do not work. It has taken me a year to get all 4 VCR/DVD's and TV working. That lasted one week. Someone broke the VCR/DVD. The VCR/DVD was replaced but it will not work with the TV. We have been told we will not be getting a new TV as the budget will not handle it right now. I agree with this so we are waiting for a donation of a good TV from a member.

Our library uses the philosophy that if we do not make it convent and pleasant for the members, they will not use the materials. We will set up the TV's and VCR/DVD for them and even find what they want on the VHS tape or DVD. Whatever it takes so they use the materials.

I taught school for 40 years and found people will not use the materials if it is not convent and easy for them. Many of the teaching members forget they are teaching the video generation. The young members are used to Twitter, Facebook, and on line media. We have wireless in part of the building but none of us can access it in the classrooms. This will gradually change. Just keep trying to move the change in human nature.:D
russellhltn
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#6

Post by russellhltn »

At the risk of side-tracking the discussion, are DVDs really better than VHS? What if the teacher only wants to play back one paragraph of a talk? Yes, it's a hassle with VHS since you may have to first find that talk in a 2 hour tape, but once you position it, it stays there (or reasonable close to there). With a DVD, all you have to do is hit stop and it's lost it's place.

I agree with the comment that it has to be convenient. That's why I'm suggesting the large pictures are a litmus test - it just doesn't get any easier then that.
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techgy
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#7

Post by techgy »

RussellHltn wrote:At the risk of side-tracking the discussion, are DVDs really better than VHS? What if the teacher only wants to play back one paragraph of a talk? Yes, it's a hassle with VHS since you may have to first find that talk in a 2 hour tape, but once you position it, it stays there (or reasonable close to there). With a DVD, all you have to do is hit stop and it's lost it's place....
Not quite. Most DVD players will return to the last place they were at if you only press STOP once. If you hit STOP a second time, then you lose your place.
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mfmohlma
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#8

Post by mfmohlma »

Techgy wrote:Not quite. Most DVD players will return to the last place they were at if you only press STOP once. If you hit STOP a second time, then you lose your place.
Yes, but only if that DVD player remains on. It's impossible to do the videotape-type queuing at home and then bring it to church with a DVD.
mprusse
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videos from an iPod or iPhone

#9

Post by mprusse »

The videos I have had to show were made much easier by first ripping the DVD to my computer and then copying to my iPhone or iPod. I was able to queue it up perfectly and have it remain there ready for me to show via a composite video cable from the device to the TV.
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nbflint
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#10

Post by nbflint »

macsense wrote:The videos I have had to show were made much easier by first ripping the DVD to my computer and then copying to my iPhone or iPod. I was able to queue it up perfectly and have it remain there ready for me to show via a composite video cable from the device to the TV.
Now you're talking! How about attaching an iPod to each TV in the library via the composite cable. Install a video server in the library and rip the entire church dvd library to the server. Write a small app for the iPod and every TV in the building can instantly access any church video over the buildings WiFi network!

I'm in.

Hmm. I wonder how many iPods would make it back to the library with the TVs?

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