Fiction_L Archives Christian Fiction Advice Requested Dates: 1/9/02,9:19 AM  through  1/16/02,2:43 PM  (15 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2011-current     2009-2010     2004-2008    1995-2003    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to January 2002 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: Nancy Alexander <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 1/9/02, 9:19 AM

On of our staff members has suggested that we shelve
Christian Fiction separately as a separate genre
rather than integrating it in regular fiction. Before
I start moving books around,(i.e. the entire fiction
collection!) I want to know how CF is handled in other
libraries. If it is shelved as a separate genre, are
there any problems associated with it, such as having
authors located in more than one area? How is the CF
classification determined? Are books about Old
Testament characters, such as the ones in Francine
Rivers books, included? Any help would be appreciated.

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FROM: Viccy Kemp <[removed]@cityofcarrollton.com>
REC'D: 1/9/02, 9:29 AM

At the Carrollton Public Library, a small system in North Central Texas, we
shelve the Christian fiction with the regular fiction, but use a Brodart
label on the spine to indicate it is Christion fiction. We also use that as
a subject heading in the OPAC so patrons can lookup "Christian Fiction" and
get a long list of possible titles. We usually use the publisher as a
guiding point for what to label as Christian Fiction, i.e., everything from
Bethany House, Waterhouse, Tyndale, etc. Or, known Christian writers, e.g.,
James Shott, who was originally published by a small house that no one had
ever heard of.
HTH
Viccy Kemp
The opinions are my own; the library wouldn't want 'em!

-----Original Message-----
From: Nancy Alexander [[removed]@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2002 9:11 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Christian Fiction Advice Requested


On of our staff members has suggested that we shelve
Christian Fiction separately as a separate genre
rather than integrating it in regular fiction. Before
I start moving books around,(i.e. the entire fiction
collection!) I want to know how CF is handled in other
libraries. If it is shelved as a separate genre, are
there any problems associated with it, such as having
authors located in more than one area? How is the CF
classification determined? Are books about Old
Testament characters, such as the ones in Francine
Rivers books, included? Any help would be appreciated.

__________________________________________________
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Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail!
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FROM: Carol Elmore <[removed]@westga.edu>
REC'D: 1/9/02, 10:00 AM

We shelve our Christian Fiction with the fiction collection. We do use
"inspirational" labels on the spines and have a bookmark available that
lists the names of authors in this field. Seperating these from the
regular collection might invite such questions as "why wasn't this author
included or why was this author included."
My thoughts!
Carole Elmore
Newnan-Coweta Public Library
Newnan, GA

FROM: "Roberts, Julie" <[removed]@rolling-meadows.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 1/9/02, 10:22 AM

Nancy, at my previous Library, we had Christian Fiction stickers on the
books, and put them in the regular Fiction section. Christian Fiction was
very popular there. Here, we just file them in with Fiction.
Julie A. Roberts Rolling Meadows Library (IL)
[removed]@rolling-meadows.lib.il.us

-----Original Message-----
From: Viccy Kemp [[removed]@cityofcarrollton.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2002 3:29 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: RE: Christian Fiction Advice Requested

At the Carrollton Public Library, a small system in North Central Texas, we
shelve the Christian fiction with the regular fiction, but use a Brodart
label on the spine to indicate it is Christion fiction. We also use that as
a subject heading in the OPAC so patrons can lookup "Christian Fiction" and
get a long list of possible titles. (snip)

FROM: Thelma Stone <[removed]@fortworthlibrary.org>
REC'D: 1/9/02, 10:33 AM

You might check into legal problems with creating a separate "Christian
FIction" section. I seem to remember reading of a law suit regarding
such an action. I guess it could then be requested that you create a
"Jewish Fiction", "Islamic Fiction", "Buddhist Fiction", or "Wicca
Fiction" section.

FROM: "Donna Jo Atwood" <[removed]@olatheks.org>
REC'D: 1/9/02, 12:00 PM

Before you start labeling or shelving Christian fiction as such, you might
take note of the flap we had at our library. We had "Christian" labels
(blue background with white cross) on books and then interfiled them with
regular fiction.
A patron contacted the ACLU (not the library) and demanded the labels be
removed, as we were pushing a religion not his own. The ACLU took the
matter to the press before the library could respond in any way. The labels
came off. We now have an Inspirational Fiction handout, but there are still
hard feelings on both sides of the issue and the library came out looking
bad.

Donna Jo Atwood
Reference Librarian
Olathe (KS) Public Library

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]On Behalf Of Nancy Alexander
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2002 9:11 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Christian Fiction Advice Requested


On of our staff members has suggested that we shelve
Christian Fiction separately as a separate genre
rather than integrating it in regular fiction. Before
I start moving books around,(i.e. the entire fiction
collection!) I want to know how CF is handled in other
libraries. If it is shelved as a separate genre, are
there any problems associated with it, such as having
authors located in more than one area? How is the CF
classification determined? Are books about Old
Testament characters, such as the ones in Francine
Rivers books, included? Any help would be appreciated.

__________________________________________________
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FROM: Suzanne Pontius <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 1/9/02, 12:00 PM

Here in rural Preble County, we call it Inspirational
Fiction. We shelve paperbacks in this category
separately (and have never had legal problems), and
hardbacks are shelved with other fiction titles, with
a sticker on the spine to indicate that the book is
Inspirational Fiction. We have a large number of
patrons who love this kind of book.
Suzanne Pontius
Preble County District Library
Eaton, Ohio

=====
America's greatness is not only recorded in books, but it is also dependent upon each and every citizen being able to utilize public libraries.-- Terence Cooke

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FROM: Cathy Reid <[removed]@ccpl.lib.oh.us>
REC'D: 1/9/02, 12:31 PM

We have ours in a separate section, but we don't call it Christian fiction.
Our books are identified as "Gentle Reads" and include any type of
inspirational fiction (although most probably are Christian in nature). We
have bright pink stickers with the initials "GR" on them.

This hasn't caused any complaints, in fact, it seems to be one of our highest
circulating areas.

Hope this helps!

Cathy Reid
Clark County Public Library
Springfield, OH

FROM: "Carol Kubala" <[removed]@columbiapl.libct.org>
REC'D: 1/9/02, 3:32 PM

I did have a patron question the CF label and ask if we would start
labeling our "Jewish Fiction", etc. I saw his point and now just interfile
and leave the label off. Patrons looking for these titles will find them.

Carol


--
Carol Kubala
Adult Services Librarian
Columbia/Saxton B. Little Free
Voice 860-228-0350 Fax 860-228-1569

Thelma Stone wrote:

> You might check into legal problems with creating a separate "Christian
> FIction" section. I seem to remember reading of a law suit regarding
> such an action. I guess it could then be requested that you create a
> "Jewish Fiction", "Islamic Fiction", "Buddhist Fiction", or "Wicca
> Fiction" section.
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

FROM: Kathryn Shaw <[removed]@brantford.library.on.ca>
REC'D: 1/9/02, 5:02 PM

Nancy,
At the Brantford Public Library we shelve the Christian fiction in it's
own area. It can be found immediately preceding the rest of our fiction
collection. The patrons seem to like it on its own, they zero in on
this area on each visit and don't have to search through genre labels on
the spines of books in the larger general fiction collection.
HTH

Kathryn Shaw
Brantford Public Library


Nancy Alexander wrote:

>On of our staff members has suggested that we shelve
>Christian Fiction separately as a separate genre
>rather than integrating it in regular fiction. Before
>I start moving books around,(i.e. the entire fiction
>collection!) I want to know how CF is handled in other
>libraries. If it is shelved as a separate genre, are
>there any problems associated with it, such as having
>authors located in more than one area? How is the CF
>classification determined? Are books about Old
>Testament characters, such as the ones in Francine
>Rivers books, included? Any help would be appreciated.
>
>__________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail!
>http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/
>
>......................................................................
>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>.
>

FROM: "Kelly Benson" <[removed]@htls.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 1/10/02, 9:34 AM

We use an "Inspirational" sticker that we got from Demco to use for this
genre of fiction. We don't pull any of our fiction out here because of
space considerations, but the words of a certain library school professor
ring in my head about not calling it Christian Fiction. We didn't have any
labeling for that genre prior to my arrival. So some of it is still not
labeled (we try to pull it off if we come across it, but going through the
whole collection is too problematic.) This "Inspirational" sticker is great
because it is all inclusive of any religiously themed work. Just like a
mystery lover finds it great that there are stickers on mysteries, I'm sure
your Inspirational reader is going to love having the sticker to point
him/her in the right direction.


Kelly Benson
Adult Services Librarian
Three Rivers Public Library District
Channahon-Minooka, Illinois

FROM: "Mary Rindfleisch" <[removed]@biblio.org>
REC'D: 1/10/02, 10:58 AM

For everything except mystery and SF/fantasy, which we have separated and
labelled, I have tended to rely instead on copious booklists and readalike
displays for groupings like Christian fiction. In the case of Christian or
inspirational or whatever you want to call them, I would be very leery in my
community of singling these out based on their religious message or
orientation. But I feel fine about offering readers a list of Gentle Read
authors or readalikes for the Left Behind series. I would also like to
mention something Joyce Saricks said regarding literature by African
American authors at a workshop I attended recently, which may be relevant
here. She felt very strongly that this was not a genre, in the classical
sense, but simply one characteristic of many which might be identified about
a book, and that these books are better classified under thrillers,
coming-of-age stories, women's issues books, or whatever if we feel it
helpful to categorize them. There are plenty of resources which can help
identify African American authors, if that is the patron's request, but
these books have other stronger appeal factors based on content or style
rather than strictly the race of the author. This may bear thinking about
with regard to Christian fiction as well, which covers a wide gamut of
styles, although there may be more shared characteristics among books we
readily label that way.

It's certainly a tough call, since the main part of our job is to help
patrons readily find books which meet their needs, and subdividing and
labelling our collections is a prime tool in doing this. But it seems to me
there is a difference with considerations of religion, race, etc. which may
be very sensitive issues in some communities.

Mary Rindfleisch
Adult Services/Readers' Advisory Librarian
Ridgefield Library
472 Main St.
Ridgefield, CT 06877
Phone: 203-438-2282
e-mail: [removed]@biblio.org

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]On Behalf Of Kelly Benson
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2002 10:23 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Re: Christian Fiction Advice Requested

We use an "Inspirational" sticker that we got from Demco to use for this
genre of fiction. We don't pull any of our fiction out here because of
space considerations, but the words of a certain library school professor
ring in my head about not calling it Christian Fiction. We didn't have any
labeling for that genre prior to my arrival. So some of it is still not
labeled (we try to pull it off if we come across it, but going through the
whole collection is too problematic.) This "Inspirational" sticker is great
because it is all inclusive of any religiously themed work. Just like a
mystery lover finds it great that there are stickers on mysteries, I'm sure
your Inspirational reader is going to love having the sticker to point
him/her in the right direction.


Kelly Benson
Adult Services Librarian
Three Rivers Public Library District
Channahon-Minooka, Illinois

FROM: "Marla" <[removed]@orion.mtgr.mtlib.org>
REC'D: 1/10/02, 11:29 AM

I've read with great interest the various ways Christian fiction has
been handled in other libraries. This in one I with which I
"struggled" for awhile, too.

I don't think separating them out is a good idea. Some novels are
definitely Christian, while others have a "Christianlike" message but
really aren't strictly Christian. Someone on this list suggested
several "Christian" novels for discussion that I would not consider
Christian myself (but they are perfectly good novels).

It also "frustrates" (if that is the right word) me when I go into a
bookstore and seek out the Christian section. I find all sorts of
New Age, non-Christian books, etc. mixed in. I think it's confusing,
especially to a new Christian reader. (I know that now bookstores
tend to use the term "inspirational" or "spiritual" now, but I still find
that confusing....)

I do have a suggested booklist called "Fiction for the Faithful"
available for my fiction patrons that I update about once a year (I
think it's in the Fiction_L archives somewhere). That seems to do
the trick here; it is a popular list.

Anyway, this seems to be something each librarian has decide as
how to best serve his/her patrons. BYE!

Marla/Great Falls Public Library/Acquisitions
301 2nd Ave N
Great Falls MT 59401-2593
[removed]@orion.mtgr.mtlib.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Of course you should talk to your dogs.
But talk sense!" J.M. Wilson

FROM: "Kelly Benson" <[removed]@htls.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 1/10/02, 12:00 PM

> For everything except mystery and SF/fantasy, which we have separated and
> labelled, I have tended to rely instead on copious booklists and readalike
> displays for groupings like Christian fiction. In the case of Christian
or
> inspirational or whatever you want to call them, I would be very leery in
my
> community of singling these out based on their religious message or
> orientation. But I feel fine about offering readers a list of Gentle Read
> authors or readalikes for the Left Behind series.

I think the only problem with that is the issue of time. Having copious
booklists and readalike displays only really works in larger libraries with
a reader's advisory staff or at the very least display room. Those of us at
smaller libraries have to judge how best to serve our patrons given demands
on space and time. I have two display tables that I try to utlize with
displays that appeal to the widest number of people. I'm also the reference
librarian, the reader's advisor, the webmistress, the YA librarian,
partially the children's librarian, the chief book and audiobook orderer,
the programming librarian, the head of the pages, and in charge of the
library when the director is not in [I'm also the chief bottle washer, but
they don't let me fix things any more after the unfortunate water cooler
incident ;-) ). I do not have a staff of my own, I do the best I can but
obviously with all of those priorities (which also include working the
circulation desk and answering the phone when needed) I need the fasest,
easiest way to get my patrons to the books they would like. I find that the
stickers (and I'm sticker crazy, just ask my poor co-workers in tech
services) do that job just fine.

I do base my fiction order on patron interest and input. I have a few loyal
patrons who like the "Gentle Reads" types of inspirational. Which is fine,
they generally know who the authors are. But sometimes they like something a
little different. I also have a young woman who works as a page. She reads
inspirational fiction, but because she is a young woman, she sometimes likes
a little edgier fiction and is especially pleased by the number of thrillers
and more contemporary romances that I have been buying. As she put it, she'd
never have found them if I hadn't put a sticker on them. She would have
passed them over otherwise.

Fiction stacks can be very confusing and I really feel that the stickers
work wonders.

But you have to be careful, just like an genre to make sure that the book is
in that genre. I think Inspirational is a genre, unlike the African-American
authors example. Just because an author is religious, doesn't mean his/her
work will be so. Andrew Greeley is one example. I don't put the label on his
books even though he's a Catholic priest. Most of his work is focused on
other issues, like his mystery series (I also don't put mysteries featuring
nuns in Inspirational for example). But when the primary focus of the work
is on the spirtual, the book is published by a Inspirational publisher, or
it is marketed as such, then I will put the label on it.

Also to comment on another post, it always cracks me up when Booklist does
their Christian Fiction spotlights and they talk about works about Jews,
Muslims, Buddists, or even Unitarians. Not Christian, and thus not labeled
correctly.

Kelly Benson
Adult Services Librarian
Three Rivers Public Library District
Channahon-Minooka, Illinois

FROM: Lynda Whitton-Henley <[removed]@ccpl.ci.corpus-christi.tx.us>
REC'D: 1/16/02, 2:43 PM

Nancy,

I have been labeling for about 3+ years our CF with a label from
Gaylord..it is blue with a white cross and Christian written across the
bottom of the label. This is something unique at my branch and came about
because we have a lot of readers of CF plus parents wanted assurance that
their YA children were reading books that they could trust to not have
explicit sex or extreme violence and full of profane language. I include
the River's books. All new books come through my hands so I try to put
the labels on then, sometimes additional ones like fantasy, historical
fiction, or historrical romance. Our cataloging dept. only adds mystery,
western and Sci-Fi labels. I go by the publisher a lot in determining
which are Christian authors when I'm not familiar with the author.

We have all been buying more CF and getting new authors because we have
found the circ is so good.

While speaking of labeling...I made a special section for all the westerns
fiction before I started the special genre labels and made a lot of
patrons very happy. This past year I was really crowded in my Large Print
section so I pulled all the westerns LP, interfiled them with the westerns
and immediately saw my LP circ increase every month there after.

Lynda Whitton-Henley, Br. Mgr
Northwest Branch Lib.
Corpus Christi, TX

Nancy Alexander wrote:

> On of our staff members has suggested that we shelve
> Christian Fiction separately as a separate genre
> rather than integrating it in regular fiction. Before
> I start moving books around,(i.e. the entire fiction
> collection!) I want to know how CF is handled in other
> libraries. If it is shelved as a separate genre, are
> there any problems associated with it, such as having
> authors located in more than one area? How is the CF
> classification determined? Are books about Old
> Testament characters, such as the ones in Francine
> Rivers books, included? Any help would be appreciated.
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail!
> http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

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