pchp

Thank you, deriz56, for the information. I belong to two guilds, and I don't think either one has a library. I don't know whether it's due to a lack of space or to lack of interest. I'll probably ask at some point. I'm glad you brought this up.

Tothill

The larger MQG I belong to have a nice library, I attended a different traditional guilds meeting and they have an extensive library. It covered 6-8 banquet tables with the books overlapping. My schedule means I cannot be sure I can return a book, so I do not take any out.

Even in these days of the internet, I believe there is a place for a guild library. Not everyone has good internet access or the skills to find what they need. I relax when I read a book, I do not relax when I read online.

Edited to add, we have a librarian, there is a fine ($5?) for not returning a book on time. Those funds are used to buy new books. There is a sign out procedure, members cannot just take a book. I do not know where the books are stored, the guild moved meeting halls, and I have not been able attend any meetings since the move.

toverly

My Guild has 4 large lockable bookcases for books and instructional cd's. Even videos of some larger quilt shows. I love to look thru it before meetings since I am usually early. Yes, I check out books frequently and it's only 25 cents if you miss next month. We have a good librarian that culls out old books that don't get checked out often or when the cabinets are too full. She stays away from patterns with special rulers. All it takes is someone not bringing back the ruler and the book is worthless. It is a great resource but I believe the Guild pays extra for storage at our facility.

Mary Christine

[QUOTE=Jennifer23;8004892]
Are you the librarian? Our librarian would "present" a few books at each meeting. Sometimes they were new ones, but often they were just picked from the library. She would talk about what you could find in each one, and pass them around for people to see. This really encouraged people to use the books.

What a great idea!

TheresaW

When our guild was formed we decided to NOT have a library but to donate books to the local public library. This has worked very well for many years. No one has to store books or keep track of them or bring them to meetings. The local library is part of a larger library system so they are available to anyone with a library card.

csstexas

I really enjoy using my guild library. I like previewing books I may want to buy, but especially like having it as a resource so I don’t feel a need to buy so many books. We include some quilting related novels too. When I have trouble sleeping I read a quilt book to relax and take my mind off whatever is bugging me. It helps me fall back asleep. We pay a church for the use of their building for our meeting and two workshop days each month. The dependable income helps the church and they allow us use of a locked walk in closet with shelves for our library. We lost books on the lower shelves to flooding in Hurricane Harvey. They were many of our newer books. We will eventually rebuild the collection. As members donate their used magazines they are sold to others for a quarter. That money is used for more books. We have a fine if the book is not returned, but it can be rechecked just by asking the librarian, even by phone or email. Our guild is large. We had about 90-100 members at our last meeting. I think a guild library is a real treat!

costumegirl

I belong to 2 guilds and both have a library that is very popular along with librarians to manage and organize everything. Books are stored and locked in large closets/lockers at the meeting hall and are placed on banquet tables during the monthly meeting for members to look through. Books must be signed out and signed in when returned.

The librarians work very hard categorizing and keeping track of where the books are and both guilds have a "master book list" with all books registered and listed by author and by name so it is easy to see if the library has a particular book that you may want to use.
The volunteers do have an occasional sell-off to members of books that are not frequently used or those that need replacing. These funds are added to their yearly budget that is allotted by the guild for new books. They also receive donations from members of books or $.

I like to check out the new books/patterns and have found lots of great ideas by taking a few home. Many of the books are also used by those that participate with the "comfort" quilts group - these quilts are donated to groups in need in the area. Each year each guild gives at least 250 - 300 quilts a year.

Nesie

My guild stores their books on 2 purchased library carts. I have used them many times. The school where we hold meetings is kind enough to store them and the custodian is kind enough to bring them out for us. A list of all titles is available on the internet
so everyone can see what the library owns before they might buy. I am a heavy internet user but still prefer the ease of using a pattern from a book. We have quilting books, novels, DVD's and some templates. Our current librarian has done a great job of organizing so we can find what we are looking for. BTW we always remember the custodiians at Christmas time and during our twice yearly "banquets".

junegerbracht

My guild did away with its library a couple of years ago. Storeage was a real problem. Last year we had a "garage sale"; individuals rented a table for a nominal fee and could sell good quilting/sewing items that they no longer wanted. There was also a general guild table to which members could donate things to be sold for the benefit of the guild. Many patterns and books were sold.