Purpose

The Library was established to give the members of the congregation and friends the opportunity for pleasurable and thought provoking reading with a wide range of subject matter. Books are chosen with an eye to relevance in the present world as well as appropriateness for a church library.

A Library Committee of ten to twelve members of the church is charged with the duty of maintaining, operating and caring for the book collection.

In keeping faith with basic purposes of the library, the book colleection is always growing and evolving and encompasses over 2,600 volumes.

History

Plymouth's first library was formed in our former downtown church and was shepherded by Pearl Price. In the catastrophic fire that destroyed the church in 1972 the entire collection of books was lost.

With the construction of the new church building an attractive room was dedicated to a combination library and board room. A generous anonymous contribution of $5,000 was given for the purpose of establishing a new collection of books. The new Library Committee was soon to be headed by Joyce Granger, who dedicated herself to the task until her untimely death in 1990.

The committee meets monthly to approve new books and take care of necessary business.

In 1986 Plymouth's library joined the national organization and the local chapter of the Church and Synagogue Library Association. This organization shares information with the purpose of promoting church and synagogue libraries. Our library has been honored as an outstanding example of church libraries.

A Portrait

The library is logically arranged into sections with books of similar types shelved together. Sections include the following subjects: Bible Study, Worship and Devotion, Prayer, Inspiration, Theology, Ethics, Education, Seasonal (Christmas, Easter, etc.), Family Life, Aging, Death and Grief, Health, Substance Abuse, Biography, Understanding (other religious faiths), Fiction and Non-Fiction. A History section also includes photograph albums depicting the history of this church. Shelves are dedicated to the subjects of Art and Poetry, also magazines. There is a generous Reference Section as well as a collection of different Bibles. The sections devoted to Juvenile and Youth are comprehensive.

Books are chosen not only for study but also for pure pleasure and enjoyment. Every attempt is made to keep selections current and contemporary. An active publicity campaign with posters and articles in the bi-weekly Church Life keep the congregation abreast of what's happening at the library.

An Invitation

Plymouth Church's Library is YOUR library. Please come in, browse, sit and read and check out books of your choice. We are open with knowledgeable people to help you on Sundays before and after worship. If you visit the library when it is unattended, clear instructions for checking out books are posted.