The St. Joseph Library, located in the St. Mary Room of the PAC, has been organized to help parishioners take advantage of a considerable collection of books, CDs, tape cassettes, and videos (both VHS and DVD).
All of these items have been cataloged into LibraryThing, an online software program accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Therefore, you can access the catalog in your home or on the computer in the library.
View the St. Joseph Online Parish Library Catalog
Understanding the Catalog
The Catalog lists resources which have been entered by title and author arranged in alphabetical order by title. Each item displays a tag that describes the general content category of the item, such as Catholicism, Faith, Family, etc. Many items have more than one tag to more fully describe their content. The item will have been shelved according to the first tag. A list of tags is included at the end of this document.
Accessing the On-line Catalog
At home, you may access the parish’s catalog at LibraryThing.
In the PAC Library, you can power up the computer if not already turned on, and when the desktop is available, double click on Internet Explorer. Go to Favorites and click on “St. Joseph Library Catalog” to bring up the catalog.
Using the Online Catalog
If you know the title or author of the item you want, go to the “Search this library” box, and type in the title or author name in the search box. Select “All Fields” in the drop-down box and click on “Search.”
When the item comes up on the screen, note the first tag and go to the appropriate shelf to find the item; items are arranged in alphabetical order.
If you cannot find the item, leave a note for the librarian on the table with your name and phone number or e-mail address, and the item you are looking for.
You can also search by tags (e.g., Children, Prayer, etc.) by selecting “Tags” in the drop-down box and clicking on “Search.”
Printed Catalog Available
You can also lookup an item in the printed catalog located on the Library table. This abbreviated version of the online catalog lists title, author, and tags.
Browsing
You are always welcome to come in and browse the shelves for items of interest. If you do so, we ask you to please be sure to replace the item exactly where you got it so that we can maintain the integrity of the alphabetized stacks. The library is usually open on Sunday mornings before the later Mass and can be unlocked by the staff during office hours.
Checking Out an Item
Once the desired item is found, pull the checkout card, enter the date loaned, and print the name of the borrower. Place the card in the grey Index Card Box on the table.
Returning an Item
When returning a borrowed item, place it in the tub marked “Return Books Here”. Please do not place the item back on the shelf.
Correction of Tags
The assignment of tags to individual items was an arbitrary process as there was no time to review each item. If you think an item you have checked out should be reclassified with a different tag, please leave that item in the return tub with a note. We would appreciate your inputs.
