Welcome to First United Methodist Church Library!

We hope you and your family visit the First United Methodist Church in Pasadena's library weekly, to note library issues of interest and to check out our books.

Sundays, we open at 8:30 a.m., before the 10:00 Morning Worship service, and re-open after 11:00 a .m. until noon or later. During the week the library can be opened by arrangement during weekdays and evenings. Please contact the librarian through the church office.

Since opening the library in the 1920’s, our collection of books has been one of FUMC strong traditions, priding itself with a special collection of secular and religious literature, appropriate and if interest to small children, youth, and adults.

Mission
The library ministry supports the church’s mission, programs and outreach. We collect books, periodical and audio-visual materials for all ages, to inform, inspire, and enrich our people’s lives.

• Our adult library location is in Room 106, just south of the church’s Cloister.
• Our Junior Library is located upstairs near children’s Sunday school rooms in the southwest corner of the education wing of the building.
• Our youth library is found near the youth lounges in the upstairs hallway above Fellowship Hall.

We classify our books by Dewey Decimal System, prefixing numbers to indicate special location such as:

• J for children’s books
• Y for youth,
• R for reference books,
• LP for large print, and
• A for archival books.
  

If no prefix, they are on the shelves in the adult library. Temporarily we are using a card catalogue, to be phased out when our computer catalogue is complete.

• Our religion collection contains current and some of the original print material from the 1920s, some which are archival treasures, including books on Theology, Bible study, church history, Christian living, and other religions and social issues of concern to our local and global church.
• Our secular reading is recreational, instructive and informative, choosing literature that merits in interest, content, and illustration.
• Our main reading room has been used for small group meetings and “story times” for very young children.
• We have several age related “library branches” with both religious and secular materials located within the church.
  

Our circulation relies upon an honor system of self-service. Members of our congregation are our patrons. Patrons may check-out books from any of the three library centers – Adult, Junior Library, or Youth.

We ask that Books must be signed out, on the circulation cards within the books.

Circulation Policy

• Adult, youth and children’s books (usually more than 100 pages) to be checked out for 4 weeks
• Most children’s books to be checked out for 2 weeks
• Periodicals and audiovisual tapes/discs to be checked out for 2 weeks
• If patrons’ books/materials are overdue, we urge them to be renewed with the librarian, and that no other books are borrowed until the original books are back.
• No fines on overdue books but we rely upon the honor of patrons to return books in a reasonable time and manner.
• Signed circulation cards (or at least a note to the librarian) are to be left for books, equipment or furnishings borrowed.
• Reference, archival, or story time materials are not circulated, but to be used in the library area.
  

History
We were the proud recipient of the 1998 Outstanding Congregational Library Award from Church and Synagogue Library Association.

This library has been part of strong traditions at FUMC since 1925 when our congregation moved to this location. At that time, a benefactor furnished us with good library equipment and furnishings. This same family donated the first $1000 to begin our collection of basic library books for church patrons

Come and discover more! Use our library when you “COME! WORSHIP! SERVE!”