Getting to Know the Library--part 4
What could be considered the core of the library is the section dealing with the Bible and theology, under the Dewey Decimal number 200s section. This is also the section that I would like to augment most in the future, in support of the church's teaching mission.
Knowing how this section is arranged will help you in finding books even without using the catalog. Bible handbooks, dictionaries, and concordances start off the 200s, followed by various versions and translations of the Bible at 220.5. Next come guides to interpretation and Bible study, commentaries, and books on historical knowledge related to the Bible. Starting at number 222, and running to 224, are books on the Old Testament, either as a whole or as individual books, in the same order as they appear in our English Bibles. Similarly, the New Testament books appear between 225 and 228.
Next on the shelves are works of doctrine and theology starting at 230, with such subtopics as: God, man, salvation, prophecy, eschatology, and apologetics.
One of the largest categories of books, "Christian Living", is shelved under the 240s (particularly 248). Because this is such a wide topic, it may be best to use the catalog to find what you are looking for here on such subjects as: marriage, child raising, discipleship, suffering, and prayer.
To round out the 200s category, you will find missions and missionary stories under 266, church history under 270, and other Christian denominations and cults under 280 and 290.
As always, feel free to ask if you need help finding something, or would like a demonstration on using the computer catalog.
Library News - May 2007