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Book Table
Congregants peruse books at the Book Table on
September 11, 2011
Stirring the hearts and minds of our
congregants is our book table, which is open for
business most Sundays from late August through late May.
Sunday mornings, when the storage
cabinet is opened and selected books are also displayed on a table, we find
ourselves gathering together, thumbing through these wonderful selections,
and remembering why we first walked through the front doors of a Unitarian
Universalist Church.
The book table and cabinet are
located adjacent to the sunny seating area in our Greeting Area which
overlooks the meadow and wildflowers behind our church.
The Book Table is designed as a service for our members,
friends and visitors. Its purposes are to have books readily available to
enhance current religious education programs in the church and to serve the
reading interests of Unitarian Universalists. Some of the books are by local
UU authors who often donate part of the proceeds to the Book Table fund.
The Book Table Team, whose members are listed at the
bottom of this page, takes turns staffing the table. The Team also suggests
books to be purchased based on interest and need. Books are ordered from the
Downtown Book and Toy store in Jefferson City (30% discount) and from the
UUA Bookstore (no discount). No profit is made from the book sales. The Book
Table is not a fundraising activity.
The team also manages a used book cart where used books
donated by church members and friends are sold.
Book Selection Criteria
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Books for discussion groups, seminars and committee
needs. These are often requested from a group or for an activity, e.g.
Common Read program.
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Books on Unitarian Universalist principles, theology,
and history.
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Books of personal or general interest to church
members in the areas of theology, sociology, history, politics,
comparative religion, parenting, self-help, personal growth, peace
studies and global issues.
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A limited selection of books for children and teens
dealing with some of the topics mentioned above.
Book Table Team Responsibilities
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Help with selection of books to order and help members
select books.
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Staff the book table on Sunday mornings (take turns)
from 10:15 AM to 12:00 PM
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Keep accurate records. A year-end report and inventory
will be done every July.
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Chair will keep accurate monthly records of sales,
orders and inventory and submit to Church Administrator. Chair will
order books based on suggestions from the BT Team, from church members
and from book reviews, UUA Book News, etc.
Finance
The Book Table is self-supporting, although the Finance
Committee has designated a "buffer" of $500 in case there is a cash-flow
problem. The Book Table funds are on-going and do not close out at the end
of the fiscal year.
The books are priced with a 25% discount and no taxes are
charged. Most books are purchased from the Jefferson City book store because
of the discount and no shipping and handling charges. The UUA Bookstore has
no discount and charges for shipping and handling unless the order is of 10
books of the same title.
2011-12 Book Table Team Members
Used Book Cart
How does it work? Members bring their
used books to the book cart. Folks browse the cart, taking the books they
want to read. A small monetary donation is requested and can be left in the
conveniently placed collection box. Donations are entirely voluntary.
Where is the Book Cart? It’s located in
the hallway opposite the coat racks in the greeting area.
Who gets the money? The church
administrator collects the money and deposits it to the church bank account
every week. The funds are credited to the “fundraising” income category of
the general operating budget.
Why should I participate? You will
benefit by reducing the number of books in your house, by sharing
interesting books with fellow members and friends, enjoying new books from
others, and by contributing in a small way to the church’s finances.
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