2015 Conference

2012 Conference.

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2015 Keynote Speaker

Mark Taylor, President and CEO of Tyndale House Publishers

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Mark will be telling us the story of “The New Librarian” featuring a businesswoman who is asked to serve as the church’s librarian. The business principles she brings to the task will be useful to all church librarians as they serve in the library ministry.

2015 Conference Schedule

Friday, October 23rd

(1:15 p.m.) Registration

(2:15 p.m.) Workshops

Thinking Outside the Box: Getting People to use your library. — Jane Ahrens

Jane, a church office manager and church librarian for many years, will help you learn to “think outside the box” when it comes to promoting your church library. Feel free to come and share ideas that have worked for you as well as learn different ways to look at promoting your library.

Christian Hero Books for Kids — Judi Turek

Children love superheroes and we want our children’s heroes to be worthy of their respect. Learn about some of the best resources on missionaries and other heroes of the faith that are available for the children’s section of your library. Judi, ECLA board member and 20 year librarian at Wheaton Bible Church, West Chicago, Illinois, will cover fiction and nonfiction picture books, chapter book series, story collections and DVDs.

(3:15 p.m.) Break

(3:30 p.m.) Workshops & Seminars

Writing, Blogging and Reading. — Cindy Akre

Want to be a top-notch writer and/or blogger? Blogger, writer, and homeschool tutor Cindy will share the ingredients and tools you need to excel. The first half of the workshop will cover writing in general with the second half reserved for covering the art of blogging. Come for one half or the other or stay for both, and get tips on writing reviews, journaling, writing attention getters or writing for a blog.

Publishing Companies: Which Ones are Trustworthy for Your Library? — Donna Waln

You’re digging through a box of donated books or browsing through books online or on your local bookstore shelves and as you notice the publishers you may be wondering if their publishing standards are appropriate for your library. Donna, librarian at Compass Church, Wheaton, Illinois Campus, and ECLA Board member will help you identify which of the many Christian publishers, including self-publishing companies fit your acquisition policies.

(5:30 p.m.) Dinner and Leave for Bookstore

Saturday, October 24th

(7:45 a.m.) Registration

(8:15 a.m.) Opening General Session

Publishers Present: New Books Preview.

(9:15 a.m.) Break

(9:45 a.m.) Workshops & Seminars

Ministry with a Non-traditional Kids’ Book — Dave and Carol Hedlin

Like most kids, the kids at Peace Lutheran Church in New Lenox, Illinois have lots of questions! Those questions inspired their church to publish a creative, brightly illustrated, hardcover book entitled Questions KidsAsk About God. The questions came from the kids, the answers came from their pastor, and a committee of church members helped put it together.Pastor and author Dave and his wife and collaborator Carol want you to learn more about how this book is reaching churched and unchurched families and how the ministry continues to spread.

Writing, Blogging and Reading. — Cindy Akre

Christian Hero Books for Kids — Judi Turek

Storytelling in a Secular World — Travis Thrasher

What does it look like to be a Christian artist these days? What is Christian fiction and how does it impact our world? How can you address faith in stories that don’t necessarily sound like they’re faith-based fiction? Author and storyteller Travis Thrasher, author of over thirty works of fiction, will address these themes and share the impact that stories can have on their readers.

Thinking Outside the Book: Innovative Strategies for Encouraging Intellectual Growth in Your Congregation — Tinna Mills

Have you ever wondered how to engage non-readers in solid Biblical teaching? How about those with reading disabilities or visual impairments? What about those who might read, if only books were made more readily accessible to them? If so, join me and start thinking outside the book about unique ways to serve your church community. Tinna Mills is an ECLA board member with a masters in library science. She currently works in a public library.

Reading Programs, Promotion, Nuts and Bolts and More — Lisa Kern

Lisa, librarian at College Church, Wheaton, Illinois, and former ECLA Board member knows what works in her library. She has experience with everything from reading programs to bulletin boards, from computer software to promotion ideas, and she’s prepared to share what she knows with you.

(10:45 a.m.) Break

(11:00 a.m.) Keynote

See Keynote description above.

(12:00 p.m.) Lunch

(1:00 p.m.) Workshops & Seimnars

Hot Fiction Titles (Part 1) — Chris Jager

What new fiction has Chris read this past year? Come find out what are the must-have titles for your library shelves. Chris has over eighteen years of experience in the fiction world as the fiction buyer for the Baker Book House, the bookstore arm of Baker PublishingGroup. She loves sharing her love of fiction with ECLA conference attendees so much that each year she schedules her vacations around it.

Nonfiction that Circulates — Diane Fisher
As church librarians we all want our collections to be God-honoring and useful. Join Diane, librarian at Bethel Presbyterian Church in Wheaton, Illinois, and former ECLA board member, as she highlights recent nonfiction choices for your library. Come prepared to participate in sharing your love of true stories, biographies, church history, or even theology by introducing one stellar nonfiction adult book, DVD, or CD that gets rave reviews from patrons in your library.

(2:15 p.m.) Workshops

Hot fiction Titles (part 2) — Chris Jager

What new fiction has Chris read this past year? Come find out what are the must-have titles for your library shelves.Chris has over eighteen years of experience in the fiction world as the fiction buyer for the Baker Book House, the bookstore arm of Baker PublishingGroup. She loves sharing her love of fiction with ECLA conference attendees so much that each year she schedules her vacations around it.

Thinking Outside the Box: Getting People to use your library. — Jane Ahrens

Tyndale House Publishers: Perspectives on Issues in English Bible Translations — Mark Taylor

Mark Taylor, President and CEO of Tyndale House Publishers since 1984, will highlight some of the issues that come up in Bible translation work.

Choosing Bible Storybooks for Kids — Melody Green

Bible storybooks help children remember the wonderful stories they have read in God’s Word. Green, dean at the Urbana Theological Seminary, will help you choose the best and most appropriate of these storybooks for kids, all ages.

Publishing Companies: Which Ones are Trustworthy for Your Library? — Donna Waln

2015 Conference

2015 Keynote Speaker