Dagg Takes on Project to Enhance BKSM Library
|
What began as an effort to help the Bishop Kemper School for Ministry (BKSM) organize several generous donations of books housed in the Upton Hall lounge, has turned into the merger and significant improvement of the BKSM and Grace Cathedral libraries. This monumental project was completed due to the faithful dedication of librarian and educator LeRoy Dagg. |
The Bishop Kemper School and Grace Cathedral could not have found a more qualified volunteer for this project. Dagg has a BA in English from Washburn, a MA in education from KU, a Masters in Theological Studies from Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS), and a Masters of Library Science from Emporia State University.
Dagg decided to take on this project, in part, because he and his wife, the Rev. Kay Dagg, enjoyed working at the library as students at VTS. This experience fed his desire to make BKSM’s resources more usable. “I couldn’t imagine how all those good books would ever be very useful if no one organized them. As far as I knew, no one was beating the door down to get that done, so I asked about it.”
Dagg began this project in the Upton Library in January 2016, organizing books by category, removing duplicates and setting aside books not strongly relevant to Anglican/Episcopal study. He also began making records in Excel spreadsheets, “which was handing for keeping things organized,” Dagg explained.
In the summer of 2016, BKSM and Grace Cathedral decided to merge their collections, so Dagg moved operations over to the Cathedral space and expanded his work, which now included bringing all the books, save a few commentary sets, over from Upton Hall and merging them with the Cathedral collection.
More shelving was needed in the Cathedral space to merge libraries, which required funds from both the Cathedral and BKSM. Carolyn Peterson, board member from the Diocese of Western Kansas, listened to the budget discussion regarding the library merger and expansion at the fall 2016 Board meeting, and she made a generous donation from her mother’s memorial money.
When asked what prompted her offer, Peterson said, “My mother, Wanda Spencer, was a quiet, independent and faithful woman. Reading was her hobby and I had not found an appropriate place for her memorial money. God spoke to me when I heard of the need for shelves for the BKSM library, and I knew she would be proud and humbled.”
Dagg estimates that he has spent 500-600 hours getting the collections sorted, organized, cataloged, labeled and shelved, not to mention the time he has spent building the database and writing the code to make online access as useful and user-friendly for patrons as possible.
This project has been a labor of love. “I really enjoyed taking those resources and getting closer to where people could find and actually use them. It has been nice, quiet work for the most part, and it was possible to work at my own pace not only with the cataloging, but with developing the search system as I went along.”
The Very Rev. Steve Lipscomb, dean of Grace Cathedral, is grateful for Dagg’s ministry. “We are so very appreciative of the countless hours of work LeRoy Dagg has put into the new library effort. He’s done a great job and a great thing for the Cathedral and BKSM.”
The Very Rev. Don Compier, BKSM dean, appreciates the ongoing collaboration between the Cathedral and the School. "The joint library is a very visible demonstration of our warm partnership. From the beginning the Cathedral's staff has been tremendously hospitable and supportive to BKSM. By combining our written resources, we offer a very respectable reference and circulating collection to all life-long learners. Our expert volunteer librarian has been a godsend."
At this time, the library has just under 2,000 catalogued items, all books except for a few audio books and DVDs. Along with a small number of fiction books, collection highlights include:
Although this initial phase of the joint library is now complete, ample opportunities lie ahead, particularly with significant shelf space in the plans for the new BKSM campus. Dagg explained, “We have not accepted additional donations of books for the past year, due to limited shelf space. With the additions to the shelf space, we will be able to add to the collection maybe as early as this summer.”
Additionally, work continues to develop the software for managing the library, which includes a program for adding cataloging records directly to the database and a way of recording checkouts electronically so that the online catalog indicates whether a book is available.
The library is not just a place for BKSM students and other to find useful academic resources to write papers or lead Christian education. Dagg hopes “the BKSM students and parishioners of the Cathedral will come to find the library to be a helpful resource in building up the Body of Christ.”
We couldn’t agree more.
Although the online catalogue’s functionality is still a work in progress, you can check out the online catalog to explore this wonderful resource.
Dagg decided to take on this project, in part, because he and his wife, the Rev. Kay Dagg, enjoyed working at the library as students at VTS. This experience fed his desire to make BKSM’s resources more usable. “I couldn’t imagine how all those good books would ever be very useful if no one organized them. As far as I knew, no one was beating the door down to get that done, so I asked about it.”
Dagg began this project in the Upton Library in January 2016, organizing books by category, removing duplicates and setting aside books not strongly relevant to Anglican/Episcopal study. He also began making records in Excel spreadsheets, “which was handing for keeping things organized,” Dagg explained.
In the summer of 2016, BKSM and Grace Cathedral decided to merge their collections, so Dagg moved operations over to the Cathedral space and expanded his work, which now included bringing all the books, save a few commentary sets, over from Upton Hall and merging them with the Cathedral collection.
More shelving was needed in the Cathedral space to merge libraries, which required funds from both the Cathedral and BKSM. Carolyn Peterson, board member from the Diocese of Western Kansas, listened to the budget discussion regarding the library merger and expansion at the fall 2016 Board meeting, and she made a generous donation from her mother’s memorial money.
When asked what prompted her offer, Peterson said, “My mother, Wanda Spencer, was a quiet, independent and faithful woman. Reading was her hobby and I had not found an appropriate place for her memorial money. God spoke to me when I heard of the need for shelves for the BKSM library, and I knew she would be proud and humbled.”
Dagg estimates that he has spent 500-600 hours getting the collections sorted, organized, cataloged, labeled and shelved, not to mention the time he has spent building the database and writing the code to make online access as useful and user-friendly for patrons as possible.
This project has been a labor of love. “I really enjoyed taking those resources and getting closer to where people could find and actually use them. It has been nice, quiet work for the most part, and it was possible to work at my own pace not only with the cataloging, but with developing the search system as I went along.”
The Very Rev. Steve Lipscomb, dean of Grace Cathedral, is grateful for Dagg’s ministry. “We are so very appreciative of the countless hours of work LeRoy Dagg has put into the new library effort. He’s done a great job and a great thing for the Cathedral and BKSM.”
The Very Rev. Don Compier, BKSM dean, appreciates the ongoing collaboration between the Cathedral and the School. "The joint library is a very visible demonstration of our warm partnership. From the beginning the Cathedral's staff has been tremendously hospitable and supportive to BKSM. By combining our written resources, we offer a very respectable reference and circulating collection to all life-long learners. Our expert volunteer librarian has been a godsend."
At this time, the library has just under 2,000 catalogued items, all books except for a few audio books and DVDs. Along with a small number of fiction books, collection highlights include:
- Christianity, Judaism & other religions: 250
- Bible, including commentaries: 320
- Doctrinal Theology: 230
- Practical theology (pastoral care, liturgics, preaching): 355
- Christian denominations: 319
- “Heavy duty” reference includes collections of the Ante-Nicene Fathers
Although this initial phase of the joint library is now complete, ample opportunities lie ahead, particularly with significant shelf space in the plans for the new BKSM campus. Dagg explained, “We have not accepted additional donations of books for the past year, due to limited shelf space. With the additions to the shelf space, we will be able to add to the collection maybe as early as this summer.”
Additionally, work continues to develop the software for managing the library, which includes a program for adding cataloging records directly to the database and a way of recording checkouts electronically so that the online catalog indicates whether a book is available.
The library is not just a place for BKSM students and other to find useful academic resources to write papers or lead Christian education. Dagg hopes “the BKSM students and parishioners of the Cathedral will come to find the library to be a helpful resource in building up the Body of Christ.”
We couldn’t agree more.
Although the online catalogue’s functionality is still a work in progress, you can check out the online catalog to explore this wonderful resource.