While it had been possible to borrow books from the minister’s and RE offices for many years, the library as we now know it was a planned part of the 1998 addition to the church. After relying on the hard work of one library person for many years, (when books were acquired mainly as second-hand gifts), Church Council approved the establishment of a formal Library Committee in 2006, allowing the Coots Library to receive support in the annual budget. A new classification system was implemented making it easier to locate books, new shelving was added making it possible to separate the adult and children’s collections, and all books were catalogued by author and by title in both an old-fashioned card catalog and an up-to-date online catalog. In 2015 the library moved to an online catalog only, although the old card catalog remains available for checking on books acquired and accessioned through August 2015.
Book reviews appear in the church newsletter and on this website and a handsome book cart in the Social Room displays withdrawn books that may be purchased by donation. Every Sunday, volunteers staff a book table in the Social Room, which displays books that may be borrowed. A Book Fair is held annually, programs such as “Reading Raffle” encourage use of the library by children, and the three window sills in the library feature a changing display of new books.