ASDAL ACTION
PICTURE BOOK READING CORNER, MAKERBOXES AND EDURINO, P 4
ASDAL Action
Volume 44, No. 2 | Spring 2025 ISSN 1523-8997
Editor Tamara Karr
About ASDAL
ASDAL is an organization for individuals interested in Seventh-day Adventist librarianship. The Association was formed to enhance communication between Seventh Adventist librarians and to promote librarianship and library services to Seventh institutions.
The association holds an Annual Conference, publishes ASDAL Action, awards the D. Glenn Hilts Scholarship, and is a sponsor of the Seventh-day Adventist Periodical Index. The Adventist Library Information Cooperative (ALICE) is a service provided by the Association to give Member Libraries enhanced database access opportunities at reduced cost through collective efforts and resource sharing within the Cooperative.
Letters to the Editor
contents
Judith Thomas Library’s New Meditation Gallery Read More on Page 12.
FEATURES
We welcome your comments and questions. Please submit letters to the editor to actioneditor@asdal.org
Membership is open to those who support the goals of the Association. Members receive a oneyear subscription to ASDAL Action and discounted conference registration.
Get Involved with ASDAL
All members are invited to get involved in ASDAL. On the ASDAL website, select Get Involved on the quick links.
ASDAL Executive Committee
President: Adorée Hatton
President-elect: Sheila Clark
Past President: Michelle Carbonilla
Secretary: Maryann Krueger
Treasurer: Neal Smith
ASDAL Action Editor: Tamara Karr
7 PICTURE BOOK READING CORNER, MAKERBOXES AND EDURINO
BY PETRA DÜRSCH
12 JUDITH THOMAS LIBRARY; THE MEDITATION GALLERY: A SPECIAL CORNER
BY NORAH MAUTI
NORTH AMERICAN CHAPTER CONFERENCE INFORMATION
BY MARIANNE KORDAS
14 PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
BY MICHELLE O. CARBONILLA
COLUMNS, CONFERENCE, ETC.
3
4 FROM THE PRESIDENT
20
ASDAL NORTH AMERICAN CHAPTER UPDATE
17 BYTES & BITS
Dear ASDAL Community,
When I agreed to run for the role of ASDAL President, I never imagined that I would be serving during such a major transition! But we are well on our way to becoming a truly international group – and I love to see it. Of course, this comes with a few growing pains – questions without answers and a need for new ideas and processes. Thank you for your understanding as we develop new approaches and procedures. Change can be challenging, but it also opens doors to growth, connection, and renewed purpose.
If you aren’t aware, we now have four active local chapters: the African, European, Latin American, and North American chapters – and all four are hosting a local conference or meeting this year! More information can be found on the ASDAL website (https://www.asdal.org/). I’m thrilled to see these chapters become active and integral to their local librarian communities. We hope that other regions will see what’s happening and be inspired to build chapters of their own. Our next opportunity to meet as an international group is planned for 2028 in Latin America.
On behalf of the International Executive Committee, I want to share that we are launching some new processes to foster greater transparency and consistency across ASDAL. We will be collecting simple monthly reports from local chapters and international committees. These updates will be made available to all members, allowing you to stay better informed about the important work happening throughout our community and across regions. We also encourage you to use the forum on the ASDAL website to ask questions and share suggestions (https://www.asdal.org/Sys/ Login?ReturnUrl=%2fMember-Forum%2f). This is a collaborative association, and we’re always open to new ideas!
I know that in these challenging times, libraries and librarians are being asked to do more with less. I hope this Association can be a source of camaraderie, ideas, and inspiration. I recently returned from the Medical Library Association conference and found it incredibly energizing. I came back reinvigorated and excited to begin new projects. I’m confident that this year’s regional ASDAL conferences will have a similar effect. It was inspiring to connect with colleagues,
explore new approaches, and see how other library organizations are navigating change. I’m eager to bring that energy into our ASDAL work and look forward to collaborating with all of you as we move ahead.
Thank you for being part of this vibrant, missiondriven community,
Adorée (Hatton) Makusztak ASDAL International President
Adorée Hatton Makusztak is the Research and Instruction Librarian at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California
Petra Dürsch is the Head of the School Media Library at the Campus Marienhöhe gGmbH, Germany
The cost of registration covers a broad array of lectures and place-based, experiential learning opportunities, such as
· Presentations
o ASDAL member presenters, such as Dr. Cima and Dr. Adeogun
o Keynote speaker: Cheryl Wilson from the Michigan Department of Education
o Book repair workshop with Kimberly the BookDoctor, sponsored by DEMCO
· Local Tours
o Cultural outing to St. Joseph, Michigan
· Krasl Art Center: inside galleries and outside sculptures guided tours (https://krasl.org/)
· Municipal band concert (optional)
· Free time for restaurants, ice cream, shopping, the Silver Beach Carousel, and sunset on the beach at Lake Michigan
o Andrews University Campus
· James White Library, including refurbished learning commons, gallery, and Seminary library (https://www.andrews.edu/services/library/ index.html)
· Center for Adventist Research (https://centerforadventistresearch.org/)
· ADL digitizing lab
· Music Material Center, Hamel Hall
· Architecture Resource Center, Architecture Department Building
· Horn Archeology Museum, featuring their library that JWL catalogs,
a Bedouin tent exhibit, and Heshbon dig artifacts. (https:// andrewsarchaeology.org/museum/)
· Andrews University Museum of Nature & Science, including the Prillowitz mammoth skeleton and updated approaches to indexing/ displaying their collections (https:// www.andrews.edu/agenda/64209/)
· Arboretum walking tour while on rotations between buildings. (https://www.andrews.edu/life/studentmovement/issues/2023-11-03/humans-anarboretum-of-beauty.html)
o Berrien Springs, Michigan
· Berrien Springs Community Library
· Berrien County Historical Association & the History Center at Courthouse Square, site of AU/EMC’s first classes in the oldest remaining courthouse complex in Michigan (https://new.berrienhistory.org/):
à Tour grounds and facilities
à Interact with local history exhibits
à Dialog with the curator in the archives open-learning lab
à View organization efforts to preserve local history records
à Enjoy a suppertime lecture by the BCHA director, with catering from Town Hall Pizza (vegan and GF options will be available) (https://www.townhallpizza.com/)
· Two Formal Meals
1. Opening reception & banquet dinner
2. Farewell Lunch
Extra tickets for the opening banquet are available as follows:
1 extra ticket $25.00 (USD)
2 extra tickets $50.00 (USD)
3 extra tickets $75.00 (USD)
4 extra tickets $100.00 (USD)
One banquet ticket is included with conference registration. If you want any guests to attend with you, please purchase them along with your online registration.
OPTIONAL TOUR to the HISTORIC ADVENTIST VILLAGE On Sabbath, June 28, we are offering a day trip for those who wish to see the Oak Hill Cemetery (https://www.battlecreekvisitors.org/listing/oakhill-cemetery/2445/) and the Historic Adventist Village in Battle Creek, Michigan. ( https://adventistheritage.org/ahm-sites/historic-adventist-village/)
We will visit the graves of the Kellog, Post, and White families, enjoy a boxed lunch, and then take a guided tour of the Village to get a taste of what life was like for nineteenth-century Adventists, including stops at the Parkville church and the White residence. This tour will leave you spiritually encouraged and better informed about our Adventist pioneers
We will depart from Berrien Springs at 9am and return around 6pm for supper. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes as there is a significant amount of walking involved. Mobility accommodations may be made if arranged in advance with the tour coordinator at kordas@andrews.edu
The Sabbath tour is completely optional, so no ticket is included with conference registration. If you and your family/guests want to join the tour, please purchase tour tickets along with your other online payments for the
1 tour ticket $65.00 (USD)
2 tour tickets $130.00 (USD)
3 tour tickets $195.00 (USD)
4 tour tickets $260.00 (USD)
This tour is limited to 30 people due to transportation constraints, so sign up ASAP!
JUDITH THOMAS LIBRARY
THE MEDITATION GALLERY: A SPECIAL CORNER
By Norah Mauti
The Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only standard of truth. The church, through intense prayer and study of the Holy Scriptures, identified pillars of truth or doctrines that have been organized into a total of twenty-eight fundamental beliefs. These beliefs constitute the church’s understanding and expression of the teaching of the scriptures.
Judith Thomas library at Adventist University of Africa has exhibited these beliefs in form of a gallery which is referred as the mediation gallery. This gallery is for easy reference, consultation, and learning more about the Seventh-day Adventists. At the same time, the mediation gallery is a place of quiet and tranquility where users can retreat from the rigor of study, assignments and research, albeit for a few minutes, and “rest a while”, as they soak themselves into the aura of peace and calm spirit that the surrounding offers.
The gallery is located in the inner side of the second floor of the library building, and it is accessed from within the library. It boasts natural lighting that permeates from the transparent roofing materials that were conveniently used to illuminate the middle portion of the library all the way to the ground floor, offering natural lighting right within the building.
Its four walls are dotted with a colorful collage of a summary of all the twenty-eight Seventh-day Adventist fundamentals beliefs that give every visitor to the gallery a constant reminder of the pillars upon which the Seventh-day Adventist Church is established.
It offers a perfect get away for meditation upon the user’s cares of life, as they take in the lessons from the ‘teacher’ walls. Therein, the students, faculty, staff and other library users can also say silent prayers without interruption, as they present their academic odyssey unto the master teacher, before resuming their studies.
Finally, the gallery is a place that integrates faith and learning – a constant reminder of the greater light, upon which each learner should aspire to reach, even as they pursue their earthly education
Figure 1: Meditation Gallery
NEW BOOKS AVAILABLE: AGENTLECLASHOF CULTURES
By Lance Millam
Dr. Dale L. Clayton, retired professor from Southwestern Adventist University, and his wife have published a compelling book chronicling their mission experiences in the Philippines. This engaging work offers valuable insights and inspiration for readers with an interest in mission service.
Lance Millam is a University Librarian at Can Shun Centennial Library at Southwester Adventist University.
HERE TO SERVE: OAKWOOD LIBRARY AND THE COMMUNITY
By Nicola Palmer
The Eva B. Dykes Library takes seriously its mandate to be an information and service hub, both for Oakwood University and the community of Huntsville, Alabama. It was with this consideration in mind that our Library responded to a need of a community member to serve as the host location for her book signing event. On Sunday November 10, 2024 ‘The Eva’ was the place to be for the celebration and signing of the book “When God Speaks, Do You Hear What I Hear” written by Janice I. Stevenson.
Janice expressed her hope to have a signing and sale of her book as she wished to share her story of her encounters with God and also offset medical bills. As a community gesture, our library offered to serve as the ‘place and space’ thus solving this particular concern of the author. The event was well received by visitors and students who were using the library that day. With tears of gratitude and relief, Janice acknowledged the contribution of the Eva B. Dykes Library to the success and impact of the event. We were more than happy to be God’s hands and feet, as we reflected one of Oakwood’s values; “Oakwood chooses to provide assistance, aid, help, caring, outreach and ministry in response to human need”.
Nicola Palmer is the Public Service Librarian at Eva D. Dyles Library at Oakwood University.
CO-LED CONFERENCE HOSTED BY MCKEE
LIBRARY AND HISTORY DEPARTMENT
By Jessica Spears
"America’s Long Nineteenth Century: Ideas, Transitions, and People," was a dynamic conference co-led by McKee Library and the History Department at Southern Adventist University. Having taken place on April 3, 2025, this event dove into the rich tapestry of American history spanning from the early 1800s to the dawn of the 20th century. Attendees explored transformative ideas, pivotal transitions, and the influential figures who shaped the era.
This year's conference featured papers in honor of the memory of Ben McArthur, whose work as a teacher and scholar of the long nineteenth century covered subjects from American cultural history to US government, Christianity, pedagogy, and local history. Because of this special focus, our conference concluded with a plenary address in coordination with the Southern Scholar's Third Annual McArthur Lecture.
Jessica Spears is the Research Services Librarian at McKee Library at Southern University.
