Store hymn books upright w/title showing

[sbradshaw]

Good point. I've been told directly that the book holders are designed to hold three books because so many buildings share with a foreign language unit.

One of the buildings I met in a few years ago had hymnbook holders on the back and under each pew. The holders on the back of each pew held the English hymnals, and the holders under each pew held the Spanish hymnals.

[russellhltn]

I've been told directly that the book holders are designed to hold three books ...

That may depend on how old your building (or at least the pews) are. I'm pretty sure the current hymnals are larger then their predecessors. What could hold 3 of the old ones can now only hold 2 of the green ones.

[lajackson]

I was in a meetinghouse Sunday where hymnbooks were upright, two to a slot. If you had laid them on their spine you would only have been able to fit one book in a holder.

[rc4allred]

100% agree! Hymnals should be stored flat or upright; not on their spines. A handful of PM groups have little understanding compared with millions of libraries across multiple centuries. I travel to many wards across the United States and internationally. I have only seen this mystifying trend in Utah. It does not prolong book life. Please educate leaders and member to stop it.

[lajackson]

I have only seen this mystifying trend in Utah.

I have also seen it in Ohio, New Jersey, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Texas.

[MacNeish]

When recommending to store the hymnals on upright with the face out (so people can see the title) has anyone considered:
1) Everyone knows it is our hymnal

2) More importantly, the rack attached to the back of the pew is flush and angled with the pew, not perpendicular to the floor. Storing the hymnal upright, places an uneven base and (per the attached image) causes the hymnal to sit twisted. I would vote for the old way of lying on the back.

[wrigjef]

Since this original post I had a conversation with church facilities when I visited SL. I was asking about new technology trends but this subject came up. He told me that books should be stored on the bottom short end. I asked about stress and damage his reply was that was the reason that new hymn books can be requested. If units got one case per year and rotated them, everything would always be in good shape. At the time of our discussion facilities would pay for one case per building per year.

[mwhitmer]

I have a question. I saw a few answers on this post talking about opening up new hymn books the right way so they don't split on the first song sung out of it? How do you properly open up a new hymn book?

[wrigjef]

My plan is to continue following the council received from FM. Upright with title facing out. I know many people, even on this website, don’t agree with that counsel but I will continue to put my hymn book away the correct way, i place them upright with title facing out when I’m assigned to clean the chapel and I encourage others to do so.

[jsorens6]

I love this discussion (only for the frivolity of it) and because I am staunchly on team spine.

My wife has taken on herself the role of hymn book fixer so she's fixed so many books in the last 15 years with book binding glue that I can't count.

Reading through this forum is the first I saw that FM would be willing to buy a box per year. I never requested that in my 10 years serving in the bishopric of my current ward. I like it and will pursue that now with our current bishopric.