Tours
Scheduling a Tour
The Library welcomes groups to tour our facilities. We will provide guided tours upon request. Select a tour that best suits your needs from the list below, or contact the library for special requests.
Call the library at least a week in advance to set up a time. We can be reached at (864) 242-5100, extension 6010. Please give us the following information:
- name of the group's contact person
- phone number where contact person can be reached
- number of people in the group
- ages of any children coming
- what you would like to tour
- purpose of the tour (general instruction, recreation, preparation for class assignment, etc.)
- preferred date and time
We request that children's groups have one adult present for every 10 children. High school groups should bring one adult for every 15 students, if possible. Bob Jones Academy and University faculty should accompany their classes.
Visiting groups may wish to combine a library tour with a trip to the Museum and Gallery or another campus tour. You may request information from the individual campus departments.
Tours for all ages
Jerusalem Chamber and University Archives Memorabilia Room
The Jerusalem Chamber houses the library's collection of old and rare Bibles, including a 1611 edition of the King James Version. The Archives Memorabilia Room is a fascinating presentation of the University's history in photos and artifacts. This tour is tailored to fit the interests of the group.
Special Collections
The Special Collections room at J. S. Mack Library is a repository of rare books and fascinating history. The collection includes a 14th century Hebrew scroll, a hand-copied book from the 1200s, an early example of Gutenberg printing, the early years of the Greenville Mountaineer, as well as many other old and rare items. The American Hymnody Collection is also housed here.
Elementary Schools
Overview of the Library and Care of Books
All children benefit from a good library experience, and we are happy to show school-aged children how they can look up a book on the catalog, find that book in the stacks, and take care of it while they're reading. An adult should accompany any child under age 5.
Basics of Research
Upper elementary students are ready to explore the periodicals room and Reader's Guide, basic reference sources, the research process, and electronic resources. Please tell us if you have a particular assignment in mind, and we will adapt this tour to your class. Otherwise, we will give a general overview of library resources on the 4th-6th grade level.
High Schools
The Research Process
We will tailor this tour to fit a particular assignment, such as a research paper. Please contact us ahead of time with information about the assignment and the topics to be researched. We will teach the students how to use keyword searching on the library catalog system, how to find articles in periodicals (using either paper or electronic indexes), what reference sources to use, and where to find good Internet material (if appropriate to the assignment). If the assignment is narrow enough, we will also give each student a handout listing the library's resources on a particular subject area (for example: topics from American History or Current Events).
University
Many Bob Jones University faculty take advantage of the library's resources for bibliographic instruction. The library staff are available to assist faculty in teaching university students the major resources in their subject fields. The faculty member should contact the library at least a week in advance if possible. We may split the group into several smaller groups to facilitate instruction.
These tours can be tailored to fit any class, but here are some examples:
Internet Searching
Specific instruction in searching the World Wide Web using search engines, directories, and metaengines. Instruction will focus on a particular subject field or project. Handouts are provided when possible.
Finding Journal or Research Articles
Instruction in finding periodical articles using electronic indexing, including CINAHL, InfoTrac, and Lexis-Nexis. Can also include an overview of the periodicals room.
ERIC and Education Research
Explanation of the ERIC index to education research documents and articles and instruction on retrieving ERIC documents on microfiche from Periodicals. ERIC can be searched online, in CD-ROM format, and in paper.
Home School Groups
In order to accommodate home school groups, tours can be adapted for both elementary and high school age students.
Adults should accompany children under the age of five.
Other Groups
In the past, the library has given tours to church groups, seminary students, Boy Scout troops, and others. Please contact the Reference Librarian, Jennifer Walton, with your particular interest.