Book Sharing Built for
Churches
Share books as a congregation, let members contribute from their own shelves, and see what your community is reading—all in one simple app.
Everything Your Church Needs to Share Books
Modern tools designed for how church communities actually work
Self-Service Checkout
Members check out books themselves—no library cards, no checkout desk. Church-owned books auto-approve for instant lending.
Unlimited Volunteer Admins
Add multiple admins and library managers at no extra cost. Perfect for volunteer teams—share the workload across your staff.
Custom Library Tags
Organize your collection with custom tags like 'Women's Ministry', 'Small Groups', or 'Youth'. Members can create personal tags too.
Automated Lending
Due date reminders, return notifications, and automatic waitlists. Less work for volunteers, fewer lost books.
Reading Challenges
Create congregation-wide reading challenges that unite your church. Celebrate progress together and build a culture of biblical literacy.
Curated Content
Approve which books are included in your library. Curate excellent content across many genres that aligns with biblical principles.
Simple, Powerful, Beautiful
Start sharing books in minutes—no complicated setup or expensive equipment
Create Your Library
Choose public or private. Name it, describe it, and you're ready. Takes under 5 minutes.
Scan Your Books
Use your phone camera to scan ISBN barcodes. Book details are added automatically—title, author, cover, and more.
Invite & Share
Invite members to join. They can browse, request books, and track reading. The system handles lending automatically.
Your Congregation Already Owns Great Books
Agathos Books lets members share their personal books with the church. A pastor's study, a deacon's theology collection, a member's parenting library—all become available to the congregation. Your 50-book church library becomes 500 books when members contribute.
- Members scan and contribute their personal books
- Book owners approve each lending request
- Admins curate which books appear in the catalog
- Library-owned books are auto-approved for convenience
Larger Library
Without spending a dime
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost?
Free to start, no credit card required. The free tier works well for small churches. Paid plans add more books and members when you outgrow it.
How do member-contributed books work?
Members scan their personal books and add them to the church library. When someone requests a member-owned book, the owner gets a notification and can approve or decline. Library-owned books are auto-approved for immediate lending.
What if a book gets damaged or lost?
The system tracks lending behavior with a reliability score. Members who return books on time build trust. There's a dispute resolution process if issues arise. Book owners can decline requests from anyone they're concerned about.
Do volunteers need training?
No. Point your phone at a barcode, tap to add. Most of the work is automated—due date reminders, return notifications, waitlists. Volunteers spend less time managing books and more time building community.
How do we add our existing books?
Scan each book's barcode with your phone. The system looks up the title, author, and cover automatically. For large existing collections, contact us about bulk migration.
How do we keep people accountable for returns?
The system sends due date reminders and overdue notifications automatically. Members build a track record over time. Late returns drop significantly compared to manual tracking.
Ready to Start?
Whether you're organizing an existing collection or starting fresh, Agathos Books makes it simple. Your congregation already owns great books—now make them available to everyone.
Free to start. No credit card required.