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Disclosure: I was given access to the Gold Package of Logos Bible Software in order to review the material for this article. This access has in no way influenced my thoughts or opinions contained in this review.

I'm a big fan of libraries. I enjoy visiting libraries owned by other people, including public libraries. But I really like the idea of building my own personal library filled to the brim with the books and other resources I care about most.

That's one of my life goals.

That's why it was a bit strange for me to begin exploring the ins and outs of Logos Bible Software, both online and as an iPad application. Because, in a very real sense, I do have my own personal library all of a sudden. Thanks to Logos, I now I have access to over a thousand important and influential books -- all available at the push of a button.

This is unquestionably a good thing. Yet if you're anything like me, such access takes a little while to get used to.

Let's dive into the specifics.

Product Strengths

The main strength of Logos Bible Software has to be the overwhelming number of resources it places directly under your fingertips. The numbers are honestly staggering. With my Gold Package subscription, I was given access to 1,076 electronic resources, which includes a number of image collections.

Now, it's certainly true that some of those resources aren't a big deal to me, and I believe there are a few that can be accessed through public domain websites such as Project Gutenberg or BibleGateway.

Even so, my early ventures into the Logos Library uncovered hundreds of resources that I find both exciting and highly practical.

Here are just a few examples:

• Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, by Norman L. Geisler
• The Bible Exposition Commentary, by Warren Wiersbe
• A Harmony of the Gospels, by Archibald T. Robertson
• A complete set of The Holman New Testament Commentary
• Jesus and the Victory of God, by N.T. Wright
• A complete set of The New American Commentary
• A complete set of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, by Philip Schaff
• A complete setof the United Bible Society's Old and New Testament handbook series.
• And much, much more.

One of the elements of the library that surprised me was the number of "normal" books for normal Christians. Meaning, I expected there to be a lot of reference and scholarly material in the Logos package -- which is true. But there are also many books that will appeal to regular Christians and laypeople, including:

• Biblical Answers to Tough Questions, by Charles Ryrie
• The Apologetics Study Bible
• 131 Christians Everyone Should Know, by Mark Galli and Ted Olsen
• Different By Design, by John MacArthur
• And much more

Another strength of the Logos library is the flexibility of product offerings available. I had access to the Gold Package, which actually contains a medium number of resources and features. At the low end, Logos's Starter Package contains almost 200 resources. At the high end, the Portfolio Package contains more than 2,500. This range of products allows for different users to pay for and receive only what they need. 

Finally, I appreciated the efforts Logos has taken to increase the ease of use for its electronic libraries. I did most of my exploring through iPad App available for free through the App Store. I have also worked in the online library managed on Logos's website.

Both access points do an admirable job of allowing users to interact with hundreds (or even thousands) of different books without getting overwhelmed. For example, the search engine actually does a good job of pulling up what you're looking for, which isn't always a given with these kinds of libraries. Also, the different resources can be arranged by date, by author, by title, or even by public rating -- which is a great way to scroll through when you're not looking for anything in particular.

Also, when you're actually reading through an electronic book, the Logos interface is similar to what you would expect from Kindle, iBooks, or other functioning e-readers. You can search the text, bookmark specific pages, make notes, and so on.

Product Weaknesses

For me, price would be the biggest weakness of the different Logos packages. As I mentioned earlier, it's convenient that Logos has divided their resources into a number of different product offerings, which means you don't have to pay for 2,000 books if you only want access to a few hundred or so.

Still, the price for Logos's cheapest product -- the Starter Package -- is almost $300, and everything goes up from there. If you want to purchase the Gold Package, which is what I used, the base price is more than $1,500. Such prices aren't unreasonable for the amount of material to which you gain access. (Logos claims the retail value of the resources in the Gold Package is $21,000.) But they can be an obstacle for those who aren't purchasing from a church budget.

Logos does offer monthly payment plans, which can offset the large hit of the more expensive libraries.

The only other weakness I encountered with the Logos library was the very thing I've also labeled as its greatest strength: the sheer number of available resources. In many ways, using the Logos Library is like drinking from a fire hose. There are just so many books!

This doesn't have to be a problem, of course, and it's certainly better to have too many resources than too few. But as you scroll through page after page of resources available for your scrutiny and attention, there does come a moment where it all feels a bit overwhelming.

Final Thoughts

I feel strongly that the resources available through the Logos Bible Software will be profitable and helpful for any pastor or staff person working in a church today -- especially if that church will foot the bill. Gaining access to the Logos libraries will likely save pastors a great deal of time, allowing them more opportunities for personal ministry and care within their congregations.

The Logos software can also be helpful for lay persons looking to deepen their experiences with God's Word -- especially for those who have leadership responsibilities in Sunday school classes or small groups. Whether or not those libraries can be considered cost effective will be up to each individual.

In the end, if you're looking for a collection of biblical resources that are both scholarly and practical, I can't think of a better tool available than Logos Bible Software.