By Elizabeth Miller
What is a theological library? October is the ideal time to reflect on this answer as it is theological libraries month. Libraries are so much more than brick and mortar buildings filled with books. The American Theological Library Association’s (Atla’s) theme for this year is Creating Constellations: Connecting the World Through Scholarly Communication & the Digital Humanities Atla highlights that in our current, increasingly online environment, libraries are stars in a constellation, connecting researchers to resources. Certainly this is the case at Moravian, for Reeves Library values and supports lifelong learning, integrity, breadth of collections, research, academics, resources, and you.
Lifelong learning
Integrity
Breadth
Research
Academics
Resources
You
Lifelong Learning: Reeves Library aims to promote lifelong learning, for once seminary students graduate, there are still resources available to them. For example, Atlas for Alums is available. Additionally, a number of reputable free resources are featured in the research guide entitled Recommended Resources for Clergy and Alums, including Atla’s Websites on Religion, which focuses on free online sources covering world religions.
Integrity: Using resources ethically is important, regardless of their format and cost. To support proper citation, the librarians maintain a citing sources research guide with examples from various citation styles. Librarians are also available to assist patrons with specific citation questions.
Breadth: Reeves Library offers access to over 75 subscription databases spanning the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. In addition to databases, the library has over 373,000 print books and journals and a growing number of ebooks; over 215,000 to date. New books both in print and eformat are added regularly to the seminary’s collection.
Reeves Library provides information for your Research and Academic pursuits, adding materials that support the curriculum and specific assignments. The seminary liaison librarian collaborates with seminary teaching faculty to select resources that do just that.
Materials that the library acquires to support research and the academic curriculum result in wonderful Resources available to the Moravian community. In the last year, Reeves Library added two new electronic resources related to theology: the Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception Online (EBR) Online from de Gruyter and the Atla Ebook Lending Program Database. EBR Online is a great place to begin research in biblical studies and theology; once complete this comprehensive encyclopedia will span 30 volumes. The Atla Ebook Lending Program Database is available for current seminary students, faculty, and staff and provides access to ebooks on religion and theology. In addition to a wealth of electronic and print resources, Reeves Library participates in several reciprocal borrowing programs at local, regional, and national levels. Moreover, materials not held by the library can be borrowed via interlibrary loan.
You! Librarians are always happy to assist patrons with various information needs. During theological libraries month, the seminary liaison librarian, Elizabeth Young Miller, will be offering Zoom office hours on Tuesday evenings from 7:30 to 8:30 pm. For more details, please contact her at millere@moravian.edu
In summary, as a theological library, Reeves Library values lifelong learning, integrity, breadth of collections, research, academics, resources, and you. Please celebrate and connect with Reeves Library, joining us as a star in our constellation.
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