About the Library
All Scholars are Welcome Here.
The Theology Library encourages the pursuit of personal and academic research in all stages of life. We open our doors to the public for in-house consultation of all our materials, without exception.
The Boston University School of Theology Library, located on the second floor of the School of Theology, is an autonomous BU Library that serves the School of Theology community on campus. Our goal as an institution is to build a library that supports the School of Theology in its mission to “cultivate leaders for communities of faith, to enrich the academy, and to seek peace with justice in a diverse and interconnected world.” We collect in areas that support the curriculum of the School of Theology (e.g. Biblical studies, the history of Christianity, theological ethics, doctrinal theology, practical theology, liturgy and homiletics, and Christian education), areas of interest to our STH community, and build upon our already existing and unique collections. Our archives and research collection contains a wealth of records of historical value created by the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church, the Boston University School of Theology, and others (search the archival collection here). For more information, check out our special collections page.
As a Boston University Library, all BU students, faculty, and staff, whether undergraduate or graduate, are welcome to use our library and borrow materials from us. As a member of the Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium, ATLA, and the Boston Library Consortium (through our affiliation with BU Libraries), we allow visitors from these institutions to borrow from us (and, conversely, School of Theology students can borrow from these institutions). Local-area clergy members are able to apply for borrowing privileges at our library, too. Finally, the School of Theology Library encourages the pursuit of personal and academic research in all stages of life. We open our doors to the public for in-house consultation of all our materials, without exception.
Mission Statement
The School of Theology Library is a dynamic, patron-centered institution located centrally within the School of Theology that supports the mission, curriculum, and research needs of the School. The Library collects, preserves, and makes accessible resources that reflect the heritage and rich diversity of theological and religious discourse; in support of the School’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, the Library strives to build a collection that includes works from scholars of various races, genders, sexualities, physical abilities, learning differences, theological perspectives, and global origins. The Library supports faculty research in a number of ways, including:• by keeping abreast of the changing research landscape, implementing emerging technologies, and communicating these changes to faculty
• by facilitating access to resources from other academic libraries (including other libraries within Boston University, libraries within the Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium, and other theological and academic libraries worldwide)
• by identifying and providing access to specialized collections, both print and online, available at Boston University and elsewhere.
Through its instructional programs, the library supports the students at the School by promoting information literacy, lifelong learning, and the ethical and effective use of information. The library provides user spaces and technology for ongoing, collaborative work in the theological disciplines. The library’s staff of dedicated professional librarians are conversant in the study of theology and religion and continue to seek ways to respond to the changing needs of students and scholars engaged in theological research.
Visit our page on library assessment to see how we measure our success.