Andover-Harvard Theological Library

Andover-Harvard holds about 100,000 volumes of rare books, tracts, pamphlets and other historical material, including 23 incunabula. The holdings include early Hebrew, Latin and Greek Bibles as well as many Bibles in vernacular languages printed on missionary presses. There are first editions of Luther, Calvin, Melanchthon, Zwingli, Arminius and other reformers. Its collection of pamphlets is strong in all aspects of American religious life, especially with attentiveness to issues of diversity in regard to gender, race, ethnicity, religious tradition, and class. The library serves as the institutional archives for the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, and their predecessor agencies; this includes collections of all available works of recorded knowledge--books, pamphlets, hymnals, serial, curricula, and ephemeral publications as well as manuscripts, congregational records, papers of clergy, and other formats. The library also collects in depth the publications of the so-called nonconforming and dissenting bodies, e.g., Congregational, Mennonites, Quakers, Anabaptists, and Moravians. See the library's collections pages for more information.

Recent classes at the Andover-Harvard Theological Library include Julie's Class Title and Women and Christian Missions in World History.

Collections

  • Manuscripts and Archives This department focuses on collecting Unitarian Universalist records, the papers of Harvard Divinity School faculty members, the informal records of Harvard Divinity School, and collections that support the School's mission to be a major resource in global religious studies.
  • Historical Collections (including Rare Books) Andover-Harvard holds a large collection of printed pamphlets from the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Andover-Harvard holds about 85,000 volumes of rare books, tracts and other rare materials. Most were printed before 1851. The collection includes 23 incunabula, or books printed during the earliest period of printing with movable type, roughly from the time of the printing of the Gutenberg Bible to the early 16th-century. The oldest is a book on virtues by Guillelmus Paraldus printed "not after 1475."

    • Staff Services

    • Assistance with presentation of materials in class
    • Assistance with selection of materials
    • Bibliography of materials used in class
    • Pre-class planning appointment
    • Ongoing reference assistance for students interested in using collections for course assignments
    • Introduction to Archives and Special Collections Research

    Technology Available

    • Stained Glass Window
    • Computer and data projector
    • DVD player
    • Cassette player
    • 35 mm slide projector
    • Overhead transparency projection
    • Wifi
    • VHS video player
    • CD audio player

    Administrative Information

      Class limit: 20

      More on teaching at the Andover-Harvard Theological Library

    The Andover-Harvard Theological Library does not have a publicly available calendar. When making a request, please submit with your preferred times and a staff member will get back to you.

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