# Best Theological Library In America



## Romans922 (Nov 5, 2007)

What is the best theological library in America? If we get enough answers maybe we can make this into a poll.


----------



## Puritan Sailor (Nov 5, 2007)

It's probably a tie between Yale, Harvard, Princeton, and Library of Congress. Perhaps University of Chicago is up there too.


----------



## cih1355 (Nov 5, 2007)

The Flora Lamson Hewlett Library of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA.


----------



## Guido's Brother (Nov 5, 2007)

For a Reformed person, it's hard to beat the Hekman Library at Calvin College/Seminary in Grand Rapids. And the H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies (also at Hekman) is incredible.


----------



## DTK (Nov 5, 2007)

Romans922 said:


> What is the best theological library in America? If we get enough answers maybe we can make this into a poll.



I have used the Pitts Theological Library on the campus of Emory University in Decatur, Georgia. Its special collections department is especially good. I've been told by several folk there that it is the third best theological library in the US, but I am no expert to judge those claims. But I did find things there I could find no where else within my reach.

DTK


----------



## Dieter Schneider (Nov 5, 2007)

Sounds great - so who is gonna get me a job?


----------



## Backwoods Presbyterian (Mar 5, 2008)

I must confess that the Library at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is one of the best theological libraries in the U.S. I know it is the third largest in the East.


----------



## Reformed Covenanter (Mar 5, 2008)

Romans922 said:


> What is the best theological library in America? If we get enough answers maybe we can make this into a poll.



Andrew Myers' house.


----------



## jawyman (Mar 5, 2008)

Guido's Brother said:


> For a Reformed person, it's hard to beat the Hekman Library at Calvin College/Seminary in Grand Rapids. And the H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies (also at Hekman) is incredible.



Living in GR, I can't tell how invaluable this resource is, but I do have to vote for my seminary's library too. Puritan Reformed maybe small for now, but our library is mighty if you want solid Reformed and Puritan works.


----------



## greenbaggins (Mar 5, 2008)

Daniel Ritchie said:


> Romans922 said:
> 
> 
> > What is the best theological library in America? If we get enough answers maybe we can make this into a poll.
> ...



Or at least his warehouse.


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Mar 5, 2008)

greenbaggins said:


> Daniel Ritchie said:
> 
> 
> > Romans922 said:
> ...


----------



## timmopussycat (Mar 5, 2008)

Admittedly it's not within the U. S. of A., but the combined Regent College - Carey Theological College library in Vancouver, BC is very good. Given that it is a branch of the Evangelical Library in London, I can get just about anything I need from it. 

And let's not forget that any library that is linked to Early English Books Online has online access to just about every Puritan publication that ever was. Your local University library should have this access.


----------



## govols (Mar 5, 2008)

From what I hear it is Al Mohler's personal library.


----------



## DMcFadden (Mar 5, 2008)

Certainly not the best, but I am only a few minutes from . . .



> Fuller library provides a collection of over 500,000 books, media, and bound periodical volumes. It offers over 10,000 full-text electronic periodical titles, over 10,000 eBooks, and over 3,400 print periodical titles.



Last time I did some research there, I didn't even need an exorcism afterwards.


----------



## crhoades (Mar 6, 2008)

WTS PA's is nice. Fuller's is rather large and even in town, Vanderbilt's Divinity isn't too shabby.


----------



## Ivan (Mar 6, 2008)

govols said:


> From what I hear it is Al Mohler's personal library.



Put Dr. Mohler's and Andrew's library together and I'd say you'd have something special. Of course, either we do for me!


----------



## danmpem (Mar 6, 2008)

I heard that the Boyce College/Southern Seminary was one of the biggest in the Western Hemisphere.


----------



## N. Eshelman (Mar 6, 2008)

Dr. Beeke tells us that Union Theological Seminary library is the best in the US.


----------



## Sydnorphyn (Mar 6, 2008)

Princeton's is the best on the east coast - the best for Karl Barth, probably in the States - of course, you need to read and enjoy Barth (which all reformed believers should) to enjoy it.

Partial


----------



## DMcFadden (Mar 7, 2008)

Sydnorphyn said:


> Princeton's is the best on the east coast - the best for Karl Barth, probably in the States - of course, you need to read and enjoy Barth (which all reformed believers should) to enjoy it.
> 
> Partial



The brag is that the Princeton libraries contain the largest theological collection in the United States and second in the world, behind only the Vatican Library in Rome. Princeton is for Barth studies what Grand Rapids is for Calvin and the Puritans. The Burke Library at Union has 604,000 bound volumes. Westminster (East) has 140,000 bound volumes; Puritan Reformed holds 40,000+; Westminster CA claims 120,000 volumes; Fuller has 500,000 books and media.


----------

