Public
Services and Special Collections
The Library offers reference service to assist patrons in making the fullest possible use of library resources. Patrons may expect assistance from the Reference Librarian in using the computer catalog, microforms, periodical indexes, and reference and bibliographical tools, whether they are located in the Reference Room or elsewhere in the general collection. The Reference Librarian is trained in theological research and welcomes the opportunity to help you plan and conduct your study projects.
A few Reference Room reminders:
- Books and periodicals may not be removed from the Reference Room except for photocopying. Please return them to the book truck in the Reference Room.
- Materials should not be reshelved either in the Reference Room or in the stack areas but left on the book truck in the center of the Reference Room.
- There may be duplicate copies of Bibles, commentaries, and other reference materials in the stacks, in case you would like a circulating copy. Also, remember that we keep only a small sample of commentaries in the Reference Room -- there are many additional titles available in the stacks.
- Please do not bring food of any kind into the Reference Room; drinks must be in covered, spill-proof containers.
- We try to maintain a quiet environment in the Reference Room. Please do not carry on conversations there (the building contains many group study rooms for people working together). Cell phones should be turned off or taken outside.
COMPUTER RESEARCH TOOLS. The ATLA Religion Database is the most important tool for identifying periodical articles, book reviews, articles in festschriften, essays, and other materials in the field of religion. The library provides access to the ATLA Religion Database through links on our website (go to the Online Databases page). You will also find there other important indexes in religion, such as the Catholic Periodical and Literature Index, New Testament Abstracts and Old Testament Abstracts, as well as some general scholarly full-text resources, such as Academic OneFile and Expanded Academic ASAP. Other electronic sources include BibleWorks, Thesaurus Linguæ Græcæ, Religious and Theological Abstracts, Hymnal Companion, Encarta Africana, Index Islamicus, Luther's Works, the Dead Sea Scrolls Electronic Library, and the Digital Karl Barth Library. Access to the ATLA-RDB, the ATLAS full-text periodicals database, the Evans Digital collection, WorldCat and other FirstSearch databases is possible through our Library website. Many more electronic reference sources are reachable through MetaLib. These online resources may be used by all patrons within the Library. They may also be used from computers off-campus by students, faculty and staff of the RTC institutions with a valid user ID and password.
EXTENSION SERVICES
THE EXTENSION DEPARTMENT. This department offers a mailing service to out-of-town borrowers who wish to receive library books, videos, DVDs, cassette tapes and CDs through the mail. There is a charge for mailing visual materials. Inquiries about extension services should be addressed to the Extension Librarian, Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education, 3401 Brook Road, Richmond, VA 23227. For borrowing details, see also the Extension Department page.
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
ARCHIVES AND RARE BOOKS. Archival records, manuscripts, rare books and rare periodicals are kept in a secure, climate-controlled area. These materials may be consulted in the Rare Book Room only. Materials documenting the history of Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education are housed here. The library also maintains a collection of papers of current and former seminary faculty. The rare book collection contains more than 5000 volumes, including many rare Bibles and the John Calvin collection. Access can be arranged by appointment. For further information, please see the Special Collections website.
MICROFORMS. Selected books, periodicals, and records of Presbyterian churches in Virginia are maintained in microform only. Increasingly, both periodicals and monographs are being placed on microfiche or microfilm for the purpose of preservation. The library has approximately 31,000 microforms which are accessed through the public catalog.
OTHER COLLECTIONS. The library also maintains several collections of pamphlets, and a series of vertical files, containing ephemeral materials on a variety of subjects. Both collections are managed by the Reference Librarian.
PERIODICALS
PERIODICALS. The library subscribes to over 950 periodicals. In addition to currently received periodicals, the library maintains large runs of journals, which have ceased publication, including important Presbyterian newspapers. Inquiries concerning periodical holdings should be made to the Reference Librarian or Serials Librarian. All periodicals on display in the Reference Room are to be used ONLY in the Reference Room. Periodicals may be taken to a photocopier, but should be returned immediately to the book truck in the center of the Reference Room. Please DO NOT reshelve them. Our Library's website contains a link to our Electronic Collections. Here you will find access to more than 120 individual titles in full-text electronic form, as well as the ATLAS database, which contains over 100 titles with full-text articles.
INTERLIBRARY LOAN
INTERLIBRARY LOAN. Interlibrary loans of books, or photocopies of periodical articles, may be requested from the Serials Librarian. Such loans are available to faculty, staff and in-sequence students of the three RTC institutions. Students are allowed to have only 5 ILL book requests in process at any one time. Students may also obtain “RALC Passes” which allow the holder to borrow a limited number of books from certain other academic libraries in the Richmond area. These passes are available from the Reference or Serials Librarian, or at the Circulation Desk. There is a shuttle service two days a week which brings resources from other local institutions to our library. Materials received by mail from distant libraries may take longer.
For further information, please read the ILL FAQ page : http://library.union-psce.edu/Pages/ILLFAQ.htm. You may also contact our Serials and ILL Librarian, Pam Wells, at 278-4325, or pam@union-psce.edu.
