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“One book is enough, but a thousand books is not too many!” ― Martin Luther
This month, Atla celebrates Theological Libraries Month. The association supports librarians and information professionals who advance the study of religion and theology. This month, Atla honors theological libraries and the staff who share knowledge, resources, and information technology with their communities.
Whether you’re a longtime patron or a first-time visitor, the Wright Library invites you to discover more. The library offers more than study space—it opens a gateway to learning and exploration. Knowledgeable staff members support every stage of your academic journey at Princeton Seminary. The library also leads in digital innovation through the Theological Commons. This initiative began in 2010 with the Internet Archive, a nonprofit building a free and open digital library. Together, they digitize books, periodicals, manuscripts, photographs, postcards, and audiovisual materials. These vast collections are available through the Princeton Theological Seminary Collection on the Internet Archive and the Theological Commons website.
The Theological Commons continues to evolve with new transcription tools and powerful search features. These innovations connect users to libraries and archives across many institutions. The platform now includes specialized collections that highlight its global reach. The Princeton Theological Seminary Media Archive features more than 6,100 recordings. The Latin America Collection offers over 6,400 books and periodicals in Spanish and Portuguese. The Moffett Korea Collection presents more than 6,800 photographs and archival materials on religion in Korea.
Newly added to the Theological Commons and created in collaboration with the Special Collections & Archives at Wright Library are the Ethiopian Manuscripts and The Stewart MacMaster Robinson Collection. The latter preserves the personal archive of Princeton Seminary alumnus Stewart M. Robinson, Class of 1918, and World War I Chaplain.
For generations of students and alumni, the Wright Library has been more than a space for research—it has been a place of formation. Many have found that its quiet corners, vast resources, and supportive staff not only deepen their scholarship but also nurture their spiritual calling.
In her award-winning essay Out of Cloister: Theological Libraries as Spaces for Spiritual Formation—recipient of the 2020 Theological Librarianship student essay contest, awarded by Atla—Seminary alum Briana reflects on the sacred dimension of study within these walls:
Some students here at Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS) can be found praying silently on the couches or by the windows or aloud in group-study spaces to re-center themselves in the midst of exhausting work.
Some students are guided and formed by the content of the books they read or the papers they write within the library. Adding, “By the nature of their collections and the populations they serve, theological libraries have already crossed the divide between ‘secular’ and ‘sacred.’ Some libraries, like the Seminary’s, have the advantage of being able to invite a sense of transcendence with their architecture and the opportunity to hold services in their spaces. But all the theological libraries have the opportunity to own their space, the work of librarians there, and the activities of library users as in some way sacred—to name the activity within their walls as ministry and service”
Current students echo this sentiment, praising both the accessibility of the library’s resources and the dedication of its staff. PhD student Stephen Di Trolio shared his gratitude while researching Baptist protests in Argentina from 1945–1955: “[I’d never used microfilm before]. I am grateful for whoever put over 600 news articles onto this roll.”
For friend of the Seminary, Rochelle Haggins the Wright Library became an essential partner in ministry preparation. “This has been so helpful. I am doing exegesis for Sunday’s sermon [and couldn’t continue] without access to commentaries. I am so thankful [the staff] figured out the problem [and I was] back to sermon prep. Blessings to [them]!
Together, their reflections remind us that the Wright Library is not only a repository of knowledge, but also a living space of faith, service, and discovery—where academic inquiry and spiritual formation intertwine.
To close out Theological Libraries Month, the Wright Library will host a special faculty book raffle on Friday, October 31. The drawing is open to all Princeton Seminary students—one entry per person—and offers a chance to take home a featured faculty title in celebration of the library’s ongoing commitment to scholarship and community.
Enter now: https://ptsem.libguides.com/tlm/raffle
