Academic Resources > E.M. White Library > Library Information

The Mission of the Library

As its mission statement indicates, the Seminary provides a theological resource for the church by striving to interpret the gospel in an everchanging world, by extending the horizons of theological inquiry and by shaping the church's intellectual foundations for its faith and ministry.

The Ernest Miller White Library seeks to support this mission by providing integrated access to and training in audio-visual, microform and print resources as well as information technology that can facilitate the teaching, learning and research of students and faculty at Louisville Seminary.  Within the bounds of this curricular focus, the library also seeks to offer resources to congregations, their members and the general public for their study and growing understanding of Christian faith and practice.

The library's major objectives for collecting resources are to:

• Identify, acquire, organize and disseminate all forms of recorded information that support the current research and instructional programs of the seminary.

• Provide electronic and paper search tools for locating resources for research, teaching and learning in the fields that form the core of the seminary's curriculum.

• Acquire a range of materials broader than the current perspectives represented and subject matter covered in the present curriculum and faculty in order to i) facilitate study beyond the confines of the seminary's curricular program and ii) familiarize library patrons with new and/or changing patterns of Christian reflection.

The library's major objectives for services are to:

• Offer timely access to and easy retrieval of items in the library's collection through expeditious cataloging and circulation policies that foster shared use of resources as well.

• Instruct faculty and students in the integrated use of information technology, search tools and traditional print, microform and audio-visual resources for teaching, learning and research in academic study as well as in ministry within the church.

• Offer reference assistance in locating resources relevant to library patrons' research and study needs.

• Expand access to and facilitate the use of information resources beyond the seminary campus.

• Provide physical facilities conducive to study and reflection.