The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary

The Burke Library is one of the largest theological libraries in North America, with holdings of more than 700,000 items, including extensive special collections. Throughout its long history, the Library has maintained its commitment to the needs of both teaching and research, serving not only the faculty, staff, and students of Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University, but also a wide spectrum of national and international scholars and researchers.

Services & Tools

Access library services to support your research and studies

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Collections

Explore new and featured collections related to this library

Special Collections can be accessed by appointment.

The Burke Library preserves and provides access to archives, rare books, and other unique materials related to research in the field of theology and contextually related areas of study. Reach out to burkespecial@library.columbia.edu with any questions about these collections.

Events, Exhibits, & Workshops

Library staff can customize workshops and events for your classroom or group.

Study Spaces

Use library spaces to study, meet, and create

The Burke is generally a quiet library.
Small group study welcome on L1 and L2 at low volume.
Reading Room on L3 is a quiet space for individual study only (no talking).
Special Collections are accessible by appointment.
Headphones required when listening to audio content in all spaces.
Drinks in sealed containers are allowed.
No food in any spaces.
No study carrels or private rooms, no seat reservation.
No phone or video conferencing.

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News

View news and announcements from The Burke Library

The staff of the Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary collaborated with the Institute for Religion, Culture, and Public Life (IRCPL) to host a panel discussion on the role of water in religion and spiritual life in South Asia.

"The Black Theology Papers Project," published by the Black Theology Unit of the American Academy of Religion with the Libraries to promote the intellectual history of Black theology and preserve the proceedings of the Unit's conferences, recently released numerous new articles.

Archivists, curators, and subject specialists highlight a number of noteworthy acquisitions, conservation projects, and digitization efforts that are underway in 2023, including the Fly Papers that are now held by the Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

An exhibition in the Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary explores the education of Vietnamese activist and author Thích Nhất Hạnh, who studied at Columbia University in the 1960s.

The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary holds a rare series of maps that dates to 1895, printed to "call attention to the working and living conditions of people in 'a congested district of Chicago'" in the late 19th century.

Kit Hermanson, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Religion at Columbia, delves into the archives of Letha Dawson Scanzoni, a feminist Christian activist, writer, and founding member of the Evangelical and Ecumenical Women’s Caucus.

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Burke Library Staff