Burke Library Receives $190,000 from the Henry Luce Foundation for Processing Historic Religious Archives
"With this generous grant from the Henry Luce Foundation, the Burke Library will be able to process, preserve, and provide access to a very important archival collection," said Beth Bidlack, director of The Burke Library.
The archive of Union Theological Seminary (UTS) contains approximately 141 collections (1,135 linear feet) of papers from faculty members, students, and others associated with UTS, one of the oldest and most important theological schools in the United States. The archive includes primary source materials from many sub-disciplines within theological studies, including biblical and historical studies, practical theology, and systematic theology. The chronological and geographical scope of the archive is quite broad. Some materials in the archive date to a period prior to the founding of UTS in 1836, and the archive continues to grow via donations from alumni/ae and retiring faculty members.
“The Luce Foundation is pleased to provide support for the processing of the Union Theological Seminary archive, a testament to Union’s distinctive place within the history and development of theological and religious studies,” said Jonathan VanAntwerpen, Program Director for Theology at the Henry Luce Foundation.
The Henry Luce Foundation is dedicated to encouraging the development of religious leaders through theological education, and fostering scholarship that links the academy to religious communities and other audiences. In 2011, a three-year $295,000 grant was awarded to The Burke Library for the processing of the Missionary Research Library Archives and the William Adams Brown Ecumenical Archives.
The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary is world renowned, containing rich collections for theological study and research with holdings of over 700,000 items including unique and special materials. Throughout its long history, the Burke Library has maintained its commitment to the needs of both teaching and research, serving the faculty, students, and staff of Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University, as well as a wide spectrum of national and international scholars and researchers. For more information, please visit: library.columbia.edu/burke
Columbia University Libraries is one of the top five academic research library systems in North America. The collections include over 13 million volumes, over 160,000 journals and serials, as well as extensive electronic resources, manuscripts, rare books, microforms, maps, and graphic and audio-visual materials. The Libraries employs more than 400 professional and support staff and hosts over 4.7 million visitors each year. The website of the Libraries is the gateway to its services and resources: library.columbia.edu.