The General Theological Seminary shares plans for the future of the Keller Library collection
NEW YORK, February 5, 2025 – The General Theological Seminary (GTS) today shared its plans for the future of the Keller Library.
As part of its agreement to lease the Close to Vanderbilt University, the Seminary will retain a portion of the library containing approximately 10,000 open stacks books to be used by students during their intensive weeks. Outside of the intensive weeks, students have access to library resources through Virginia Theological Seminary’s Bishop Payne Library, including 190,000 print volumes, 490,000 eBooks, and more than 100 online databases.
The majority of the open stacks books that are not being retained in the Keller Library for students to use during intensive weeks have been given to Better World Books, a company that focuses on providing books to underserved communities. Several hundred books from the open stacks have also been moved to VTS.
As previously announced, a total of 7,500 rare books and 13 archival collections were moved from the Keller Library to the Bishop Payne Library in the spring of 2024 to increase access for scholars and enhance their preservation. These items included the Canon J. Robert Wright Estate Book of Common Prayer Collection, the Early English Theology Collection, some incunables, Anglicana, pamphlets, and early printed Bibles, as well as selected historic archival collections, including the Samuel Seabury Papers. Several hundred additional rare books were moved to the Bishop Payne Library in December, including a collection of Books of Common Prayer in a variety of languages, as well as additional archival holdings some of which are being maintained in off-site storage. Overall, a total of 1,100 linear feet of archives have been transferred. Everything moved to VTS remains the property of GTS.
The rare books that were transferred to VTS were selected due to their enduring scholarly and teaching value to the seminaries and The Episcopal Church, as well as their market value. The remaining rare books that were not transferred to VTS have been purchased by James Cummins Bookseller. A collection of Judaica has been donated to the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, and conversations are underway with other repositories that might be suitable for some of the other archival materials.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D., President of The General Theological Seminary, said: “We know the Keller Library is a special place for many GTS alumni. For the hybrid degree program, the GTS students are getting an outstanding library service which supports both the online and in-person components of the program. Please be reassured that a significant proportion of the rare book collection, and the majority of the archival material, has been retained, and remains the property of GTS. Their placement in the Bishop Payne Library will ensure that they remain accessible to scholars for generations to come. All GTS alumni have full access to Bishop Payne Library resources, including the option to have physical books mailed to them, as part of the Affiliation Agreement.”
GTS announced in September that it had signed an agreement to lease the Close to Vanderbilt University. The agreement enables the Seminary to maintain a year-round presence at its home in Chelsea Square, expand its highly successful hybrid Master of Divinity degree and will enable building improvements to be carried out.
Notes to editors:
For media enquiries, please contact Nicky Burridge, Vice President for Communications at GTS.
Tel: (703) 461-1782
Mobile: (703) 300-2876
Email: nburridge@vts.edu
Photo caption: The Keller Library at The General Theological Seminary.
About The General Theological Seminary:
The General Theological Seminary of The Episcopal Church was founded in 1817. It is the oldest seminary of The Episcopal Church and has educated and formed leaders for the church in a changing world for more than 200 years. The seminary was chartered by an act of The Episcopal Church’s General Convention and its name was chosen to reflect its founders’ vision that it be a seminary to serve the whole church.