Library News

The Digital Collections team has been hard at work this summer bringing the Princeton Theological Seminary Journals collection into the ever-growing Theological Commons digital library.

The Princeton Theological Seminary Journals collection contains journals published by, or closely associated with, Princeton Theological Seminary from 1825 to the present, including the complete archive of The Princeton Seminary Bulletin (1907-present).

The collection, which encompasses more than 6,000 articles, replaces content previously provided in an older, siloed system (journals.ptsem.edu) and adds new, related content such as historical Princeton Seminary catalogues and reports.

For the first time, the full text of these journals is searchable, as well as viewable through full-color images in an online page turner. All journal issues are also available in PDF format.

New issues of The Princeton Seminary Bulletin will be added as they become available.

Prof. Robert Dykstra's newest book, Finding ourselves lost : ministry in the age of overwhelm, is now available at the library.

A second copy will be placed in the New Faculty Books display when it arrives.

The Library has recently purchased a subscription to Government, Politics and Law (HeinOnline). This database includes the Religion and the Law collection as well as several other subcollections. "HeinOnline is the world's largest fully searchable, image-based government document and legal research database. It contains comprehensive coverage from inception of both U.S. statutory materials, U.S. Congressional Documents and more than 2,400 scholarly journals, all of the world's constitutions, all U.S. treaties, collections of classic treatises and presidential documents, and access to the full text of state and federal case law powered by Fastcase. This Government, Politics & Law HeinOnline package offers special collections on Criminal Justice, Religion and the Law and Women and the Law among others."

Other relatively new resources include: Brill Reformation Year E-Book Collection, Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament Online, History of Global Christianity Online, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global: The Humanities and Social Sciences Collection, and Sacramentum Mundi Online.

In many professions – as well as in many stages of life – it's easy to get so caught up in caring for others that caring for ourselves drops to the bottom of the "to do" list. This month, we're highlighting some books from the catalog about self-care to help us all remember the importance of physical and spiritual health in supporting of lives of service.

Browse and borrow from the display on the first floor Concourse, and be sure to take a look at the subject headings highlighted in the curated bibliography linked below. (Librarians love subject headings.)

On Wednesday, June 20, the library will begin an upgrade of the library catalog. This will take 2-3 days. We strongly suggest that you review your patron record* before the upgrade, renewing those items you are able to renew online. We also strongly suggest returning items before the upgrade or after the upgrade (not during), because patron records will not immediately reflect returns and in-person renewals during the upgrade. Faculty and PhD candidates, you will need to return books you have had for three years.

You will be able to use the online library catalog and check out materials during the upgrade; renewals and returns will not be processed, however. You must have your borrowing card with you in order to check out items.

In short, consider renewing books online before June 20, and returning books before June 20 or after June 22.

Thank you for your patience as we make sure the library catalog continues to support you in your work.

*To review your patron record, please login in to the library catalog using the My Account link below. Check to your borrowing card's expiration date and/or when the items you currently have checked out are due.

Earlier this month, as part of of the eBethArké project (1999– ), Greg Murray, Director of Digital Initiatives at Princeton Theological Seminary Library, trained staff at Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Insititute on using the Internet Archive's table top scribe system to digitize out-of-copyright books and manuscripts for inclusion in the Theological Commons and Archive.org.

Library hours from Sunday, July 1 through Sunday, August 26, 2018 will be Monday-Friday 8am-6pm, Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday CLOSED. The Seminary, including the Library, will also be closed Wednesday, July 4 (Independence Day) and Monday, September 3 (Labor Day).

This PC(USA) Heritage Sunday, May 20, 2018, the Presbyterian Historical Society will be celebrating Reverend Fred Rogers (1928-2003).

"As Stimson wrote, Fred Rogers 'never served in a traditional role of pastor, but through television [brought] his simple message of affirmation and acceptance to a ‘congregation’ of millions.'" (via the Presbyterian Historical Society, https://www.history.pcusa.org/heritage-sunday-2018)

Books from the Princeton Theological Seminary Library collection

• Peaceful neighbor : discovering the countercultural Mister Rogers / Michael G. Long
• The simple faith of Mister Rogers : spiritual insights from the world's most beloved neighbor / Amy Hollingsworth
• Explore beyond the library with Summon Search: https://ptsem.summon.serialssolutions.com/#!/search?ho=t&l=en&q=%22mister%20rogers%22

Elsewhere in town

The Princeton Garden Theater will be screening the new documentary film Won’t You Be My Neighbor? later this year.

For a recent piece in the Christian Century, soon-to-be Dean and Vice President of Academic Affairs Prof. Jacq Lapsley has selected six new books, all of which can be found here on our shelves:

1. The great shift: Encountering God in Biblical times / James L. Kugel
2. Telling the Old Testament story : God's mission and God's people / Brad E. Kelle
3. Claiming her dignity : female resistance in the Old Testament / L. Juliana M. Claassens
4. Womanist Midrash : a reintroduction to the women of the Torah and the throne / Wilda C. Gafney
5. The house of the mother : the social roles of maternal kin in Biblical Hebrew narrative and poetry / Cynthia R. Chapman
6. Ancient prophecy : near eastern, biblical, and Greek perspectives* / Martti Nissinen

*Also available as an e-book.

From Tuesday, May 8-June 30, 2018, the Princeton Theological Seminary Library will be open on an early-summer schedule. On Monday, May 28, 2018, Princeton Theological Seminary - including the Library - will be closed for Memorial Day.