Taking care of our gifts:
Technology's impact on a historic Library

Book of Hours of the Virgin Mary from northern France, probably Tours or Paris, first half of 15th Century.

As a library with more than 200,000 volumes it is unique across the North American religious landscape with a collection of "serious depth" in the areas of biblical studies, biblical languages, American Lutheran history and Reformation studies.

The Krauth Memorial Library on the Seminary's campus also has an astonishing rare books collection featuring 500 original Reformation period publications including the original Wittenberg compilation of the works of Martin Luther. The Library also houses rare artifacts, including one of the finest numismatic collections (medallions) covering the period of Martin Luther and the Reformation and its commemorations. Among the treasures housed therein is a lifetime collection of "Last Supper" artifacts collected by a Lutheran family. That collection ranges in content from fine art pieces valued at thousands of dollars to "kitsch," as Library Director David Wartluft describes one item in the collection. (That piece features a drawing in caricature of Cabinet figures around the table as the Nixon administration came to a post-Watergate close.)

One of more than 500 original Reformation publications in the Library's collection.

In the rare book room it is possible to clearly discern what a colonial Lutheran pastor's library collection must have looked like, thanks to a recent donation of the library of one Johann Friedrich Schmidt (d. 1812), from his descendant, Mrs. Robert Impink of Shillington, PA. (The collection consists of 190 volumes.) And American Lutheran history is well recorded in the Library's collection of periodicals. (Seeking a copy of an article he once wrote for The Lutheran, this author contacted Chicago's ELCA headquarters when first employed at the Seminary and was referred back to the Seminary Library.)

Other highlights of the Library's contents? Microfiche of books from American Lutheran history, diverse electronic resources including music collections on CD, mostly classical, and videotapes of the history of the Seminary's Preaching with Power program and the Academy of Preachers annual events.. The Library also hosts a significant archives, incorporated separately at the same time the Northeastern Pennsylvania and Southeastern Pennsylvania Synods were formed. As such, the building contains the original minutes of the old Ministerium of Pennsylvania, the journals of American Lutheran Patriarch Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, and the records of scores of now defunct Lutheran congregations. Currently the archives serves Region 7 of the ELCA encompassing synods from New England through eastern Pennsylvania.

"The Library has some unique items in the world locatable by scholars," remarks Wartluft, who has called the library his professional home for 40 years. "Some of the world's greatest scholars of religion have conducted key research here, and one of them told me once that had he known of the library's contents he never would have bothered to go to Germany earlier to conduct his research." The main function of the Library, Wartluft notes, is to support the Seminary's educational mission on behalf of its students. The original nucleus of the library came from Charles Porterfield Krauth, the son of a Gettysburg Seminary professor who was the Philadelphia Seminary's first professor and head of the faculty. Krauth was also vice provost at the University of Pennsylvania. An initial collection of 15,000 to 18,000 volumes was purchased from Krauth's widow. The Library collection grew to some 65,000 volumes and then tripled in size thanks to a jump start by funds granted by the Selantic Fund and the Association for Theological Schools' challenge to match up to $2,000 per year for three years any Seminary which increased its book budget beyond the previous level.

Library staff (left to right: Lois Reibach, Technical Services Librarian; Karl Krueger, Assistant Librarian; David J. Wartluft, Library Director)

The Seminary has had many devoted librarians including the Rev. Dr. Luther Reed, who also served as one of the Seminary's early presidents. (Reed was more notable as a recognized liturgical scholar.) Other librarians have included the Rev. Dr. Helmut Lehmann, Dr. Henry Scherer and Mary Kaighn. Wartluft has been Director since 1977. The Seminary Library is also blessed with dedication and loyalty. Assistant Librarian Karl Krueger is a graduate of the Seminary and a history buff who enjoys customer service. During 16 years of service to the Library, Technical Services Librarian Lois Reibach has cataloged about 20 percent of the Library's total collection. Lillian Scoggins, recently retired, served on the Library staff for 30 years and a former employee, Dorothy Hillenbrand, served the staff for 40 years.

David Wartluft is proud to have been part of an evolution of collaboration with the Library over the years. In 1977, the Seminary invested in joining the Online Computer Library Center, based in Dublin, OH. The technology-based program enables theological libraries to share resources. (Some 40 million resources are available to be shared.)

But the pace of change has greatly accelerated during the past decade. A recent $360,000 Luce Foundation grant is hastening the time, Wartluft says, when three seminary libraries (in Gettysburg, Philadelphia and Columbia, SC) will truly be three libraries under one roof. The grant to the Eastern Cluster of Lutheran Seminaries (Philadelphia, Gettysburg and Southern) is making possible new opportunities in database coordination to pave the way for greater efficiency in acquisitions and sharing of materials. (See related story.)

"Libraries used to be more or less self-contained," Wartluft says. "FAX services and the internet have changed all of that. Now we don't all have to buy the same things. We're able to have the vision to work more collaboratively. We are moving from a service mentality of collecting 'just in case' something is needed toward being able to provide resources 'just in time' from a variety of locations."

One of the greatest challenges for a library to remain relevant is to try to anticipate where a Seminary's curriculum is headed and what changes the courses of study are going through, Wartluft said. Examples of great change in recent years include concern for the directions of women's, African American and urban studies, he said.

Beyond technology, the Library is also enjoying a certain facelift right now. The impetus for the facelift was the installation of a security system. Other changes include some interior painting, improved lighting and reconfiguring the circulation desk area for improved security. The dramatic lighting improvements are a far cry from the Library's earlier days, featuring low illumination gas lamp lighting. In those times the Library's glass floors were constructed to admit as much natural daylight as possible into the stack areas.

"The change in Library science made possible by innovations in technology has made the Library a terrifically exciting environment for me, more exciting than teaching," Wartluft says. "But I have deeply appreciated the consistent support the Seminary's administration and Presidents have shown to the Library. That has made a great difference to me and to the strength of the Krauth Memorial Library."

Related links: Library treasure on display in Philadelphia and Nashville, 2001-2002; Krauth Memorial Library on the LTSP web site