Divinity Library

Please note: a valid Yale ID with activated swipe access is required for entry to the Divinity School.

Day Missions Room

One of the world’s foremost theological libraries, the Divinity Library supports research and teaching across campus and around the globe. 

We welcome students and researchers to our general and special collections. We are happy to host classes and collaborate with Yale and non-Yale instructors and librarians to introduce students to the use of primary sources, archival material, and research databases. 

The library holds a pre-eminent collection for the study of global missionary movements. Our collections are also strong in:

  • Biblical literature
  • Christian theology (both historical and constructive)
  • The history of Christianity

students in the Trowbridge Reference Room

Our collections now total:

  • more than 600,000 volumes of monographs, serials, and pamphlets
  • more than 270,000 pieces of microforms
  • more than 6,000 linear feet of manuscript and archival materials
We also have significant electronic collections, and growing collections of other non-print resources.
 
The Day Missions Reading Room (large image above) and Trowbridge Reference Room (above left) provide comfortable and beautiful study spaces.

Researching and Reference

Researchers consulting materials in the special collections reading roomFree Web Resources on Religion
An overview of free web resources for research in religion.

All Divinity Research Guides
Browse by topic.

Missions and World Christianity
A guide to researching missionary work.

Visiting
About

Historical Overview

Yale Divinity Library traces its origins to the construction of the Sterling Divinity Quadrangle in 1932. At that time, three collections were moved from the old Divinity Quadrangle to the School’s new location at 409 Prospect Street: the Trowbridge Reference Library, the Sneath Library of Religious Education, and the Day Missions Library.

These three collections were each created for a special purpose; the Divinity School’s basic library services were provided by the Sterling Memorial Library. Nevertheless, each of these collections reflects a tradition of library service that continues today.

The Trowbridge Reference Library

The Trowbridge Reference Library was established in 1881 as a non-circulating reference collection, as a memorial to Henry Stuart Trowbridge. Before its move to the Sterling Divinity Quadrangle, the collection was always quite small. At the time of the move it numbered 8,518 volumes. This collection formed the basis on which the Divinity Library’s core collection was built, including:

  • A comprehensive reference collection for the study of religion
  • The core texts of theology, both in the original languages and in translation
  • An extensive collection of secondary literature

The Divinity Library’s core reference collection is now housed in the Trowbridge Reference Room, continuing the tradition of the Trowbridge Reference Library.

The Sneath Memorial Library of Religious Education

The Sneath Memorial Library of Religious Education was established in 1919 as a memorial for Richard Sheldon Sneath. In 1932 the collection included 4,428 volumes. From this collection grew Yale Divinity Library’s collections supporting the practice of ministry.

The Day Missions Library

The Day Missions Library was established in 1891 by George Edward Day, a professor of Hebrew language and literature, and his wife, Olivia Hotchkiss Day. In 1932 the collection included 21,484 volumes – some two thirds of the Divinity Library’s original collection. This collection has continued to grow over the years, with support from the Day endowment and, since 1981, with income from a fund established by Kenneth Scott Latourette, a professor of missions.

The Day Missions Collection today makes up approximately one third of the Divinity Library’s 550,000 volumes, and constitutes the bulk of its manuscript and archival collection. Its scope has enlarged from a fairly narrow focus on training missionaries to become one of the preeminent collections documenting the thought, history, and practice of world Christianity. The Divinity Library’s core collection documenting missions’ history and world Christianity is housed in the Day Missions Reading Room. Access to manuscripts and archival material, as well as other material labeled “Restricted Circulation,” is through the Special Collections Reading Room.

Directions

The library is located in the Yale Divinity School; please use your valid Yale ID card to enter the building.

For Alumni

Access and Borrowing Privileges

The Divinity Library is open for access to alumni during business hours.
 
Alumni may purchase stack access and borrowing privileges from the Privileges Office in Sterling Memorial Library.
 

Online Databases Available to Alumni

Alumni have access to the Yale Library’s electronic resources on workstations in the Library’s on-campus locations, but do not have remote (home) access, due to contractual limitations.
 
Graduates of Yale Divinity School and Andover Newton Theological School are eligible for free access to Atlas PLUS® for Alum, an online database of over 670 journals in religion and theology. This is the same full text database that is available to currently enrolled students. 
 
Access to the Atlas PLUS® for Alum collection is available through a password protected site. To obtain credentials, please send an email to divinity.library@yale.edu. When the request is approved, a username and password will be sent back via email.
 
If you need further information or assistance with this resource, email divinity.library@yale.edu.
 
Another resource available to alumni is JSTOR, a digital archive of more than 1,000 academic journals. Yale alumni must register in order to access JSTOR. 
 
In addition to JSTOR and Atlas PLUS® for Alum, there are also a number of free web resources which are available to alumni.
 

Other Resources

Scanning, Printing, and Copying

Public Workstations

All public workstations print by default to BluePrint public printer located on the first floor.
 

Printing

You can print in black and white or in color from any public workstation, or from your own laptop to a BluePrint/PaperCut printing cluster located on the first floor of the Library.
 

Scanning and Copying

Scanners/photocopiers are located on the Library’s first floor (next to the public printer) and ground floor (facing the stacks).

Divinity Library Special Collections

illustrated manuscript

Our special collections include more than 6000 linear feet of archival material, archivally-treated pamphlet collections, and microform holdings. Strengths include:
 
  • Documentation of the Protestant missionary endeavor
  • Religious work among college and university students
  • Records related to American clergy and evangelists
  • Personal papers of many Yale Divinity School faculty members
  • Memorabilia and publications related to life at the Divinity School
The Divinity School’s official archives are in the Yale University Archives. Search Archives at Yale to access descriptive finding aids for the archives and all special collections.
 

Today's Hours

Located within the Divinity School building. A valid Yale ID with swipe access is required for entry.

All Yale Library Hours

Contact Us

203-432-5274
 
 
Divinity Library
409 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511