Personal Librarians for Divinity Students

The Personal Librarian (PL) Program is designed to introduce students entering Yale Divinity School (YDS) to the resources and services of the Divinity Library and the Yale Library system.

Request your Personal Librarian

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Your PL serves as a single point of contact for the library – a resource for all of your research needs.

Students studying in Trowbridge room

We will contact you occasionally throughout the year, to let you know about upcoming library workshops, new resources, services, or research tips. You are also encouraged to contact your PL with any questions you have about your research or the library. (Of course, you may contact any library staff member – you are not limited to consulting with just your PL!)

Ask us anything!

As Personal Librarians, we are here to help you be successful—on your terms. You can ask us to explain collections, spaces, or services, or you can ask us specific library- or research-related questions. We might hear from you just once or twice.

How to work with us

You do not need to have a fully-formed question to request your Personal Librarian. Once you’ve connected with your librarian, you can go back to them at any time with questions. Alternatively, you can re-submit the request form when you have another question or to be matched witgh a different librarian whose expertise aligns with your question.

We enjoy getting to know you. Feel free to propose a get-acquainted meeting or coffee. You can also ask us for a general library introduction, use us as a sounding board as you’re starting a research project, or reach out to us with questions as they come up.

In particular, your Personal Librarian will

Keep you informed with periodic email messages highlighting new resources, services, and programs of specific interest to Divinity students.
Answer your questions about Library policies, procedures, resources, and services such as Borrow Direct or Scan and Deliver.
Help you find relevant resources for your assignments, by helping you articulate your research question, identify the best sources, and formulate your search strategies.
Help you with the organization, storage, and management of your research data, including bibliographic information.
Assist you with specific software applications such as Canvas, BluePrint, and VPN for off-campus access.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about the Personal Librarian program, please contact divinity.library@yale.edu.