Despite a long break between posts, I am still thinking about libraries and pietism and the potential relationships between the two. I always find it difficult to organize my thoughts so I’m going do some free-writing and free-association to condense my thoughts:
No Real Connection or Limited Connections
In many ways, there are no real connections. Same classification systems, MARC formats, and best practices. Electronic Resource management and Interlibrary Loan operations would look the same at other institutions.
The caveat (that I find very important!) is that my attitude toward my work has been shaped by Pietism. Especially Zenos Hawkinson’s writings on work. So, perhaps from an institutional perspective a “Pietism Library” might not mean very much but a “Pietist Librarian” might mean something more. Maybe that just means a person applying a higher/nuanced notion of work/vocation to the library settings (which is worth exploring!) or maybe it means something more definite.
Distinctive Collection and/or Services
Maybe libraries of pietist schools would have a distinctive collection profile. Don’t know how to quantify this, but a more diverse collection (theological perspectives, authorship, scholarship/devotion) might follow from the Pietism ideals. I think a collection strength of the Brandel Library (relative to peer schools) is a strong collection of writings on LGBT issues and the church. I think I could make the case that this flows directly from our Pietist heritage that is rather more open to theological diversity and disagreement.
I would, of course, imagine that libraries of Pietist schools have more items on Pietism, but that’s not exactly a groundbreaking claim!
Given my new professional focus on Interlibrary Loan, I wonder if Pietist schools are more open to resource sharing (and perhaps the Open Access movement) given ideals like the priesthood of all believers. That’s a bit of a stretch – and maybe hard to differentiate Pietism vs. general Christian – but it’s a thought.
Library & Students & Faculty & Staff
I think the most fruitful area of thought might be the ways in which a Pietist library would view students/faculty/staff as part of a common humanity or priesthood. Librarian expertise is meant to serve the greater community and therefore hierarchy and distinction is collapsed into collaboration and genuine Christian care and nurture.
Like many things, I wonder if the language and metaphors libraries and librarians use could indicate this distinction. For example, we talk much more about community and student success than, say, collection development or workflows.
Historical Investigation
Adding this to cross it off the list. I don’t know if there is much or anything written about the history of libraries with early German Pietist schools. I think they existed along with the schools but I don’t know much. And – quite frankly – I’m not that interested in investing the time/energy/language work needed to make this fruitful. But I’d be interesting in reading that article or book!
Other Assorted Thoughts
- Given the anti-academic vibe of many Pietists movements (this is a generalized claim, I only really know about the fights within the ECC) maybe another hallmark of Pietist libraries would be lack of funding! Don’t know how distinctive that is in 2016, though…
- Would there be connections to campus architecture and/or placement on campus? I think many libraries think of themselves as the “center” or “heart” of campus and as a meeting place more than a storeroom of books.
Conclusion
There are both points of natural connection and points of discontinuity between the mission/history/philosophy of libraries and Pietism. There is discontinuity around ideas of systematic approaches to knowledge – libraries (historically) have embraced or at least happily participated in this approach whereas Pietists have avoided/rejected this approach to life.
Yet the points of convergence are great and can be mutually informing. That is, being a Pietist should change how I do my job and library staff should bring a fresh and important perspective to their religious communities. In particular, I will plan on exploring the following topics in greater detail:
- What is a pietist approach to library work? How would a pietist approach clerical tasks like shelf-reading or electronic resource management or circulation differently? How can I better manage/supervise students in clerical tasks as a Pietist?
- To the libraries of Pietist schools have a distinct collection profile and – if so – can that be demonstrated? Can institutional orientations toward greater theological diversity be found in library collections? Is this a unique contributions or – to put this another way – how does this relate to the library’s commitment to inclusion and diversity and against censorship?
- How does library instruction and relationships between student/librarian look different at Pietist colleges/universities?