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Collection Development Manual > Libraries & collections > Central Library > Religion

Religion

This subject area includes works on Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and other religions. In general, the focus of the religion collection is on works that provide information about the beliefs and history of religions, religious groups, and organizations, rather than on materials that focus on converting new members.

The Religion collection includes materials on the study of the Christian bible, comparative religion, Eastern religions, Islam, and works on spiritual growth. Reference materials are available to support research and study, including encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, directories, almanacs, commentaries on sacred texts, and concordances to sacred texts. When sacred texts that have been translated into English are purchased, the library attempts to buy bilingual editions, so that the original language of the sacred text is available to the user.

About half of the Religion collection is made up of works discussing or relating to Christianity, with the other religions together making up the other half. The ratio is about the same for new items the library purchases: roughly equal parts materials on Christianity and materials on religions other than Christianity.

The library is attempting to increase its collection of works on theology, and information about the Christian sects and their history in the United States.

The Religion collection is used by college students for class work, by general readers, by amateur theologians and historians, by people studying the Bible, the Torah, the Koran, the Upanishads, and other sacred texts, and by people looking for spiritual growth.

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Many materials on religious ethics are located in the Philosophy collection. At Central Library, this collection is kept in the Humanities rooms.