Methodist Library Blog

"Instructing Children and Families: Sunday School Books of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1827-1880"

A new exhibit highlighting the special collections of the Drew Methodist Library, Drew University Archives, and General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church is on display at Drew University.

The exhibit is the Capstone Project of Cynthia Rogers for her Masters of Theological Studies degree with the Drew Theological School. Concerning her exhibit Cynthia notes:

This exhibit explores Drew's collection of the 19th century children's books published originally for libraries attached to the Methodist Sunday Schools in the United States. These libraries were among the earliest lending libraries for children and families. In addition to examining the books' thematic topics, such as conversion, social reform, and character-formation, the exhibit will explore the way books were packaged and marketed to the early Sunday Schools. It will also highlight the career of Drew Seminary professor Daniel Parish (D.P.) Kidder, who led the Methodist Sunday School Union and edited its publications from 1844-1856, a period of great growth for the Sunday School movement.

The free exhibit, located at the United Methodist Archives & History Center, is open to the public Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. For information related to the exhibit contact Chris Anderson, Methodist Librarian/Coordinator of Special Collections at Drew University. He can be reached at 973-408-3910 or cjanders@drew.edu.

Recently the Methodist Library received an award for an information exchange project between Africa University and Drew University. The project involves the sharing of resources between Africa U. and Drew with the intent to help enhance both collections on the history of Methodism in Africa. A news release was posted on the Drew University website January 31. The text follows:

Drew Library and Africa U. to Exchange Copies of Methodist Materials

MADISON, NJ—Drew University understands the importance of sharing.  That’s why Methodist Librarian Christopher Anderson is working with Africa University on an exchange of copies of important documents.  With an eye toward sharing academic resources related to the history of Methodism, the trans-Atlantic project is set to begin in the coming months.

“Given the geographic distance between Drew and Africa University, there’s a good chance that our holdings on Methodism are very different,” said Anderson.  “This exchange will enhance both of our collections and open new doors of study for our students, faculty and visiting scholars.”

The items that will be exchanged include scanned copies and photocopies of books (public domain), 19^th and 20^th century conference journals, periodicals and pamphlets.

The exchange, which is titled “Building Collections on Methodism for Global Users,” is funded by a grant from the International Collaboration Committee of the American Theological Library Association.  Their financial support will cover the cost of making copies—both digital and hard—and shipping.

Arturo Razon and I have been busy at work on a 1200-page bibliography identifying the over 10,000 pamphlets in our Methodist Library collection. To date we've entered titles running from 'A to D' ~ with more to come. The bibliography can be accessed @ Methodist Pamphlet Collection A-D 

The staff of the Methodist Library and General Commission on Archives and History will be in Philadelphia Wednesday, November 28. The Reading Room will be closed for the day.

In  the spring of 2007, Christopher Anderson accepted the position of Methodist Librarian at Drew University

One of his latest publications, drawn from materials in the Methodist Library and Archives:

"The world is our parish: remembering the 1919 Protestant Missionary Fair," International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 30:4, October 2006, p 196-200.