You, History, and the Montreat Collections

Courtesy of Columbia Theological Seminary Vantage

Through partnerships with the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), church sessions, presbyteries and synods, Columbia has received archival, library, and museum materials from the Presbyterian Historical Society’s Montreat, NC, branch. The extraordinary collections include materials of U.S. Presbyterian history and the worldwide Reformed tradition, consisting of personal papers, local church histories, church records, library volumes, and artifacts.

The first truckload of “history” arrives from Montreat. The Montreat
Collections now occupy most of the third floor of the seminary’s John Bulow
Campbell Library. To make room for the materials, shelf space was doubled by
the construction of compact, movable shelving, and books in the general
stacks completely reorganized. Archives, papers, artifacts, and rare books are
protected in areas with temperature and humidity controls.
The top priority of Columbia’s library staff and faculty is making the
materials available for the church, the seminary, and other researchers. A
second archivist will soon join the library staff to facilitate processing.

Already nearly 400 congregations have elected to have their church records transferred from Montreat to Columbia because of the seminary’s commitment to continued management of the materials with professional staffing and because of the easily accessible regional location. In entrusting congregational records to Columbia, these churches are ensuring that a large portion of the Montreat Collections remain intact for research, teaching, and preservation.

You and your congregation are invited to become a part of building and supporting this remarkable resource for the church.

Transferring documents and materials from Montreat

Your Session must authorize the transfer in a letter sent by your clerk of session to

Margery Sly, Deputy Director and Assistant Stated Clerk
Department of History, Office of the General Assembly
Presbyterian Church (USA)
425 Lombard St.
Philadelphia, PA 19147-1516

Donating archival materials

Your congregation’s clerk of session should obtain a Deposit Agreement for Records from Columbia Theological Seminary, authorizing the seminary’s receipt of records. Complete this document and send it to Columbia. For more information, please contact Linda Davis, archivist, at 404-687-4615, or davisl@ctsnet.edu.

Financial contributions

The Montreat collection represents an extraordinary addition to our library holdings and provides unparalleled opportunities for immersing students in Reformed and Presbyterian history. Expected capital improvements to the library and staffing needs will require the seminary to raise $2 million to support the collection and the new program in Presbyterian and Reformed history and theology.

Information: Richard DuBose, vice president of institutional advancement, 404-687-4568, or duboser@ctsnet.edu.