INDEPTH
Heythrop Library: A place for specialist theology and philosophy
Heythrop Library’s Head Librarian, Clemens Gresser looks at the role of the library to the Jesuit community and the history of its extensive theological and philosophical collection.
HEYTHORP Library is a specialist theology and philosophy library which is stored at four locations in England, with a reading room and two librari- ans based at the London Jesuit Centre (Mayfair).
The collection numbers circa 230,000 titles, and includes journals, periodicals, serials, and rare books. The bulk of the col- lection, around 150,000 volumes, is housed with a private company in Ruislip, London. A further 70,000 are held at the University of London’s depository, in Egham, while the collection of 4,000 rare books is stored at Campion Hall, Oxford. At Mayfair there is capacity for about 8,000 books, and the latest journal issues.
The library supports the academic and spirituality engagement of the Jesuits in Britain, the staff and students involved in the courses at the London Jesuit Centre, as well as members using the Senate House Library, and through ILL the whole academic sector in the UK. The Library relies on a panel of over 30 experts to sug- gest new books in the fields of philosophy and theology. Heythrop subscribes to about 300 serials, adds on average 60 books per month and has journal holdings which are unique in the UK. Inter-library loan requests are provided through colleagues at the Senate House Library, and Heythrop uses their Library management system Sierra. The library is an Associate Library of the University of London, and it has been owned
42 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
Clemens Gresser, is Head Librarian at Heythrop Library.
by the Jesuits in Britain since 1614. The collection originated in Leuven, Belgium, in 1614, and the library’s 400-year history is one marked by growth and much change: it moved seven times. Here is a brief overview of its history:
Leuven: 1614-1624
Due to the outbreak of the so-called Italian War (1542–1546), English Jesuits resident in Paris had to leave, but as England was then an inhospitable place for Catholics, they decided to move to Leuven. In 1614, a residence in Leuven, formerly belonging to the Knights of Malta, was bought to accom- modate Jesuit novices (called scholastics). This place was called St John’s – the future Heythrop College.
Liège: 1624-1794 In 1624, the Jesuit scholastics moved to a September 2023
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
