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Theological Libraries Serving 
Immigrant Communities
Susan Ebertz, Wartburg Seminary

ABSTR AC T As theological institutions begin to reach out more to 
immigrant communities through programs and degrees aimed at 
these groups, libraries will need to understand how best to serve 
the research and academic needs of these students.  This may 
mean non-English resources, culturally relevant resources, and 
staffing changes.  The presenter provided basic information and 
group divided into four smaller discussion groups.

OVERVIEW OF THEOLOGICAL LIBRARIES  
AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES

Understanding context always helps in understanding the perspec-
tive of the person speaking. My context is the Midwest United States 
in a small town of 60,000 people. I am at a Lutheran seminary. I use 
the term “immigrant communities” even though I realize that this 
may not be the best way to identify the group. I am doing this session 
because I want to learn how I can better serve these communities.

It is important to understand your own context and the types of 
information available to you. Your state may have information. Iowa 
has the Iowa State Data Center. I learned more about immigration 
through this site. For example, in May 2020, the Center published 
a document on their website about “Asian/Pacific Americans In 
Iowa: 2020” (www.iowadatacenter.org/Publications/api2020.pdf). I 
learned through the document about the percentage of the “foreign 
born” population that was from Asia and when they arrived. I also 
learned that my city had the largest number of Native Hawaiians 
and/or other Pacific Islanders in Iowa.

The United States Census Bureau has census information about 
your state. Click on your state on this map (data.census.gov/cedsci/
map?q=american%20community%20survey&tid=ASMAREA2017.
AM1831BASIC01&mode=selection&vintage=2018) to find out more 
information, including languages spoken at home.

http://www.iowadatacenter.org/Publications/api2020.pdf
http://data.census.gov/cedsci/map?q=american%20community%20survey&tid=ASMAREA2017.AM1831BASIC01&mode=select
http://data.census.gov/cedsci/map?q=american%20community%20survey&tid=ASMAREA2017.AM1831BASIC01&mode=select
http://data.census.gov/cedsci/map?q=american%20community%20survey&tid=ASMAREA2017.AM1831BASIC01&mode=select


Conversation Groups  151

Another useful map is one that shows migration in the 
United States in 1900, 1950, and 2012. This map (www.nytimes.
com/2014/08/16/upshot/mapping-migration-in-the-united-states-
since-1900.html) not only shows the migration patterns but also the 
percentages for “born outside the US” in each state.

I have noticed that theological institutions are reaching out more 
to immigrant communities within the United States. Some of this 
seems to be for the ethical reason of diversifying the church so that it 
reflects the diversity within the population. The other reason seems 
to be financial. Immigrant communities are a new market.

Our seminary’s strategic plan includes reaching out to immigrant 
groups. In order to prepare for this new area, I need to increase the 
Spanish-language holdings. Last fall, I asked a student whose first 
language is Spanish how I can help him. He said that it would be 
helpful for him if he have more resources in Spanish, and particu-
larly journals. I don’t know Spanish, so it is difficult for me to acquire 
the best resources. I also discovered that there is not a lot of Span-
ish-language resources. I decided that more content needed to be 
created. I suggested to our faculty that it would be helpful for them 
to tell our denominational publisher to publish more in Spanish. 
It would also be helpful to recommend that particularly impor-
tant texts be translated into Spanish. I also spoke to our denomina-
tional publisher. Lobbying our publishers is one way to increase the 
number of resources. I also talked with one of the editors of our semi-
nary journal, which is published with the Lutheran School of Theol-
ogy in Chicago. I suggested that the journal be translated into Spanish. 
I was told that the cost would be too high. I then suggested that at 
least one article in each issue be in Spanish. I am curious where this 
will go. Our advocacy will help increase Spanish-language materials.

CONVERSATION QUESTIONS

We then broke up into 4 groups.  We discussed the following:

• What is your context?
• What is your experience or inexperience?
• What resources have you found helpful in serving students?

The groups reported back the following:

• The language most spoken is Spanish.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/16/upshot/mapping-migration-in-the-united-states-since-1900.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/16/upshot/mapping-migration-in-the-united-states-since-1900.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/16/upshot/mapping-migration-in-the-united-states-since-1900.html


152  AT L A 2020 PROCEEDINGS

• Some students do not find anything in their language.
• There’s no formal orientation to the library; they focus on the 

English-learning, MA/MDiv students that are coming from Span-
ish-speaking population to serve various Archdioceses (esp. in 
Milwaukee) and African students, for whom English is their 4th 
or 5th language.

• Special separate orientation for international student cohort 
each year. Special Collections visitors are coming from all over 
the world. We have a vast collection of non-English titles within 
Burke and within the wider Columbia University library setting.

• We have a reading center that is dedicated to helping their 
immigrant students acclimate to life and studying in the United 
States. Attendance at the reading center is required of these 
students during their summer sessions.

• We have an ESL coordinator who provides individual assistance 
and gathers materials for them.

• We are in the process of hiring a Spanish-speaking librarian.
• We have digitized items from collaborative programs in Latin 

America.
• Abingdon recently published several works in Spanish.
• Digitalia is one of the vendors [at the conference]—you should 

talk to them. They have some religion & theology titles—we’ve 
subscribed to their product for several years because it’s all 
Spanish-language & they’re the ones who have the Verbo Divino 
commentaries.

• Also, there have been quite a few recent Spanish-language addi-
tions in religion & theology in GOBI, but you have to look for 
them!

I feel we need a longer period for this topic at next year’s conference.


