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The Strengths of this Volume . . .
The Librarian as Book Reviewer
Andrew C. Stout, Covenant Theological Seminary

ABSTR AC T This presentation advocates for theological librarians 
to engage in the practice of writing and publishing book reviews. 
Reviewing books for academic and popular publications is one 
avenue through which librarians are uniquely situated to contribute 
to scholarly conversations and engage our communities. Reviewing 
can be a manageable way for busy librarians to publish, it contrib-
utes to professional development, it can promote diversity in our 
collections and institutions, and it can sharpen reference skills. In 
addition to discussing the value of reviewing (both for librarians and 
for the academic communities they serve), I will offer some practi-
cal suggestions for how librarians who have little or no experience 
reviewing books can begin to do so.

INTRODUCTION

Writing book reviews is one way that theological librarians can 
contribute to scholarly conversations, continue their professional 
development, and creatively engage their communities. Writing 
book reviews and review essays has been an important part of my 
own development as a librarian, and it continues to be an area of 
professional service in which I am invested. I have written reviews 
for numerous academic journals, popular publications, websites, 
and library publications. Through this experience, I have come to be 
convinced both that librarians are uniquely qualified to contribute 
to the broader academic community through book reviewing and 
that reviewing carries significant benefit for library work. I suggest 
that librarians have unique qualifications to serve as book reviewers 
and that book reviewing can support the mission of the library, and 
I offer practical suggestions for how librarians can begin to review.



246  AT L A 2020 PROCEEDINGS

UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS OF THEOLOGICAL LIBRARIANS

Reviewing books for scholarly publications is an important area 
of professional service. Scholars rely on one another to critically 
engage new literature in their various fields and write reviews that 
evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of new volumes. In this sense, 
reviewing represents more than simply an entry on a CV. However, 
some scholars minimize the importance of this kind of service. Sarah 
Rollens, the book review editor for the journal Studies in Religion 
tweeted anecdotal evidence of this attitude: “A junior scholar once 
told me that he didn’t write book reviews because they ‘aren’t worth 
anything.’ When we start talking like that, the neoliberal university 
has won” (@SarahRollens, November 28, 2019). As librarians, we 
should certainly be invested in combating this attitude and promot-
ing an ethos of professional service. 

Scholarly reviews are typically written by established and emerg-
ing scholars with knowledge of a very narrow set of literature in their 
field. They know the relevant literature in their specific discipline 
or subdiscipline and they employ that expertise to critically assess 
new titles in their discipline. Of course, some librarians bring this 
kind of discipline-specific expertise to the task of reviewing. I want 
to suggest, however, that it is the librarian’s status as a generalist that 
provides our unique qualifications in this area.

In an editorial essay for Theological Librarianship, Richard Manly 
Adams, Jr. characterizes the librarian’s unique role in contemporary 
academia:

I am struck by how important it is for librarians to maintain our 
broad focus, particularly given the move toward specialization in 
the academy. Whereas most academic fields offer rewards for the 
researcher who can uncover the new territory in the narrowest 
of information realms, ours is one of the few that continues to 
praise the generalist, the one who can maintain not expertise, but 
familiarity, with a range of topics. (Adams 2019, iii)

In the realm of theological studies, theological librarians must 
maintain a broad familiarity in a range of subdisciplines, includ-
ing Hebrew Bible, New Testament, biblical theology, systematics 
and doctrinal theology, church history, pastoral theology, liturgics, 
ecclesiology, etc. Beyond these categories, we also need to be famil-
iar with religious studies, philosophy, sociology, psychology, and any 
number of other fields. This breadth of knowledge is important for 



Listen and Learn Sessions  247

maintaining balanced collections, conducting reference interactions, 
and providing information literacy instruction in these various fields.

SUPPORTING THE MISSION OF THE LIBRARY

Faculty Status for Librarians
As we engage in this important area of professional service and 
development, there are some specific ways that publishing book 
reviews can support the mission of the library. First, writing book 
reviews can provide support for librarians who are seeking faculty 
status at their institutions. According to the “ACRL Standards for 
Faculty Status for Academic Librarians,” academic librarians provide 

“unique contributions to the academic community,” including “devel-
oping collections, providing bibliographic access to all library mate-
rials, and interpreting these materials to members of the college and 
university community” (ACRL 2011). In addition to these contribu-
tions, it is important for librarians to demonstrate scholarly engage-
ment through teaching roles and publication efforts.

While our teaching efforts are most clearly demonstrated through 
information literacy instruction, many librarians have difficulty 
finding time (not to mention institutional support) amid our many 
other daily responsibilities to write for publication. Book reviews 
are an achievable form of publication for busy librarians. They 
demand less time to research and write than journal articles and 
monographs, they contribute directly to our collection development 
responsibilities, and they demonstrate relevant knowledge in our 
subject specialties. 

Collection Development
Second, book reviewing promotes deep and thoughtful engagement 
with the literature that we collect. Much of our collection develop-
ment efforts involve surveying catalogs, journals, and websites to 
remain current on the new titles and relevant literature. Casting 
with a wider net in this way is, of course, necessary. However, the 
deep reading that comes with reviewing can bring perspective and 
knowledge of a topic that can be earned in no other way. Reviewing 
creates a reciprocal relationship in which 1) the effort we put into 
critically assessing and reviewing a book contributes to our knowl-
edge of specific subject areas and therefore informs our collection 



248  AT L A 2020 PROCEEDINGS

development choices, and 2) the knowledge and perspective we have 
earned through collection development efforts informs our ability 
to critically engage new titles. 

Librarians often bring the kind of knowledge to reviewing that 
is most relevant for the collection development choices of other 
librarians. This is particularly true of reviews that cover reference 
materials, databases, and other tools that are particular to the library 
environment. In this respect, reviewing is an important area of 
professional service not only for the academy at large but for other 
librarians in particular. Library publications like ACRL’s Choice and 
Atla’s Theological Librarianship are particularly important venues 
for reviews written by librarians.

Promoting Library Values
Third, reviewing provides librarians an opportunity to promote 
library values in our institutions. One of those core values is diversity 
of perspective, defined by the Library Bill of Rights: “Libraries should 
provide material and information presenting all points of view on 
current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or 
removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval” (ALA 2006). 
Academic libraries occupy a position at the intersection of library 
values and the particular values of the institutions in which we exist. 
There can be some tension in this dynamic, and that tension can 
be more pronounced for theological libraries that operate within 
specific confessional traditions. 

Strategies for promoting library values, like diversity of perspec-
tive, will differ according to the particular institutional context. My 
own context involves working in a library at a denominational semi-
nary. Covenant Theological Seminary is the denominational semi-
nary of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The PCA is the 
second-largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States. Ideo-
logically, it is theologically conservative, adhering to the doctrinal 
standards in the Westminster Confession of Faith. Demographically, 
it is predominantly White (80% White, 6% Black, 3% Asian, 6% Latino, 
5% other/mixed; Pew Research Forum 2014). These demograph-
ics are reflected in Covenant Seminary’s faculty as well, which is 
predominantly White and male. In this homogeneous context, it 
is particularly important to be intentional about finding ways to 
promote cultural, racial, gender, and other forms of diversity.



Listen and Learn Sessions  249

I have tried to promote diversity at Covenant Seminary through 
reviewing ideologically and demographically diverse titles in the 
seminary’s journal, Presbyterion: A Covenant Seminary Review. The 
journal features the scholarship of Covenant’s faculty and other 
evangelical scholars. Full-text access is available through the Atla 
Religion Database, and many Covenant alumni, PCA pastors, and 
laypeople subscribe directly. In a recent issue, I wrote a review essay 
that dealt with titles on liberation theologies and Black theology 
(Stout 2019a):

Barger, Lilian Called. 2018. The World Come of Age: An Intellec-
tual History of Liberation Theology. Oxford: Oxford University 
Press. 

Cone, James H. 2018. Said I Wasn’t Gonna Tell Nobody: The 
Making of a Black Theologian. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.

In the same issue, I reviewed a memoir from Serene Jones, a femi-
nist theologian and the president of Union Theological Seminary 
(Stout 2019b):

Jones, Serene. 2019. Call it Grace: Finding Meaning in a Fractured 
World. New York: Viking.

I have tried to highlight authors and subjects that are often over-
looked in our corner of the theological world. Part of my goal in 
reviewing these titles is to help generate conversations in the denom-
ination and the seminary community about issues surrounding 
racial inequality, gender roles, and movements in the broader theo-
logical world.

Sharpening Reference Skills
Fourth, writing book reviews can contribute to our daily work in 
the library, including sharpening our reference skills. Once again, 
a specific example comes from Presbyterion. Covenant Seminary’s 
recently retired library director, James Pakala, has written a long 
running series of short articles in Presbyterion entitled “A Librar-
ian’s Comments on Commentaries.” This continuing series, which 
began in 1995, surveys biblical commentaries on particular books 
of the Bible. Its purpose is to “recommend Bible commentaries and 



250  AT L A 2020 PROCEEDINGS

offer brief assessments to guide Presbyterion readers in their selec-
tion and use,” and “concerns of homiletics and pastoral theology . . . 
merit attention along with linguistic, historical, and other scholarly 
exegetical matters” (Pakala 1995, 121).

In addition to demonstrating the knowledge garnered by the 
individual librarian as they engage in the process of reviewing, “A 
Librarian’s Comments on Commentaries,” offers an example of how 
that activity can generate reference tools for wider use. In the semi-
nary library setting, biblical commentaries are frequently the most 
important resources for a patron’s research. When a student comes 
to the front desk of the library looking for commentaries on a particu-
lar biblical book, I will often refer to these articles to supplement the 
library’s basic study guides on biblical commentaries. The study and 
reflection that has gone into this series has produced an invaluable 
reference tool for biblical studies.

Promoting Patron Engagement
Finally, writing and publishing reviews can promote engagement 
with our patrons. This is more intangible than some of the other 
benefits discussed, but I have found it to be important. While we 
have our own pressures and deadlines associated with our work 
in libraries, these pressures are different from the stress and pres-
sure experienced by students as they study for exams, do research 
for papers, and meet deadlines for classes. Reflecting deeply on the 
titles we are reading, writing reviews, and meeting the deadlines 
associated with them can keep us a little bit closer to the experience 
of our students. This is particularly important for those of us who 
work in public services and engage with students’ day-to-day needs, 
often at points of high stress. The more we can empathize with the 
kind of work they are doing, the better we will be able to serve them.

I have also found that published reviews can be the starting point 
for a dialogue regarding library resources and services. As students 
have seen my reviews, particularly in Presbyterion, it has sparked 
conversation. While that conversation might start as a discussion of 
the book under review, it sometimes leads to further discussion of 
similar resources available at the library. Seeing librarians engage in 
the kind of writing and publishing activities that students associate 
with their professors can help to foster awareness of and confidence 
in the services that we offer.



Listen and Learn Sessions  251

PRACTICAL WAYS TO START REVIEWING

Directly Engaging Editors
While larger journals might primarily seek out established scholars 
to review titles, it is also the case that many book review editors may 
not have the time or the resources to go out and recruit all the review-
ers they might like. Many journal editors are very open to potential 
reviewers proposing titles for review. Identify a journal in your area 
of subject specialty and reach out to the book review editor at that 
journal. Some publications, like Choice for example, have an appli-
cation process for potential reviewers.

Journals that Post Books for Review
Increasingly, smaller journals are posting titles available for review 
online in various formats. Responding to these calls for reviewers 
can be a great entry point for librarians who would like to begin 
reviewing.

• Theological Librarianship (serials.atla.com/theolib/reviews)

This is Atla’s open access, peer-reviewed journal. With an 
intended audience of library subject specialists, books available 
for review include those at the intersection of libraries and theol-
ogy/religious studies and reference works dealing with religion. 
Titles available for review are listed on the journal’s website. 
Reviews are submitted and processed through Open Journal 
Systems, an open source journal management software.

• Studies in Religion (srreviews.ca; Twitter @SRReviews)

This is a bilingual (English/French), peer-reviewed, quarterly 
journal of theological and religious studies. It is intended to be 
accessible to a more general academic audience. This multidisci-
plinary focus makes it a particularly appropriate venue for theo-
logical librarians with broad subject knowledge. Books are made 
available for review through a dedicated website that includes 
summary information about each title in a blog format. Requests 

http://serials.atla.com/theolib/reviews
http://srreviews.ca


252  AT L A 2020 PROCEEDINGS

for titles are made through the site. A dedicated Twitter account 
also provides notifications about new titles for review.

• Biblical Theology Bulletin (docs.google.com/document/d/1-
Lw5EVFKJOFy54ET7TIUsWcGmVtWq_-CSvZdKSClOUs/edit)

A peer-reviewed quarterly publication, this journal brings bibli-
cal and theological studies into dialogue with the social sciences. 
Books are made available for review through a Google docu-
ment, and requests for titles are made through a dedicated email 
account.

• The Christian Librarian (www.acl.org/index.cfm/publications/
the-christian-librarian/book-reviews)

The official publication of the Association of Christian Librar-
ians, this open access journal is a forum for articles, essays, and 
reviews from librarians on issues related to Christianity and 
library science. In addition to titles in theology and religious 
studies, this journal also makes fiction titles available for review. 
Titles are made available through a Google document and 
reviews are arranged through direct communication with the 
journal’s book review editor.

WORKS CITED

Adams, Richard Manly, Jr. 2019. “In Praise of the Generalist: Reflect-
ing on the Theological Librarian’s Challenge.” Theological Librar-
ianship 12, no. 1 (April): iii.

American Library Association. 2006. “Library Bill of Rights.” June 30, 
2006. www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill.

———. 2011. “ACRL Standards for Faculty Status for Academic 
Librarians.” September 6, 2006. www.ala.org/acrl/standards/
standardsfaculty.

Pakala, James C. 1995. “A Librarian’s Comments on Commentaries.” 
Presbyterion 21, no. 2 (Fall): 121–3.

http://docs.google.com/document/d/1-Lw5EVFKJOFy54ET7TIUsWcGmVtWq_-CSvZdKSClOUs/edit
http://docs.google.com/document/d/1-Lw5EVFKJOFy54ET7TIUsWcGmVtWq_-CSvZdKSClOUs/edit
http://www.acl.org/index.cfm/publications/the-christian-librarian/book-reviews
http://www.acl.org/index.cfm/publications/the-christian-librarian/book-reviews
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/standardsfacult
http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/standardsfacult


Listen and Learn Sessions  253

Pew Research Forum. 2014. Religious Landscape Study. www.pewfo-
rum.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-denomination/pres-
byterian-church-in-america.

Stout, Andrew C. 2019a. Review of Call it Grace: Finding Meaning in a 
Fractured World, by Serene Jones. Presbyterion 45, no. 1 (Spring): 
176–8.

———. 2019b. “A Rhetoric of Revolution: Evaluating the Legacy of 
Liberation Theology.” Presbyterion 45, no. 1 (Spring): 153–9.

http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-denomination/presbyterian-church-in-america
http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-denomination/presbyterian-church-in-america
http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-denomination/presbyterian-church-in-america

