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Publishing Theory and Praxis
Information Literary, Theological Librarianship, 
and Atla Open Press
Matthew Collins, Alma College
Kaeley McMahan, Wake Forest University
Bobby L. Smiley, Vanderbilt University

ABSTR AC T The following contribution brings together three 
perspectives around the Atla Open Press book, Information Literary 
and Theological Librarianship: Theory and Praxis, published in 2019. 
Beginning with reflections from the book’s editor (Bobby Smiley), 
these remarks also offer commentary from other panelists, who 
provide a background summary from the publisher’s editor-in-chief 
(Matthew Collins), as well a case study that served as the basis for 
one the chapters in the volume (Kaeley McMahan).

A PROLEGOMENA TO ANY FUTURE DISCUSSION OF THEOLOGICAL 
LIBRARIANSHIP AND INFORMATION LITERACY
Bobby Smiley

Potter Stewart’s oft-cited, now (in)famous apothegm from his opin-
ion on Jacobellis v. Ohio (1964)—I know it when I see it—arguably 
applies to the work we do as theological librarians. While recogniz-
ing what uniquely separates our work from peers in other areas 
of academic librarianship, I frequently find it difficult to articulate 
(at least, articulate coherently) how that work is unique and, in 
my explanations, usually settle on identifying parallel domains to 
account for difference: institutional settings, instruction, constitu-
encies, content knowledge, professional trends. What I’ve come to 
realize is that this toggling between theological and other forms 
of librarianship has provided sites of generative tension that have 
encouraged critical reflection, reimagination, and experimentation 
in our own library practice. Information Literacy and Theological 
Librarianship: Theory & Praxis, I believe, has acted as one of those 
sites. Traversing multiple settings, constituencies, and trends in 



132  AT L A 2020 PROCEEDINGS

information literacy (IL), the volume’s contributors have advanced 
arguments that engage in conversation outside of our own field 
while drawing their case studies, or theoretical explorations, back 
to the unique concerns or issues of theological and religious studies 
librarianship. Like the microhistorian who finds multum in parvo, 
the librarians who contributed to Information Literacy and Theo-
logical Librarianship provide an aperture into the work we do that 
simultaneously moves between our uniqueness and the broader 
concerns of academic librarianship.

I confess this is only a belated realization, and the genesis of this 
book owes much to those broader concerns. In my past work and 
research as a history and digital humanities librarian, I focused on 
questions of information literacy and disciplinary knowledge, and 
how to place the two in productive dialogue. I wanted to explore 
what library instruction can uniquely provide through the disciplin-
ary language and threshold concepts of a particular field—history, 
biology, engineering, or indeed religion. Whether after or between 
sessions at Atla or over drinks following, I discussed with colleagues 
and friends about how (or if) they leveraged disciplinary affordances 
in their own information literacy instruction or used IL concepts 
to help teach disciplinary ones. And it was over afternoon beers 
during one of these conversations at the annual conference in 2018 
that the idea for Information Literacy and Theological Librarianship 
was hatched.

In his capacity as the newly installed editor-in-chief of Atla Open 
Press, Matthew Collins suggested I consider pitching a volume on 
information literacy and theological librarianship to the press. As 
far as we both knew then (and still know now), there was no single-
authored or multi-authored edited monograph covering the subject 
and, even if there was, much had changed since the advent of the 
ACRL Framework in 2014 and the days when “bibliographic instruc-
tion” wasn’t considered an epithet. (As a partisan of the term “infor-
mation literacy,” I also confess part of my motivation was unsubtlely 
to coax folks away from invoking “BI” to using “IL” and, in that 
rebranding, thereby have them reconsider and reflect on the whole 
enterprise of library instruction.) In subsequent conversations, we 
discussed wanting to draw contributors from a broad range of insti-
tutions and practices of IL librarianship, which I feel we largely satis-
fied. I wanted the volume to both speak to contemporary concerns 
as well as offer more perdurable ones, which I also feel we largely 



Panel Discussions  133

satisfied. To be sure, Information Literacy and Theological Librar-
ianship has gaps and silences that should be acknowledged and 
named—tackling questions related to White supremacy, gender 
equity, and sexual expression, resource disparities, climate change 
and justice, among many others—lapses that apply to both content 
and contributors. I can only hope this will be redressed in future 
discussions, inasmuch as I believe theological and religious studies 
librarianship can and should bring its unique perspective on these 
concerns through how we conceive and enact information literacy 
instruction. That Information Literacy and Theological Librarian-
ship can give librarians working in our diverse contexts and varied 
constituencies an opening gambit for stoking dialogue and reflec-
tion now and provide fodder (or even a template) for future volumes 
on similar topics motivated me throughout the entire process and 
demonstrates what we can (and will) bring to larger conversations 
about information literacy.

THEORY AND PRAXIS
Matthew Collins

The genesis of the volume Information Literacy in Religious and 
Theological Studies: Theory and Praxis was the 2018 Atla Annual in 
Indianapolis. Several presentations at the conference focused on the 
ACRL Framework and information literacy instruction in religious 
and theological studies. There was considerable discussion at the 
conference on this topic. The question of how and where the Frame-
work was in use in the Atla constituency emerged from these discus-
sions. After some consultation, the editorial board of Books@Atla 
Open Press invited Bobby Smiley to submit a proposal for a volume 
of essays, followed by a larger call for chapter proposals.

As the book came together, the editorial board and Atla investi-
gated and then implemented a new software solution, Editoria, for 
manuscript editing and review. The Information Literacy volume was 
the first project produced in Editoria. The process of using this soft-
ware, coupled with the PKP Open Monograph Press system already in 
use, resulted in a redefined editorial workflow for the larger Books@
Atla Open Press project. The new workflow is documented at atla.
libguides.com/atlaopenpress/books. Atla now uses this workflow 
process for all volumes produced at Books@Atla Open Press.

http://atla.libguides.com/atlaopenpress/books
http://atla.libguides.com/atlaopenpress/books


134  AT L A 2020 PROCEEDINGS

SCHOLARSHIP AS CONVERSATION
Kaeley McMahan

I shared a summary of my contribution to Information Literacy and 
Theological Librarianship: Theory and Praxis, “Scholarship as Conver-
sation: Teaching an Information Literacy Course in a Divinity School 
Curriculum.” After reviewing several differences between the Infor-
mation Literacy Competency Standards and the ACRL Framework for 
Information Literacy in Higher Education, I highlighted a few reasons 
why I specifically center the “Scholarship as Conversation” frame in 
my course, including that it:

• highlights the importance of proper citation practices and the 
understanding of what plagiarism is,

• acknowledges the variety of source types that are appropriate 
for research, beyond the traditional book and journal article,

• affirms that there may not be one right answer for every ques-
tion, and that perspectives in a given discipline change over 
time.

The bulk of the summary covered the readings, in-class exercises 
and discussions, and assignments that help to incorporate the ideas 
of the “Scholarship as Conversation” frame into the course.

Readings came from selected chapters of A Manual for Writers of 
Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 9th ed. (Turabian 2018) 
and Melissa Browning’s chapter, “Reading Basically,” from Reading 
Theologically, edited by Eric Barreto (2014). Each of the frames was 
reflected at some point in the course readings.

“Plagiarism, Privilege, and the State of Christian Publishing” by 
Emily C. Heath (2017) was the focus for one course discussion, which 
gave a real-world example of a pastor whose previous work was 
plagiarized by a well-known minister. Heath’s reflection allowed 
the students to discuss several aspects of the Framework within the 
context of a very relatable experience.

The Specialized Scholarly Journal Article Assignment gave 
the students the opportunity to investigate one of several journal 
resources that they are not usually allowed to use for research papers, 
but which are important sources of information if they pursue PhDs 
or DMins: book or literature reviews, an in-depth interview with 
a scholar, scholarly responses/conversations via articles, a theme 
issue of a journal. I shared the experience of one of my students, 



Panel Discussions  135

who found a scholarly response article for her assignment. She later 
attended AAR-SBL as a student and introduced herself to the author 
of the article after one of the scholar’s presentations. To me, this was 
a good indication that the student had absorbed the knowledge prac-
tices and dispositions of the “Scholarship as Conversation” frame.

The full course syllabus, assignments, reading list, and other 
material, along with my portion of the 2020 conference presentation 
PowerPoint, can be found at: tinyurl.com/y9y4bt28. The book chapter 
can be found at: books.atla.com/atlapress/catalog/view/33/36/204-1.

Works Cited

Browning, Melissa. 2014. “Reading Basically.” In Reading Theologi-
cally, edited by Eric Barreto, 15–29. Minneapolis: Fortress Press.

Heath, Emily C. 2017. “Plagiarism, Privilege, and the State of Chris-
tian Publishing.” Ministry Matters, September 11, 2017. www.
ministrymatters.com/all/entry/8410/plagiarism-privilege-and-
the-state-of-christian-publishing.

Turabian, Kate L. 2018. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, 
Theses, and Dissertations. Ninth edition. Chicago: University of 
Chicago Press.

http://tinyurl.com/y9y4bt28
http://books.atla.com/atlapress/catalog/view/33/36/204-1
http://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/8410/plagiarism-privilege-and-the-state-of-christian-publishing
http://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/8410/plagiarism-privilege-and-the-state-of-christian-publishing
http://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/8410/plagiarism-privilege-and-the-state-of-christian-publishing

