









































98  ATLA 2022 PROCEEDINGS

Small Libraries as  
Community Partners
Paving the Way
Elizabeth Young Miller, Information Literacy and Seminary Liaison Librarian, 
Reeves Library, Moravian University and Moravian Theological Seminary
Susan Ebertz, Associate Professor, Director of the Reu Memorial Library, 
Wartburg Theological Seminary
Daniel F. Flores, University Librarian, Assistant Professor, and Chair of Library 
Science, Blumberg Memorial Library, Texas Lutheran University

ABSTRACT Panelists Susan Ebertz, Daniel F. Flores, and Elizabeth Young 
Miller provided brief institutional snapshots of their respective institutions 
before discussing how their library mission statements and/or institutional 
strategic plans address community service. Each panelist shared examples 
of how their respective institutions engage in outreach and community 
service.

SLIG

Small libraries can be defined in various ways, and the Atla Small Li-
braries Interest Group (SLIG) takes a very inclusive approach when 
it comes to the term small libraries. Essentially, the SLIG interest 
group welcomes all librarians and library staff regardless of the size 
of their respective institutions.

MORAVIAN UNIVERSITY AND MORAVIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Elizabeth Young Miller is Information Literacy and Seminary Liaison 
at the Reeves Library, Moravian University and Theological Semi-
nary, which is located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The institution 
offers several master’s degree programs, which include the follow-
ing: Master of Arts in Chaplaincy (MACh), Master of Arts in Divinity 
(MDiv), Master of Arts in Formation and Ministry (MAFM), and Mas-
ter of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS). The seminary is embedded 



PANEL DISCuSSIONS  99

within Moravian University, and one library serves all students and 
faculty across the institution. Moravian Theological Seminary is also 
in the process of combining with Lancaster Theological Seminary.

At Moravian, both the library’s mission statement and vision state-
ment are under revision and are not currently included on the li-
brary’s website. Both, however, are included in the student employee 
handbook. While the library’s mission statement does not explicitly 
include community service or outreach, the library’s vision statement 
mentions using information in service to the community. Moravian 
University’s strategic plan, as well as Moravian Theological Semi-
nary’s mission statement and Statement of Core Values, highlight 
equity, justice, service, and hospitality. One of the university’s stra-
tegic plan pillars is “together towards equity.” Part of the seminary’s 
mission statement found on Moravian Seminary’s “Mission and Val-
ues” webpage reads as follows: “Rooted in the Moravian heritage 
of … service, we welcome students preparing to serve in diverse so-
cioeconomic … contexts.” Several of the seminary’s core values ad-
dress service. These service-related core values are also listed on the 
seminary’s “Mission and Values” webpage and include the following: 
“hospitality and open and affirming engagement with diverse people 
and cultures,” and “faithful advocacy for justice in local, national, 
and global contexts.” The examples that follow speak to these values.

Reeves Library at Moravian has sponsored fines forgiveness pro-
grams to address equity and justice and to extend hospitality to the lo-
cal community, as well as current students. Initially, fines forgiveness 
events occurred twice a year, at the end of each semester. Instead of 
collecting overdue fines, the library opted to collect items to support 
our community. Some years around Christmas time, we had a mitten 
tree—requesting donations of hats, gloves, mittens, and scarves that 
were then donated to a local elementary school. The library also sup-
ported this local elementary school by collecting non-perishable food 
items that could be sent home in weekend backpacks with students.

The library supported this local elementary school until Mo’s Cup-
board was created. A former seminary student, Lisa Johnson, was 
instrumental in the creation of Mo’s Cupboard, which addresses food 
insecurity on campus. She is featured in the video on the university’s 
website showcasing Mo’s Cupboard (Moravian 2021). Jill Anderson, 
the Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement, shared 
in an email dated June 1, 2022, that Mo’s Cupboard has been visited 
over 2,100 times this year, by close to 340 students.



100  ATLA 2022 PROCEEDINGS

Food insecurity is a growing concern on college and university 
campuses. In an article in Forbes from August 2021, rates of food inse-
curity ranging from 30 to 50 percent are cited (Rowan 2021). Certain-
ly, the pandemic has contributed to this increased rate. In the 2020 
article “Empty Shelves: How Your Academic Library Can Address 
Food Insecurity,” Lana Mariko Wood emphasizes the role her library 
has played in addressing this issue. She argues that, given a library’s 
often central location on campus and extended hours, libraries are 
an ideal place for a food and essential needs pantry (Wood 2020, 324). 
Wood also highlights that libraries are also perfect for this type of 
service because they are well versed in protecting patrons’ privacy 
and are experts at outreach (2020, 323). For libraries interested in 
starting a food pantry, Wood recommends the College and University 
Food Bank Alliance’s (CUFBA’s) “Getting Started Toolkit” (2020, 324).

To promote equity, Moravian decided this year to remove fines al-
together. As a result, the question emerges: how can the library con-
tinue to support initiatives such as Mo’s Cupboard? Brainstorming 
with a colleague generated the idea of sponsoring a “spring cleaning 
event” to share food and other essential items. Another idea worth 
exploring is creating a LibGuide with information on local food pan-
tries and other emergency aid services, which Wood suggests in her 
article (2020, 324). Local clergy may be able to provide some content 
for such a guide, as well as other campus resources.

THE WARTBURG THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

I, Susan Ebertz, am the director of the library at Wartburg Theo-
logical Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. Our FTE is about 180 students. 
Two-thirds of our students are distance students. Because of this, we 
need to make sure to include our distance students in our programs 
and planning. We have three degree-granting programs and several 
certificate programs. Our library staff includes me and a part-time 
paraprofessional. We need to make sure that anything we do can be 
done with little staffing.

Wartburg Theological Seminary Mission Statement

The Wartburg Theological Seminary Mission Statement has been around 
for many years. The seminary uses this mission statement in how it plans 
worship, learning, and mission as central to many activities. The Wartburg 
Theological Seminary Mission Statement states the following. 



PANEL DISCuSSIONS  101

Wartburg Theological Seminary serves Christ’s church through 
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America by being a worship-
centered community of critical theological reflection where learning 
leads to mission and mission informs learning.

I want to emphasize the latter part of the statement where it says 
that learning is not for its own sake but that it is to lead to mission. It 
also says that what we do in mission, or in the context of this session 
on community partnerships, helps us in our learning.

The second part of the mission statement says:

The community embodies God’s mission by stewarding resources for en-
gaging, equipping, and sending collaborative leaders who interpret, pro-
claim, and live the gospel of Jesus Christ for a world created for communion 
with God and in need of personal and social healing.

The part of the mission statement that I would like to highlight is 
“in need of personal and social healing.” We then see that our semi-
nary mission statement does talk about ministry to the community 
implicitly but not necessarily explicitly.

Library Vision Statement
In 2020, Interim President Kristine Stache wanted the library 

to create a vision statement to guide the seminary in plans for the 
possible remodeling of the building in which the library resides. 
She created a Presidential Library Task Force consisting of faculty, 
students, and the library director. The task force crafted a Library 
Vision Statement which was approved by the faculty in November 
2020. It states as follows:

The Library of Wartburg Theological Seminary will serve Wartburg’s mis-
sion to form leaders for the church by serving as a space, both physically 
and digitally, to gather its community near and far to foster relationships, 
inspire and support learning, and enrich ongoing formation.

The library vision statement does not speak explicitly about build-
ing community partnerships outside of the Wartburg community. As 
mentioned in the seminary’s mission statement, learning is to lead 
to mission, so inspiring and supporting learning means supporting 
ministry. Enriching ongoing formation would be included in being 
involved in helping to learn to lead to mission. One of the points in 
the library vision statement talks about “supporting their continued 
development as leaders for the church.” Learning by building com-
munity partnerships would develop their leadership.



102  ATLA 2022 PROCEEDINGS

Community Partnerships
We have partnered with our community in a couple of ways. First, 

through the Iowa Open Access program. Any citizen of Iowa may 
check out books from our library for free. Iowa citizens can create a 
library account with us by filling out an application and showing us 
identification, so we know that they do live in Iowa. This also means 
that our students can check out items from any Iowa Open Access 
Library. We are also members of DALINC which is a Dubuque area 
library consortium. This allows us additional reciprocal borrowing 
with those who are not Iowa Open Access Libraries. Students and fac-
ulty of one of the local small universities use our theological collec-
tion. We also participate in Interlibrary Loan with any Iowa library.

The second way was a one-time event at our seminary. During the 
past year, a couple of our students volunteered at St. Mark’s Youth 
Enrichment. St. Mark’s provides after-school, weekend, and summer 
tutoring and enrichment programming for children. This Christmas 
the two students spearheaded a drive to collect winter clothing for 
the children involved in St. Mark’s programs. The students created a 
registry at Target. As I mentioned earlier, two-thirds of our students 
are distance students. Having an online registry meant that our dis-
tance students could also participate in the purchase of items. Our 
residential students, faculty, and staff could either purchase the gifts 
at the local store or purchase them online. The registry assured that 
the number of requested items would be purchased. The method 
helped all of our community participate in this gift-giving.

TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY

Texas Lutheran University (TLU) is a small, private university relat-
ed to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), located in 
Seguin, Texas. Founded in 1891 as The Evangelical Lutheran College 
in Brenham, Texas, its mission was to train German immigrants to 
become Lutheran pastors. The campus was moved to Seguin in 1912 
in response to a generous invitation from the Businessmen’s Club of 
Seguin, who were desirous of a local college. They offered the school 
15 acres and free water as an incentive. Blinn College, founded by 
German Methodists, was first in line but they declined the land grant 
deal and opted to remain in Brenham. Texas Lutheran University now 
owns 184 acres and remote nursing school campuses in New Braunfels 
and Houston. Student enrollment in 2021–2022 was just under 1,300.



PANEL DISCuSSIONS  103

Dr. David Maldonado’s sociological study of Seguin, Crossing Gua-
dalupe Street, maps the racial segregation of the rural town relative 
to the centrally located Guadalupe Street, (Maldonado 2001). White 
residents settled in neighborhoods on the east of the street. Interest-
ingly, Texas Lutheran’s campus was established in a cotton field on 
the west side of the street. The neighborhoods there are historically 
populated by Black and Hispanic people. However, the linguistic, eth-
nographic, Lutheran religious identity and economic advantages of 
the predominantly German-heritage community of Texas Lutheran 
have kept them isolated from their neighbors for almost a century. 
Only recently have more Black and Hispanic students become nu-
merous in the student body. This was made possible by the availabil-
ity of scholarships and intentional student recruiting. TLU officially 
became a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) only in the last decade. 
This status is achieved when enrollment reaches a minimum of 25 
percent Hispanic students. TLU now has approximately 40 percent 
Hispanic students.

In January 2021, the university hired Dr. David Ortiz, formerly 
of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), as 
their inaugural Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. My 
(Daniel Flores’s) appointment in June 2021 as University Librarian 
was part of the diversification drive that has added more Hispanics 
and African Americans to the faculty and administration than ever 
in the 100-year history of the institution. TLU continues to explore 
ways we can achieve its faith-based mission statement:

As a community of faith and learning, Texas Lutheran University empowers 
a diverse student body through an education centered on the liberal arts 
and professional programs. In pursuit of a more just world, TLU is commit-
ted to academic excellence, servant leadership, and career development.

The Blumberg Memorial Library’s mission statement was writ-
ten in 1997. Unfortunately, it has not been updated since 2005. It is 
inwardly focused on the TLU community. However, I see something 
positive and inclusive in the word “access.”

The mission of the Blumberg Memorial Library is primarily to provide ac-
cess to organized information to the TLU community and to teach students 
techniques of locating and evaluating information, which will assist them 
to develop as informed and resourceful persons.



104  ATLA 2022 PROCEEDINGS

While the library does not have a strategic plan, TLU’s 2025 Stra-
tegic Plan has promise as a workable pathway to meeting our insti-
tutional mission:

1. Strengthen and expand the student experience.
2. Diversify and strengthen academic programs.
3. Embrace and celebrate a culture of diversity, equity, and in-

clusion.
4. Establish a predictable business model that provides finan-

cial stability.
5. Create strong partnerships and collaborations. (Texas Lu-

theran University, 2022)
Strategic goal number five speaks directly to the institution’s desire 

for increased community engagement. There are three initiatives un-
der this goal’s heading, the first strongly suggesting community part-
nerships, though not specifically mentioning the role of the library:

Enhance work with local entities, including Guadalupe Regional Medical 
Center, chambers of commerce, Seguin Economic Development Corpora-
tion, and other local businesses, educational institutions, advocacy groups, 
and industries, to increase partnerships and programs that benefit TLU 
and the local community.

TLU’s history of collaborations with the community in public pro-
grams is impressive. Their STEM, music, and dance programs draw 
hundreds to the campus each year. However, I had not observed or 
heard any anecdotal evidence of the library’s direct involvement 
with community outreach to the people of Seguin. Having recently 
completed the editing of Los Profetas, a book on the prophetic min-
istry of Hispanic churches, I wondered whether libraries could also 
be agents of change by acting prophetically in their communities 
(Flores 2022). I reached out to Teatro de Artes de Juan Seguin, a local 
Mexican American cultural arts center, to ask if they would be open 
to us hosting an art exhibit for their organization in our new library 
gallery. They accepted the invitation with enthusiasm.

In Fall 2021, the Blumberg Memorial Library hosted an art exhibit 
entitled “Celebrating the Life and Artwork of Reynaldo ‘Rey’ Luján-
Gaytán” (Texas Lutheran University 2021). Luján-Gaytán was an art-
ist and activist with ties to Teatro de Artes de Juan Seguin. Sadly, he 
passed away due to complications of contracting the COVID virus. 
The display consisted of several framed posters of his original art 
and drawings with themes of spirituality and social justice. Kevin 



PANEL DISCuSSIONS  105

Medford, TLU’s Help Desk Coordinator, set up a monitor to show the 
video “A Tribute to Rey Lujan Gaytan” (YouTube 2021).

On September 21, 2021, the opening night of the exhibit featured 
live Mexican polka music and Ballet Folklorico performers in the li-
brary gallery. Several of these dancers performed in the library’s court-
yard while over 100 visitors were treated to dinner prepared by a lo-
cal food truck restaurant. Campus collaborations from the Division of 
Visual Arts, Mexican American Student Association, Proud to be First 
Gen, Campus Programs, and the Moline Center for Servant Leadership 
assisted with volunteers and funds to cover our overhead expenses.

The goodwill generated by hosting this community art show is still 
bearing fruit. Six months after the event, we were surprised when 
Dahlia G. Arambula donated a framed poster by her late brother Lu-
ján-Gaytán entitled “Compassionate Universe.” In Fall 2022, Teatro de 
Artes de Juan Seguin and the Seguin Public Library will be our com-
munity partners in the NEA Big Read Seguin, thanks to a generous 
grant from the National Endowment for the Arts managed by Arts 
Midwest. I will conclude with the observation that community part-
nerships are most successful when we are transformed in the process.

MENTIMETER

At the start of the panel discussion, participants were invited to par-
ticipate in a Mentimeter poll, responding to the question: Why did 
you decide to attend this session today? Responses varied but the 
consensus was that many attendees work at small libraries.

After institutional snapshots were shared, attendees were invited 
to respond to the following questions using Mentimeter:

1. Have you looked at your strategic plan lately? (yes/no)
2. When was the last time your strategic plan was updated?

a. 1–2 years ago
b. 2–5 years ago
c. 5+ years ago
d. I don’t know

3. Is your strategic plan in need of updates? (yes/maybe/no)
4. Is outreach mentioned in your strategic plan? (yes/no/not 

sure)
Responses varied. The panel ended with a lively Q&A session in 

person and online.



106  ATLA 2022 PROCEEDINGS

REFERENCES

College and University Food Bank Alliance. 2020. “Getting Started 
Toolkit.” Accessed July 15, 2022. https://cufba.org/resources/.

Flores, Daniel F., ed. 2022. Los Profetas: The Prophetic Role of 
Hispanic Churches in America. Nashville: Wesley’s Foundery 
Books.

Maldonado, David M., Jr. 2001. Crossing Guadalupe Street: Growing 
Up Hispanic and Protestant. University of New Mexico Press.

Moravian University. 2021. “Mo’s Cupboard.” Accessed 
July 15, 2022. https://www.moravian.edu/mos-
cupboard?wvideo=jl44wo4h08.

Rowan, Lisa. 2021. “How Hunger Impacts College Students—And 
What’s Being Done to Alleviate It.” Forbes Advisor, August 17, 
2021. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/personal-finance/college-
students-food-insecurity.

Texas Lutheran University. 2021. “Celebrating the Life & Artwork 
of Reynaldo ‘Rey’ Luján-Gaytán.” Accessed July 15, 2022. 
https://www.tlu.edu/events/celebrating-the-life-artwork-of-
reynaldo-rey-luj%C3%A1n-gayt%C3%A1n.

Texas Lutheran University. 2022. Strategic Plan 2025. Accessed July 
15, 2022. https://www.tlu.edu/uploads/files/general/TLU_2025_
Strategic_Plan-LowRes.pdf.

Wood, Lana Mariko. 2020. “Empty Shelves: How Your Academic 
Library Can Address Food Insecurity.” College & Research 
Libraries News 81, no. 7 (8 July 2020): 322-325. https://doi.
org/10.5860/crln.81.7.322.

YouTube. 2021. “A Tribute to Rey Lujan Gaytan.” Accessed July 15, 
2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Fg5OXzCzpI.

https://cufba.org/resources/
https://www.moravian.edu/mos-cupboard?wvideo=jl44wo4h08
https://www.moravian.edu/mos-cupboard?wvideo=jl44wo4h08
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/personal-finance/college-students-food-insecurity
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/personal-finance/college-students-food-insecurity
https://www.tlu.edu/events/celebrating-the-life-artwork-of-reynaldo-rey-luj%C3%A1n-gayt%C3%A1n
https://www.tlu.edu/events/celebrating-the-life-artwork-of-reynaldo-rey-luj%C3%A1n-gayt%C3%A1n
https://www.tlu.edu/uploads/files/general/TLU_2025_Strategic_Plan-LowRes.pdf
https://www.tlu.edu/uploads/files/general/TLU_2025_Strategic_Plan-LowRes.pdf
https://doi.org/10.5860/crln.81.7.322
https://doi.org/10.5860/crln.81.7.322
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Fg5OXzCzpI

