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Editor’s Introduction

IT IS MY PLEASURE to welcome readers to the formal record of 
another wonderful ATLA conference. The 2018 gathering in 
Indianapolis, Indiana, brought together theological librar-
ians from around the country and the world to listen, learn, 
and laugh together as they explored topics and themes both 
cutting edge and timeless. For those who participated in the 
conference in person, these proceedings will recall sessions 
they enjoyed attending and offer access to those they regret-
ted having to miss. And those who were not with us in Indiana 
will find here a taste of the innovative, thoughtful work being 
done by ATLA colleagues and friends.

The 2018 conference theme, “Connection at the Crossroads: 
Creative Collaboration in a Changing Landscape,” is reflected in several 
sessions presented in the Proceedings. Many theological librarians place 
“connection” at the heart of their work, and we find here accounts of 
connecting graduate students with library resources, librarians with 
faculty, and users with special collections. Creating and maintaining 
these vital and vibrant connections call upon knowledge and expertise 
from across the spectrum of library workers—catalogers, information 
literacy specialists, liaison librarians, and more.

The theme of collaboration also resonated with many presenters 
and participants, and readers of this volume will surely find ideas and 
inspiration in projects that highlight creative, productive partner-
ships between libraries and a variety of organizations and individuals,  



vi  ATL A 2018 PROCEEDINGS

including writing centers, marketing specialists, and community 
members. Of particular note are sessions presented by our interna-
tional colleagues, such as Kerrie Burn from the University of Divin-
ity in Melbourne, Australia, and D’Anna Shotts and Anthonia Ahimah 
from Baptist Theological Seminary in Kaduna, Nigeria. The perspec-
tive offered by these presentations made Indiana not just the “Cross-
roads of America,” but a global meeting point.

The ATLA annual conference and these proceedings play an impor-
tant role in furthering the association’s strategic goals and upholding 
its core values. This volume is rich with content that demonstrates 
commitment to core values such as excellence in library collections 
and services and creativity, innovation, and transformation. The 
sessions recounted here showcase, in particular, the outstanding work 
being done by our colleagues in small libraries, where the challenge of 
limited resources is transformed into motivation for new approaches. 

Just as the smart, interesting content provided by conference 
presenters addresses themes of connection, collaboration, and 
creativity, the Summary of Proceedings as a document is also responding 
to the changing landscape. As part of the ATLA Press, it is published 
on an open access platform, broadening the impact of the annual 
conference and supporting the ATLA core value of offering the “widest 
possible access to relevant information and ideas.” The open access 
format makes the work presented here easy to share widely, encour-
aging the development of new connections far beyond Indianapolis 
in June 2018. “Hospitality, inclusion, and diversity,” another ATLA 
core value, need not be limited to those occasions, such as the annual 
conference, when we have the pleasure of seeing one another face to 
face. We can also welcome colleagues at any time, from any place, to 
be part of the work we see reflected in the Proceedings, and I hope you 
will consider this volume an invitation to join the ATLA community.

Miranda Bennett