The Library at Wesley Theological Seminary
As its mission, the library supports teaching, learning, and critical inquiry at the Wesley Theological Seminary in service to the seminary's educational ministry and mission. We believe that a theology library is not a storehouse of information, but a place to enter into dialogue with the vast treasury of the Christian theological tradition, and we strive to be your partner in theological education and research.
The library has implemented a new online catalog and discovery service, WorldCat Discovery. Please see the WorldCat Discovery User Guide for help with the new discovery service and searching tips.
Search Tools
WorldCat Discovery Service (WDS)
WorldCat Discovery is the library's new online catalog and discovery service. With a single search, library users can discover resources of various formats at the library and libraries worldwide. In addition to providing access to the library's subscribed electronic resources, WorldCat Discovery acts as a gateway to "more than 76 million" open access resources "from sources like the HathiTrust, Oxford University Press, Project Gutenberg, and more." Use WorldCat Discovery to find books, media, D.Min. project papers, journals, eBooks, eJournals, and databases.
Course Reserves
The library places course textbooks and other faculty requests on Course Reserves. The material has a specific loan period (usually two-hours) to ensure that all students have access to required readings. Use the WorldCat Discovery Course Reserves feature to view searchable lists of courses with items that are on reserve. To find eBook versions of required texts, use the WorldCat Discovery Service (WDS). [Course Reserves lists may not contain all required course readings. Refer to the current course syllabus.]
Biblical Interpretation Resource Guide
This guide outlines specific resources that may be helpful for biblical interpretation.
Online Resources
Online Resources Guide
This guide provides an alphabetical list of and individual access to article databases, eBook collections, commentaries, journals, dictionaries, and encyclopedias. Off campus access requires a My Wesley username and password.
Off Campus Access
This guide provides instructions on how to access online resources from off campus.
Atla Religion Database with AtlaSerials PLUS
This database provides access to full-text articles and journals on religious and theology.
Atla Scripture Search
The Atla Scripture Search is a feature of the Alta Religion Database to help users discover articles on specific books, chapters, and verses of the Christian Bible.
Journals in Discovery A-Z
This guide provides an alphabetized list of the library’s subscription journals and database collections.
Doctor of Ministry
D.Min. Project Papers Guide
This guide has information on finding previous D.Min. project papers. The guide also has instructions for formatting D.Min. project papers.
D.Min. Handbook & Style Guide
The handbook and style guide provide guidance and instructions on how to format the D.Min. project paper for submission to the library.
Access
The library building, collections and in-person services are available to students, faculty, staff, researchers, and the general public. By reservation, the library classroom is available to faculty, staff, and students for meetings and group study. Currently, the seminar room is not be available for use. However, the library lounge is opened.
Seating
Seating is available throughout the library for use. While the first floor is a mixed space for study and moderate conversation, the basement and second floors are designated quite zones.
Staff Availability
In addition to in-person assistance, library staff will provide remote assistance by Zoom appointments and email (please allow 1-3 business days for a response).
Returning/Renewing Library Materials
To avoid disruption to your borrowing privileges, return or renew borrowed materials by their due date. See Returning Library Materials and Renewing Borrowed Materials for details and instructions.
Further details are available at Library Operations and Services.
Available Services
The following in-person services are available to most library users:
- borrowing library materials
- obtain or renew library borrower's account
- self-checkout
- access to public computers
- document scanning (no cost)
- document printing (available only to WTS students, faculty, and staff through PaperCut)
Course Reserves
The Course Reserves service is designed to make assigned course texts available and accessible to students each semester. While physical texts are held in the Course Reserve collection in the library, electronic texts may be available through the WorldCat Discovery Service (WDS) at Wesley as well. See Course Reserves for details and instructions.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and Document Delivery
WTS students, faculty, and staff are eligible for ILL and Document Delivery services. See ILL and Document Delivery for details and instructions.
Materials Request and Pickup (by appointment)
The library offers a materials pickup service for WTS students, faculty, and staff. See Materials Request and Pickup for details and instructions.
Materials Mail Delivery
With a few exceptions, the library will mail requested materials to WTS students, faculty, and staff living in the continental U.S. See Materials Mail Delivery for details and instructions.
Student Services Summary Sheet
This downloadable PDF provides a summary of some of the library services available to students enrolled at the Wesley Theological Seminary.
Further details are available at Library Operations and Services.
Organized by category, the FAQ contains questions library users frequently ask about the library's services, operations, resources, and support. The FAQ will continue to be updated to meet the information needs of our library users.
FAQ Guide
Search Tools and Online Resources
Research
Doctor Ministry Project Papers
Library Borrowing
General Information
Library Meeting Spaces
Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery
Donating Books to the Library
Technical Support
Library Meeting Spaces
The Seminar Room(L-104), Classroom (L-105), and Godsey Room* may be reserved to serve the teaching and learning needs of the library and the educational mission of the Wesley Theological Seminary. Students, faculty, staff, and administrators of the seminary may reserve each space for meetings and group study.
*Only WTS faculty and staff may reserve the Godsey Room for individual and group use. At the discretion of library staff, the Godsey Room may be used for WTS student spiritual formation groups if other spaces are not available.
The Seminar and Godsey Rooms will be unavailable for reservation 2023-2025.
See Reserve a Meeting Space for details and reservations.
Library Staff
Library staff are available to help you find resources (print and digital), use databases, conduct research, and address library account issues.
In addition to in-person assistance, library staff will be available to provide remote assistance by Zoom appointment and email. Contact the library by phone (202) 885-8695 or email library@wesleyseminary.edu (allow 1-3 business days for a response).
Technical Support
My Wesley Accounts
The library does not issue or manage the My Wesley Account. If you have difficulties with your username, password, or access to the My Wesley portal, contact WingSwept, the seminary IT support group.
Students: studenthelp@wingswept.com
Faculty and staff: support@wingswept.com
Library Borrower's Accounts
The library creates and manages borrower's accounts. The library account is not the same as the My Wesley account and has a different username and password. Typically, the Wesley ID serves as the borrower's card for WTS students, faculty, and staff. In the absence of a Wesley ID, the library will issue alternative cards for borrower's.
If you experience problems with your borrower's account, contact the library by phone (202) 885-8695 or email library@wesleyseminary.edu.
Blackboard
The library does not manage access to Blackboard. Please contact Blackboard Support for assistance.
Accessing Online Resources
If you are in the library, you can access the library's online resources without a username and password. If you are off campus, however, you will need a My Wesley username and password. Remote access to the library's online resources is limited to WTS students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
If you are experiencing problems with remote access to the library's online resources, library staff can help you to identify the nature of the issue and direct you on the best course for resolution. Contact the library by phone (202) 885-8695 or email library@wesleyseminary.edu.
