Characteristics of the Consortium Library Collections & Resources |
Five Colleges of Ohio
|
Institution |
Faculty FTE |
Majors |
Enrollment |
College of Wooster |
5 |
26 |
1871 |
Denison University |
5 |
47 |
2155 |
Kenyon College |
5.4 |
22 |
1580 |
Oberlin College |
9 |
61 |
2809 |
Ohio Wesleyan University |
3.5 |
17 |
1911 |
College of Wooster – The Department of Religious Studies is currently in the process of working with a new college-wide curriculum, wherein each student at the College is now required to complete a “Religious Perspectives” course. While Religious Studies faculty offers most of these courses, such courses are also offered by faculty in other departments. In the Department of Religious Studies, courses are offered in most major world religious traditions, Biblical studies, ethics, ritual studies, Native American religions, religion and literature, and religion and the visual arts. The College has historical roots with the Presbyterian Church. The special collections reflect this history, as well as significant holdings in British-American witchcraft.
Denison University – Areas of specialty within the Department of Religion include: contemporary theology, liberation theology, religion and society, religion and economics, early church history, Hebrew scripture, New Testament, ethical theory and issues in ethics, women’s studies/women’s spirituality, Asian religious traditions, religion and art, black studies/African-American religion, new religious movements, religious pluralism in the United States. Denison has historical roots with the Baptist Church.
Kenyon College – Areas of specialty within the Department of Religious Studies include: East and South Asian Religions, Jewish Studies, Christianity, Religious Communities, Islam, American and African-American Religions including the Caribbean, Biblical Studies, and Mysticism. Kenyon's collections in African-American religion are not however expansive as this is a new area of specialty for the College. Kenyon has historical roots with the Episcopal Church and housed a seminary on its campus from its founding in 1824 until 1968. It retains primary resources in the College Archives relating to the history of the Episcopal Church in Ohio, which was originally headquartered in Gambier.
Oberlin College – Areas of specialty within the Department of Religion include: American Religions, Biblical Studies, Christianity, East and South Asian Religions, Ethics, Islam, Judaism, Modern Religious Thought, and Gender and Religion. Oberlin maintains a large, but old collection of materials relating to Christianity based on the collection of their former seminary. Oberlin has historical roots with the Congregational Church and originally housed a seminary on their campus until the late 1960s.Ohio Wesleyan University – Areas of specialty within the Department of Religion include: early Christian Religion and Christology, Asian cultures, Biblical studies, Church History, Theology, and Christian Ethics. Ohio Wesleyan has a strong collection of Methodist materials, as they have historical roots with the United Methodist Church. They are currently the archives for both the East and West Conferences in Ohio, and house one of the top ten collections of Methodist primary source material in the United States.
South Asia
Kenyon, Oberlin, and Wooster all teach a course either on South Asian or Indian religions. All 5 campuses at least touch upon this religious tradition in Asian or world religion survey courses. All 5 campuses offer a course on Hinduism. Kenyon has offered a second course that includes Hindu sainthood as a major topic. Oberlin, Ohio Wesleyan, and Wooster all offer a course on Gandhi. Kenyon and Wooster offer courses on Buddhism. Kenyon also includes a course on Zen.
East Asia
Denison, Kenyon, Oberlin, Wooster and Ohio Wesleyan all offer either a combined course, or two separate courses, on religions of China and Japan. Kenyon has a course on Confucianism. Kenyon and Oberlin each teach a course on Taoism. Oberlin offers a course on Buddhism. None appear to offer a course solely on Shinto. Wooster offers a course on Zen and the Arts in Japanese Culture.
Islam
Denison is in the process of adding new position that will begin in a greater focus on Islam. There is not much offered outside of survey courses. Ohio Wesleyan, Wooster, and Kenyon offer courses specifically on Islam. Kenyon offers both an introductory course and advanced course on Islam each year as well as more specific courses on various aspects of Islamic religion and civilization. Oberlin offers 5 to 7 courses with substantial Islam content.
African Continent
Oberlin and Wooster both offer a course on African religion and/or philosophy. Denison includes the topic in its Black Religion course.
African American Religion
Denison, Kenyon and Wooster all offer a course while Ohio Wesleyan includes the topic in a course called Radical and Liberation Theologies. Oberlin lists multiple courses and seminars on African American religious topics.
Judaism, including Hebrew Bible
All teach at least one course on the Hebrew Bible or, in Wooster’s case, Hebrew prophecy. Each campus teaches at least two courses total beyond the survey level on topics related to Judaism. Denison and Wooster just offer a couple while Ohio Wesleyan offers at least 4. Kenyon and Oberlin go well beyond this with 7 to 9 courses apiece; Oberlin also offers a course on Isaiah and one thematically linked to Job. Wooster offers an Introduction to Biblical Studies and regularly offers two upper level courses: Judaism and Hebrew Prophets.
New Testament, Jesus, and Biblical Figures
Mot campuses offer one or more courses along the lines of Introduction to New Testament or Advanced Seminar in New Testament. Wooster lists an Introduction to Biblical Studies course. Kenyon, Ohio Wesleyan, and Wooster all offer a course on Jesus. Ohio Wesleyan and Wooster both teach a course on Paul. Oberlin offers a course on Isaiah and one thematically linked to Job.
Eras of Christianity
Denison and Ohio Wesleyan both have a broad course on the History of Christian Thought. Kenyon, Ohio Wesleyan, and Wooster all have a course on the Reformation. Kenyon offers courses on the Medieval and Victorian eras. Oberlin also teaches Medieval and appears to do more work with early Christianity than the rest of the campuses.
New Religious Movements (sects, cults)
Denison, Ohio Wesleyan and Wooster all offer a course. Though such topics may be covered in American Religion or other courses in Religion or other departments, no particular courses on new religious movements were noted on the Religion pages of Kenyon or Oberlin.
Modern Religious Thought in the West
Denison teaches Contemporary Theology, Liberation Theology, and Contemporary Jewish Thought.
Mysticism
Though mysticism may appear in many courses in religion as a theme, Kenyon appears to display an overwhelming interest and teaching strength in this area. Kenyon teaches as many as 5 courses with the word “mystical” or “mysticism” in the name of the course. In addition, Kenyon teaches Sufism, as does Oberlin.
Death
Kenyon teaches Meanings of Death and Oberlin teaches Ethical Issues in Death and Dying and a first year seminar, Religious Views of the Underworld.
Women and Gender
Denison, Kenyon, Ohio Wesleyan, and Wooster all offer 1 or 2 courses apiece on some topic having to do with women and religion; e.g., women in the Bible, women’s spirituality, women and Christianity, etc. Oberlin has more courses on various aspects of gender and religion or feminist topics in religion than all of the rest of us combined. Oberlin has as many as 8 courses. Kenyon’s course is Women and Islam.
Environmental Concerns
Though all of our Religion Departments may well touch on this in various ethics courses and the like, only Denison, Kenyon, and Oberlin offer courses specifically on religion as it pertains to nature or the environment.
Native Americans
Only Wooster lists a course specifically on Native American religions.
Art Interest
Denison teaches a course called Religion and Art. Wooster offers up to two courses in Religion, Art and Visual Culture. Kenyon offers Religion and Film,
Literary Interest
Wooster teaches Religion and the Literary Imagination and Religious Autobiography and Biography. Oberlin teaches Perspectives on Religious Narratives, which deals with contemporary literary works. Kenyon offers Jews in Literature, and Literature and the Reformation.
Anthropological Interest
This is hard to define or corral, but there are certainly some courses out there; for example Afro-Caribbean Spirituality (Kenyon) and Ritual Studies ( Wooster) and material religion (Oberlin).
American Religion (except aspects treated elsewhere)
Kenyon, Oberlin, Ohio Wesleyan and Wooster all teach straightforward sounding survey courses on religion in America. Wooster also teaches up to two upper level courses including Witchcraft in Puritan New England. Denison has a less heads-on approach and treats some major aspects, such as individualism and political aspects from the beginning of the Republic, in several courses. Oberlin teaches Evangelicalism in the U.S. and Selected Topics in American Religious History. Kenyon offers Trials and Debates in American Religious History.
Christianity Throughout the World
Some noteworthy offerings: Christianity and the Non-Western Challenge (Ohio Wesleyan); Global Christianity ( Wooster); Bible in the Christian Communities of Asia, Africa, and Latin America (Oberlin)
Languages
Ohio Wesleyan is the only campus that lists several languages on its Religion page. Those listed are Biblical Hebrew, Koine Greek, Sanskrit, and Scriptural Languages. Most likely some campuses (like Kenyon) offers some of these kinds of courses but list them elsewhere. Other campuses offer them as independent studies.
Ancient Mediterranean and Rome
Ohio Wesleyan teaches the courses Ancient Mediterranean Religions and Religions of the Roman Empire. Kenyon offers multiple courses in this area including Ancient Rome, Athens, and Jerusalem, as well as Early Christianity.
Ethics, Society, Contemporary Political and Economic Concerns
Though somewhat difficult to tag, each of the campuses offer 2 or more courses dealing with matters like social justice, medical or professional ethics, economic justice, sociology of religion, etc. Denison with 7 or 8 courses appears to have the most courses dealing with contemporary ethical/social issues and debates within a religious context.
Christian Denominations
Ohio Wesleyan sometimes offers a Topics in Religion course on John Wesley and the Methodist Tradition. Kenyon has a course on Modern Catholicism
General Philosophy
In general, the collection development policies of the members of the Five Colleges of Ohio are designed to support the curriculum and the research needs of their faculty. Additionally, they support the various honors or thesis-type research of their students.
Subject Boundaries
The areas included in collections are Judaism, Christianity, Religions of the Americas, Islam, South Asian religions, Buddhism, East Asian religions, ethics, Hebrew scriptures, modern religious thought in the West, Religion & Society, Religion & Economics, Religion & Politics, African-American religions, church/state relations, ritual studies, witchcraft and puritan religion, and church history. Each institution has an historical collection associated with its denominational roots including the Baptist Church, Congregational Church, the Episcopal Church, the Methodist Church, and the Presbyterian Church.
Library of Congress Classifications
BL Religions. Mythology. Rationalism
BM Judaism
BP Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc.
BQ Buddhism
BR Christianity
BS The Bible
BT Doctrinal Theology
BV Practical Theology
BX Christian Denominations
Formats
The primary format for collections consists of print monographs. Collections also include CD-ROMs, videos, DVDs, print and electronic journals, slides, and electronic databases.
Languages
English is the primary language of materials in the collections including English translations. However, materials of a significant nature are collected in other languages as appropriate.
Geographical
The geographical scope of collections includes North and South America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
Chronological
There are no chronological limitations among the collections.
Types of Materials
Materials consist primarily of monographs but also include periodicals, print and electronic indexes, microform collections, and significant multi-volume works.
Collection Levels
The Religious Studies collections of the libraries are collected at the advanced study level as defined by the American Library Association.
OhioLINK
Several critical resources are currently available to the Five Colleges of Ohio campuses through our relationship with our statewide higher education consortium, OhioLINK. These include:
It is critical that we work with OhioLINK to maintain access to these and additional resources to support religion and religious studies programs.
Statistics Summary
Collection and Circulation Statistics Chart
Characteristics of the Literature
The literature employed in the field of religion and religious studies is wide-ranging. Access to original religious texts, commentaries, biographies of religious leaders, histories of religious movements, and discipline-specific journals is very important. Because religion is a fundamental part of the human experience, materials in the areas of anthropology, sociology, women’s studies, black studies, ethics and history intersect heavily with those of primary interest in religion and religious studies.
Resource Availability and Sharing
Faculty from CONSORT schools enjoy the ability to place materials from other CONSORT schools on local reserve. This is a new service that is functioning well and allows us to think of our collection more as a whole rather than independent parts. While recent studies have shown that faculty and students are satisfied with the current delivery times of CONSORT and OhioLINK materials, we as a consortium must continue to monitor this service to ensure it meets the needs of our patrons and collections.
Acquisition Strategies and Priorities for the Five Colleges of Ohio
Our immediate acquisition strategies should focus in two areas. First, we should continue to seek consortial funding for electronic resources in the area of religion and religious studies. Particular examples include Index Islamicus (currently available at some of our colleges, but not all), and ATLA Full-Text. Second, we advocate adding to our consortial approval plan the acquisition of materials covered under “Religious Aspects” of other disciplines along with a modest commitment of funding from the member institutions to fund purchases in this area. These monographs will consist of materials not currently being acquired by any of our schools. It’s noted that at Kenyon, many Spanish Language majors choose Religious Studies topics for their research, and increasing Spanish language resources would be of benefit.
Access Development
As each of the schools in our consortium was originally founded as church-affiliated colleges, our library collections contain significant amounts of original, uncataloged materials relating to the historical development of the religious groups who founded our institutions, and our institutions themselves. It should be a high priority of the consortium to develop access tools (likely digital in composition) to make these materials accessible for research both within our own institutions, and in the greater scholarly community. To do so will require much of our institutions, but the materials in question form the bulk of the original scholarly material in our possession that can make original contributions to the larger academic community. It should be a priority to make these materials available, and doing so as a consortium would both perhaps provide greater opportunity for grant funding, and better visibility for the project.
Storage Patterns or Considerations
We feel there are portions of our religion and religious studies collections that may be good candidates for off-site storage. Many of these storage candidates are not often used and are more
representative of our historical ties as church institutions. These titles are however important to our institutions, our consortia, and our faculty. Making these materials available from remote storage facilities allows us to preserve access while maintaining the most useful collections on our local shelves.
Research in Religion and Religious Studies will continue to rely on both print monographs and journals. Electronic access to full-text resources, ebooks as well as journals, will also be an increasing component of necessary research materials.
Large databases of classic texts are also available and are attractive to researchers for a number of reasons, including: collocation of a large number of texts perhaps not widely available in print; easy and broad accessibility for users; and greatly enhanced searching capabilities.
The expanding availability of electronic resources, the costs of these resources, and the continued desire to maintain and enhance print collections present economic challenges in all subject areas. Examination of usage patterns in the circulation of print materials, database and ejournal usage, as well as interlibrary loan requests will likely play an increasing role in decisions about resource allocation. Education of users about the limitations of local resources for the acquisition of new materials, the limitations and tradeoffs sometimes inherent with electronic resources, and solicitation of their feedback concerning priorities will only grow in importance.