John Bulow Campbell Library
Research
The C. Benton Kline, Jr. Special Collections and Archives are home to CTS institutional documents, Presbyterian Women histories, presbytery and congregational records, and more.
Spiritual Formation
Learn how you can access the materials in our special collections and archives.
Reference services and on-demand digitization for the C. Benton Kline, Jr. Special Collections and Archives are currently available on a limited basis. If digitization is not sufficient for research needs, researchers—including, but not limited to, current Columbia faculty, students, and staff—can make reservations to view materials in the Special Collections Reading Room, Monday–Friday, 9am–4pm.
For appointments and inquiries, please contact the public services archivist by phone at 404-687-4628 or by email at archives@ctsnet.edu.
A note on access: The policy of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is to restrict access to all official denomination records on deposit that are less than 50 years old. If researchers wish to access these records, we require that they secure written permission from the records’ owners. If you believe this restriction will affect your research, please contact us for further instructions prior to visiting.
You may contact the archivist by email at archives@ctsnet.edu or phone at 404-687-4628.
Please see our listing of services and pricing.
Reproduction services such as photocopying are available but may be limited due to donor restrictions, copyright law, condition of the item, or other reasons.
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. All responsibility for copyright infringement, questions arising from copyright, and the use of the copies provided is assumed by the person using the materials.
Our staff will search for records of baptism, marriage, and church membership of living individuals. The request must be from the individual or his/her legal representative. Please note that we cannot guarantee that the requested record of the baptism, marriage, or membership will be available.
First, contact the archivist to ensure that we have the records from a given church for a specific time period. Please allow four to six weeks to process your request.
Our staff will also search for baptism, marriage, membership, and/or death records of deceased individuals. Please contact the archives to begin the research process.
The archives staff are happy to identify some possible collections or locations to begin genealogical research, but extensive genealogical research must be conducted on-site at the archives. For information on hiring a local independent researcher, we recommend reaching out to the Georgia Genealogical Society and the Georgia chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists.
A microfilm/microfiche reader is available for researchers in the microform area on 2W. Printing services for the microfilm/microfiche reader are currently unavailable.
Special Collections is divided into three main areas: Rare Books, Columbia Seminary History & Faculty publications, and Columbia Seminary Advanced Degree Theses. They are available through the library’s catalog. The collection is open for in-person use by advance appointment. To make an appointment, contact the Public Services Archivist Michael Robertson at robertsonm@ctsnet.edu.
The Rare Books collection is composed primarily of titles concerning the history and theology of the Reformed tradition published prior to 1831. Strengths in this collection include reformed history, theology titles, missionary accounts, the covenanters/dissenters movement, confessions of faith, and sermons.
The CTS History & Faculty Publications includes materials about Columbia Theological Seminary history, books published by Columbia’s faculty, selected works by seminary administration and alumni, and the Columbia Series in Reformed Theology.
The CTS Advanced Degree collection includes dissertations, projects, and theses from Columbia’s advanced degree programs. More recent theses are available in print and electronic format through the institutional repository.
Q. I need information about submitting my church history/PW history (mailing address, format, type of paper, etc.). Where can I get that information?
A. Click here for a fact sheet about the histories (including a description of the types of paper that are acceptable), and here for a separate document about types of materials to use. Click here for information about collecting and preserving PW histories
Q. Which local church histories are at Columbia?
A. Columbia Seminary received all of the local church histories that were at Montreat, for all regions of the United States. The collection occupies eight library shelving ranges and continues to grow, thanks to the steady support and participation of hundreds of Presbyterian Women’s groups and their congregations. Please send presbytery-level history reports to the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia.
Q. How can people get access to the local church histories?
A. The histories are available for onsite use and, in some situations, our staff can respond to questions by mail or by e-mail. The histories are presently maintained in their original, paper format only. They are not available online or by e-mail.
Q. Is a list available of all of the churches represented in the local church history collection?
A. As of April 2011, the list of congregations represented in the church history collection is integrated into our archives online catalog. A listing of the entire Presbyterian Women History collection can be viewed here. The histories are divided into series by state and are listed alphabetically within each state. You can also search for individual congregations by the quick search or advanced search options here. The complete list includes the names of over 5,800 congregations. Congregations that have merged, split, or changed names may be listed under one or all of the past and current names.
If you have additional questions, please contact us for assistance at archives@ctsnet.edu.
The presbytery and congregational records at Columbia Theological Seminary include both records that were transferred from the Presbyterian Historical Society and records that have been deposited at the seminary since then. The denominations represented are current PC(USA) and former PCUS.
The Columbia Seminary Special Collections and Archives department continues to accept materials on deposit, including records of presbyteries and both active and dissolved congregations. For information about depositing records at Columbia Seminary, please contact the archivist.
A note on access: The policy of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is to restrict access to all official denomination records on deposit that are less than 50 years old. If researchers wish to access these records, we require that they secure written permission from the records’ owners. If you believe this restriction will affect your research, please contact us for further instructions prior to visiting.
If you have any questions, please contact us for assistance.
Session minutes and registers are of chief importance, but we also hold minutes of other church councils, including deacons, trustees, women’s associations, and youth groups. Records are housed in a controlled archival storage area with security systems. Presbyteries and congregations retain ownership of the records on deposit and may request the return of records at any time with written authorization from the stated clerk or clerk of session.
The CTS Special Collections and Archives department continues to accept materials on deposit, including records of active and dissolved congregations. For information about depositing records at Columbia Seminary, please contact the archivist.
The archives at Columbia Seminary follows the guidelines for records creation, retention, and preservation maintained by the Presbyterian Historical Society. More information about conserving and digitizing records that may already be at risk can be found at the Presbyterian Historical Society.
Congregations can apply for Heritage Preservation Grants of up to $500 here.
Catalog records for archives materials can be searched in the archives online catalog. Cataloging is an ongoing process; some of the collections in the archives are not yet described in the online catalog. If you do not find what you are looking for, contact us.
A note on access: The policy of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is to restrict access to all official denomination records on deposit that are less than 50 years old. If researchers wish to access these records, we require that they secure written permission from the records’ owners. If you believe this restriction will affect your research, please contact us for further instructions prior to visiting.
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