Purpose and Mission

The Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives is a worldwide center for the study of Baptist history. Operated by the Council of Seminary Presidents, the SBHLA is one of the major denominational collections in the nation and serves by assignment of the Southern Baptist Convention as the central depository and archives of SBC records. The Library and Archives is located on the fourth floor of the Southern Baptist Convention Building at 901 Commerce Street in Nashville, Tennessee. The library is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and other hours by special appointment.

The purposes of the Library and Archives are:

1. To serve as a research center for the study of the life and history of Baptists, in particular Southern Baptists,
2. To collect, preserve, and make available for use a wide range of materials that document Baptist history,
3. To serve as the denominational archives for the Southern Baptist Convention and to collect, preserve, and make available for use the official records of the Convention and its agencies,
4. To assist Southern Baptist churches, associations, state conventions, and SBC agencies in the location and preservation of historical records.

History & SBHLA Today

Established in 1938 as a part of the Southern Baptist Historical Society, the Library and Archives were formerly housed at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 1951, the Historical Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention was chartered in Tennessee as the Convention's history agency, and the (Southern Baptist) Historical Society was rechartered as its auxiliary. In 1953, the contents of the Historical Society library were integrated with the Dargan Library of the Sunday School Board, SBC. The Dargan-Carver Library functioned as one library with two collections. Although the collections were together, the ownership of each item was defined, and each agency kept its own accession records. Since January, 1985, the SBHLA has been located on the fourth floor of the Southern Baptist Convention Building where it occupies more than 10,000 square feet of floor space. Its resources include:

• more than 30,000 books,
• over 71,000 annuals of Baptist associations and conventions,
• comprehensive files of Baptist newspapers, audio/video recordings, photographs, pamphlets, archival records, and manuscripts,
• approximately 17,000 reels of microfilm containing more than 13 million pages of Baptist historical materials,
• an environmentally controlled rare book room featuring a collection of rare Bibles dating from the early 1600's.

FACILITIES AND SERVICES

The Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives is available to all researchers. Some collections have access restrictions; therefore, it is good to contact our staff before your visit so your research needs can be met. Some findings aids are available for viewing or downloading from tthis website.

The research center contains photocopy machines, microfilm readers and reader/printers, a separate research room, an audio-visual listening and viewing room and three public access computers. Photocopies are 10 cents each (25 cents if done by the library staff). Copies made from microfilm are 25 cents each (50 cents each if made by library staff). Library check-out privileges and research assistance are available.

OCLC and Southern Baptist Periodical Index databases provide bibliographic services. A card catalogue lists the library and archives holdings. Inventories are available for most archival and manuscript collections. Some inventories are available for viewing or downloading on the site.

Researchers may bring their own computers or silent typewriters for use in the research room.

A break room is available to researchers and provides free coffee and tea; vending machines supply soft drinks and snacks.

Free parking on the ground level of the SBC building is available to researchers in the SBHLA.

Researchers are requested to register upon arrival. Advance notice of arrival will allow the staff to have materials ready for researchers.

Microfilm Program

The SBHLA will microfilm your church's important papers and place a microfilm copy of the records in our fireproof vault for only pennies per page. The SBHLA also makes available to libraries and to individuals and institutions a wealth of Baptist material on microfilm. Some subject and geographic catalogues are available. For more information about this service or to inquire about purchasing copies of Baptist documents from other microfilm collections call 1-615-244-0344.

LOCATION

HOURS

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and by special appointment. To schedule an appointment with the library staff during your visit, please call 615-244-0344.