Library Menu
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.
Discovery Tools and Online Resources
Search Tools
WorldCat Discovery Service (WDS)
WorldCat Discovery is the library’s 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 is a gateway to “more than 76 million” open access resources.”
Use WorldCat Discovery to find books, media, D.Min. project papers, journals, eBooks, eJournals, and databases. The WorldCat Discovery User Guide provides an overview of the discovery service and search tips.
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. Course Reserves lists may not contain all required course readings. Refer to the current course syllabus.
Biblical Interpretation Resource Guide
An outline of specific resources that may be helpful for biblical interpretation.
Online Resources
An alphabetical list of quick links to article databases, eBook collections, commentaries, journals, dictionaries, and encyclopedias. Off campus access requires an active My Wesley account.
Atla Religion Database with AtlaSerials PLUS
A database of articles, journals, reviews and essays covering religion and theology.
A feature tool of the Alta Religion Database to discover articles on specific books, chapters, and verses of the Christian Bible.
An alphabetized list of the library’s subscription journals and database collections.
Instructions for accessing online resources from off campus.
Doctor of Ministry Resources
A guide for finding previous D.Min. project papers in the library’s print and electronic collections. The guide also has general instructions for preparing D.Min. project papers for submission to the library.
Detailed instructions for formatting the D.Min. project paper for submission to the library and based upon Kate Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.
Library Operations
Access
The library building, collections and in-person services are available to students, faculty, staff, researchers, and the general public. The building is equipped with an elevator along with an accessible entrance and an accessible restroom.
By reservation, the library classroom is available to faculty, staff, and students for meetings and group study. The library lounge is also a gathering space where food and beverages are allowed. Currently, the seminar room is unavailable.
Seating
Seating is available throughout the library. While the first floor is a mixed space for study and moderate conversation, the basement and second floors are designated quite zones.
Staff Availability
Library staff provides assistance in person, by Zoom appointment and email (please allow 1-3 business days for a response).
Returning/Renewing Library Materials
To avoid disruption to 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.
Library 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
The summary sheet lists some library services that are available to students enrolled at the Wesley Theological Seminary.
Further details are available at Library Operations and Services.
Frequently Asked Questions
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
Reserve Library Meeting Spaces
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. The Seminar and Godsey Rooms are currently unavailable for reservation. See Reserve a Meeting Space for details to make a reservation.
Help and Technical Support
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).
My Wesley Accounts
The library does not issue or manage the My Wesley Account. Contact WingSwept, if you have difficulties with your username, password, or the My Wesley portal.
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.
D2L Brightspace
The library does not manage access to D2L Brightspace. Please contact Education Technology 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 accessing to the library’s online resources from off campus. Contact the library by phone (202) 885-8695 or email library@wesleyseminary.edu.