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Library History
Kellar Library
1957
When the North American Theological Seminary opened its doors in the Fall of
1957, there was not one book in its library. The first book was accessioned in
November. Jacksonville College librarian, Orland Jack Wages assisted Dr. and
Mrs. John Gregson in setting up the seminary library. The Student Center served
as the first library quarters.
1958
William Charles Pruitt, Jr. was elected as the first librarian and began serving
in the Fall semester. He served in this position until the Fall of 1972.
1961
The seminary board accepted president Gerald Kellar's proposal to construct a
4,408 square feet library building that would hold an estimated 25,000 volumes.
Formal opening of the Kellar Library, named in honor of Dr. Gerald Kellar by the
seminary board, was February 18, 1964. Some 4,300 volumes of books were moved
from the Student Center to the new library building.
1971
Seminary president John W. Gregson was successful in obtaining funds from
Jacksonville business men to raise $30,000 to purchase books, periodicals,
indexes and an additional $10,000 for the purchase of shelves and card catalogue
cabinets. The name of the seminary was changed from North American Theological
Seminary to Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary.
1972
James Carl Blaylock, who had worked as a library assistant since 1966, was
elected as acting librarian when Dr. Pruitt left his position as librarian in
1972. After Blaylock received his Master of Library Science degree, at Texas A
& M-Commerce in 1980, he was elected as library director and is currently
serving in this position. Library holdings had increased to 11,000 volumes and a
trustee committee was selected to study and devise a plan for library facility
enlargement.
1978
The library became a member of the American Theological Library Association and
the director began attending annual sessions of the A.T.L.A. The library reached
20,000 volumes that year. Because of space problems some books had to be stored
in former library shelves in Fellowship Hall.
1979
This year was designated by seminary president John W. Duggar and the seminary
board as a year of special offerings for the seminary library expansion.
1980
When $80,000 had been raised, construction began on the library addition and was
completed later in that same year. The seminary board named the addition the
John W. Duggar Library Annex. The library became a member of the American
Library Association and the Texas Library Association.
1981
The library began charging out materials on the their new Gaylord Book Charger
system.
1987
A cataloging software computer program, Bib-Base, was installed. Later the
Public Access Catalog of Bib-Base was put into use in the library.
1991
Seminary president Philip R. Bryan, initiated the annual friends of the library
campaign, called Scroll and Parchment Society, to raise funds to purchase
library books. The goal of 50,000 books in the library was reached in April.
1992
The library became a member of the Forest Trails Library Consortium. The
consortium is composed of 35 public, school and academic libraries in the East
Texas area.
1993
With all media cataloged since 1987 on the public access on-line catalog, and
because of lack of card catalog space, the card catalog was closed.
Retro-conversion of materials prior to 1987 to the on-line catalog is in
process.
1995
The library subscribed to the ATLA Religion Indexes on CD-ROM. This database
indexes religion periodical literature.
1998
The library subscribed to OCLC FirstSearch Databases, which gives the school
access to a variety of databases, which can be used to find books, articles,
films, computer software, internet resources, and other materials.
2002 The library received access to
ATLAS, a full text periodical database, from the American
Theological Library Association. Students and faculty are able to
locate full-text periodical articles by way of the Internet.
2003 The DOS-based cataloging software
was replaced by Athena, a Windows-based software program. The new
software program included the library's first automated circulation
software, making it possible to check out materials by way of the
computer. The library catalog was placed on the school's website,
giving access to the catalog by way of the Internet.
2004
The library has 66,800 books (which includes 8,342 volumes of bound
periodicals), 5,444 audio tapes, 762 video tapes, 543 microfiche, 349 microfilm,
8,426 yearbooks and minutes, and other items. There are 84,135 items in 26
collections in the library.
E-Mail Us:
Library Director --
jblaylock@bmats.edu
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Reference --
alicia@bmats.edu
Cataloging --
jgaston@bmats.edu |
