Our library offers almost 40,000 works on theology, history, philosophy, music, and  language.  The library is open to seminary students and to those studying at Brock University, as well as local clergy and church workers. Members of the general public may also use the library but must pay a fee to obtain borrowing privileges.

Library Catalogue

Search the Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary Library catalogue:

Helpful Links

  • New Books: see a list of the latest additions to the library collection.
  • Brock: Find books and electronic resources at James A. Gibson Library.
  • Lutheran Resources on the Web: Project Wittenberg’s Lutheran Electronic Archive is home to works by and about Martin Luther and other Lutherans.
  • Student Treatises Index: see a list of treatises, arranged alphabetically by author, published by our graduates. Treatises are for personal viewing; reproduction or distribution is only by permission of the copyright holder (author).
  • Oxford Style Guide: it is recommended that seminary students use Oxford Style for their footnoting and bibliographies.
  • Current Journals: the library subscribes to over 50 serial publications, and holds many more in storage. Use this link to see a list of academic journals and periodicals available in our library.
  • Archeion: browse the Malinsky Memorial Archive Catalogue, home to Lutheran Church–Canada East District archives.

Rare Book Collection

Martin Chemnitz Library houses an impressive collection of rare, antiquarian books dating back to the early 16th century. Highlights include various editions of Luther’s Works, including six of the eight volumes of the Jena edition published in the mid-1500s, the entire Leipzig edition, which dates from 1729 to 1774, and the complete 24-volume set of the Walch edition, from 1740 to 1753. Writings by other prominent theologians of the 16th-19th century are also included in the holdings. A list of authors represented in our rare book collection is available here and also by selecting the Reformation Rare Book Room from the library field when searching resources in our catalogue.

Our Reformation Rare Book Room, dedicated in 2017 at the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, houses our 16th, 17th, and 18th century volumes. Access to the room is strictly supervised and you are encouraged to contact the library in advance of your visit.

From time to time, several items in the collection are brought out of storage and put on public exhibit. Here is a link to a Brock news article about a Rare Book Display we held in September 2010: https://brocku.ca/brock-news/?p=4947

Donation Policy

We welcome donations of used books to our library, however, we encourage donors to first contact us (scavanagh@brocku.ca) to ensure the items being donated can be used by us.  All donations are subject to review by the Director of the Library, who determines which books are to be added to the library collection.

Books chosen for the collection are given average retail values based on the used book market and donors are issued a Canadian tax receipt for that amount. Duplicate donations, or those deemed unsuitable for the library collection, are sold as used books or otherwise disposed of and no tax receipt is issued.  Please ensure that boxes of used books brought to the library include a donor’s name, address and phone number, and indicate whether a tax receipt is desired.

Collection Development Policy

Collection Development Policy

Book Recommendation

If you would like us to purchase a book for our collection, please provide us with as much information as possible via the following form:

CLTS Library Book Recommendation Form

Service to Persons with Disabilities

We are committed to serving all library users, regardless of ability. One-on-one assistance will be provided to users who need help searching for library materials, retrieving materials from the shelves, or operating library equipment such as computers or photocopiers. Users with visual disabilities can arrange to have materials or other articles photocopied or scanned in enlarged format for the self-serve price per copy. The library also has a Smartview desktop magnifier for users with low or impaired vision to assist in the viewing of library materials.