Library Use

The George Mercer, Jr. Memorial School of Theology Library

A theological library must meet the needs of many populations; for example, readers who seek theological answers to the problems of life, laity who are answering God's call for ordination, and clergy who are preparing sermons. In doing this it has to address both the popular focus of a public library and the scholarly resource of a seminary library.

The Mercer Library has extensive collections in all aspects of human life and faith, and these collections can address many needs and contingencies. The primary mission of the library is to support classes at the George Mercer Jr. Memorial School of Theology, but circulation is open to all those who register with the library. Members of the diocese may register without restriction; those outside the diocese may register with certain preconditions to ensure return of materials.

To visit the Library, except when the Mercer Library space is being used for closed meetings, it is open to the public on the days and times when the Mercer Office is open. To ensure the success of your research, call ahead for an appointment with the librarian, Jane Herbst, at 516-248-4800, x139, or email her at [email protected] .

This year the Mercer Library collections have increased in the number of books, ebooks, and access to ejournals. The goal has been to make the library both a better resource for the students of the School of Theology, and to make it more welcoming and useful to the laity and clergy of the Diocese of Long Island. All are welcome.

Library Hours:
Tuesday and Wednesday 10am - 3pm
Saturday by Appt Only
Contact [email protected]

Initial Log In

Once the user has logged in with their library card barcode number,
the following choices should appear, and Mercer students and EDLI researchers can click the collection they wish to search.

Mercer Library Announcement!!!

After much research, The OCLC EZproxy system was determined to give the best access for current Mercer School of Theology students, faculty, graduates, and EDLI clergy to online subscriptions carried in EBSCOhost and JSTOR (Journal Storage). The system will go live by October 16, and a button on the Mercer Library website page labeled “Databases” will allow access to the online journal holdings in either source. By using your Mercer Library card and PIN, you will be able to save searches, receive notices of recent articles for your search topics, download articles for later study, and generally expand your resources for research, visual aids, contemporary or historical studies of topics, and have immediate access to materials when they are published. Please use it as an extension of our Mercer Library resources, and let us know if you have any questions about its use.

JANE HERBST, OUR LIBRARIAN!

Jane, besides being a certified librarian since 1986, is a longtime member of St Mary's Church in Lake Ronkonkoma, having served on the vestry and as lector, choir member, ECW president, a Christian Education teacher, etc. Jane actually joined us in early March 2020, just before the "NY Pause" began. At present, while staying home with her husband and two children, Jane has been working remotely on new ideas for library programs and developing reading lists and resources for our library patrons.

A message from Jane: Anyone who is not presently registered as a Mercer Library patron who would also like to use these privileges should email the Librarian at [email protected] with their name, address, email, and the subject heading "Library Patron Access Request."

The primary mission of the library is to support classes at the George Mercer Jr. Memorial School of Theology.