Call for Proposals for Fourth Volume of The Theological Librarian’s Handbook Series 

Atla seeks proposals for the fourth volume of The Theological Librarian’s Handbook, an open access book series published by Books@Atla Open Press. Volume one, Introduction to Theological Libraries, was published in February 2020, volume two, Administration in Theological Libraries, in August 2021, and volume three, Collection Development in Theological Libraries  has just been published. 

Series Description 

The Theological Librarian’s Handbook is a multi-volume guide to theological librarianship intended for library staff who do not possess professional training but nevertheless work in theological libraries all over the world. It provides free and self-paced library training written by theological librarians working in different types of theological libraries and institutions. 

Volume 4:  Protection and Preservation in Theological Libraries 

Plans and measures for protection and preservation are essential for all libraries. Protection in libraries entails policies and practices that ensure the overall safety of staff and patrons and the security of holdings and other resources. Preservation in libraries is concerned with developing policies and practices that maximize the longevity of collections by minimizing the impact of the natural effects of time, the elements, and other threats and with mastering techniques for repairing damage when it occurs. Each theological library should ensure that its staff understands how to mitigate common risks and to respond effectively to problems when they do arise.

Appropriate chapters for this volume include (but are not limited to) the following topics: 

• Safety in the library 
• Risk assessment 
• Disaster planning 
• Technological security 
• Preservation 
• Climate control 
• Conservation and restoration 
• Digitization 

Submission Instructions 

Proposals are welcome from single or co-authors. Authors from different global contexts are especially encouraged. Proposals must include a 250-word abstract describing the topic and a working title for the chapter, as well as a current CV or resume for the author(s). Inquiries on this project and proposals for chapters should be submitted electronically by  September 30, 2022  to  openbooks@myatla.org. 
 
Review of submissions will begin immediately with the determination of final selections by December 1, 2022. 
 
Accepted authors must submit completed chapter manuscripts by July 1, 2023. Chapters should be approximately 1,500 – 2,500 words and conform to the Books@Atla Open Press Author Guidelines. The anticipated publication date is March 2024. The final product will be available open access under a CC-BY-NC license as PDF and EPUB and also available in print on demand.