Anita S. Coleman to Serve at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary

by | Nov 12, 2019 | Uncategorized

Anita S. Coleman, Ph.D., has been named Associate Professor of Bibliography and Research and Director of Library Services for the Ernest Miller White Library at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Coleman, who has worked in academic libraries and on teaching faculty in library and information science degree programs for more than 25 years, begins her service at Louisville Seminary in January 2020.

Anita S. Coleman

Coleman will develop and manage the library’s growing collection, which includes more than 203,000 bound volumes, 6,500 microforms, 4,500 audio-visual resources, and 330 e-resources. She will also create learning programs and provide support for emerging technologies within the library. Coleman will represent Louisville Seminary locally on the Metroversity Librarian’s Council and nationally in the American Theological Library Association.

“I am ecstatic, humbled, and honored to be joining the distinguished Louisville Seminary community and its mission of theological reflection and imitation of Christ building bridges between sacred texts, human lives, and the Divine,” said Coleman. “I am inspired by the unusual library collections and the brilliant theological imagination of the faculty and students. I look forward to serving, learning, growing, and enriching the deep Louisville Seminary traditions of preparing leaders for lives of fertile and faithful witness in diverse ministries and public service in our global and info-tech challenged world.”

A scholar/activist, anti-racism educator, and lay theologian, Coleman is the founder and curator for the Irvine for Everyone Digital Library, an online resource created to de-stigmatize and de-mystify homeless people, empower learning about Irvine (California) housing development, and create permanent solutions for ending homelessness and increasing housing supply in Orange County, California. She is also the founder and curator of the Anti-Racism Digital Library and Thesaurus, which serves as a clearinghouse for information resources about people, groups, and projects who are building inclusive and caring communities.

“Dr. Coleman brings to us consummate gifts beginning with an experienced and versatile library science background,” said Louisville Seminary President Alton B. Pollard, III. “Her digital creativity, anti-racist advocacy, inquisitive mind, and relational faith will further contribute to the great work taking place at our Ernest Miller White Library.”

Coleman has published several materials including Stepping Stones: Creating Communities of Peace and Justice (2018), All things work for good: Flora, Ananda Rao Samuel, and Pravaham (2018), Eyes on Christ: Reflections on Being the People of God in the PC (USA) from My Heart to Yours (2014), and several others.

She has taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of California at Los Angeles, University of California at Santa Barbara, and University of Arizona, Tucson. Her professional honors include a Library Journal Movers & Shakers Award for her work establishing dLIST, which is the first open access repository in the multi-disciplinary Information Sciences. Coleman’s professional affiliations include service on the 2021 Gathering Program Planning Committee for Presbyterian Women, Inc., the editorial board of Horizons Magazine, vice president of the Presbyterians Writers Guild, among others.

“On behalf of the seminary community, I extend many thanks to Interim Library Director Angela Morris and the entire library staff who have provided invaluable leadership and service throughout the search process,” added Pollard. “And, of course, thanks to the search committee who made it possible for Dr. Coleman to join us here at Louisville Seminary.”

 


About Louisville Seminary

Founded in 1853, Louisville Seminary offers an inclusive and diverse learning community, welcoming students from wide ecumenical backgrounds while maintaining its long, historic commitment to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A). Louisville Seminary is committed to building bridges across the world’s religious, racial and cultural divides. It is distinguished by its nationally-recognized marriage and family therapy and field education programs, the scholarship and church service among its faculty and a commitment to training women and men to participate in the continuing ministry of Jesus Christ. For more information, call (800) 264-1839 or log onto www.lpts.edu.