Subject Emphases
The Kelly Library Collection is particularly strong in the areas of theology, philosophy, the history of Ireland, Celtic languages and literature, British and Canadian history, book history, media studies, religious studies, English literature, and the history of the Middle Ages.
The Catholic theological collection, perhaps the strongest such collection in Canada, emphasizes patristics, early and medieval church history, Thomism, the Bible (especially Canon, Johannine literature, and the history of criticism), liturgical renewal, religious education, and ecotheology.The Kelly Library actively collaborates with the main university library in the selection, maintenance and delivery of one of the worlds most extensive collections of electronic scholarly resources.
Additionally, the Kelly Library maintains and develops a number of Archival and Manuscript Collections and Rare Book Collectionsfor primary source research.
Collection objectives
The John M. Kelly Library firmly defends freedom of speech, thought, and enquiry, a commitment upheld by the Canadian Library Association (CLA) and the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) and enshrined in both Canadian and international law.
The University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto sponsors undergraduate programs and offers graduate education in the Faculty of Theology. Accordingly, the John M. Kelly Library collects materials from a wide range of perspectives. These materials support a broad spectrum of courses taught by faculty, and research conducted by faculty and librarians, students, and external researchers.
If you have any further questions, please contact the Chief Librarian.
Circulating Collection
Books which can be borrowed are shelved on the 2nd and 3rd floors. Books are organized A-Z using the Library of Congress Classification system. For theology, religion, psychology and philosophy, you’ll likely need books beginning with B on the 3rd floor. The rest of our circulating collection—from C-Z on the 2nd floor—contains books on such subjects as history, social science, law, education, art, music, language, literature, and science.
Most of our journals and magazines are non-circulating and can only be used in the library. Back issues are organized by call number and are inter-shelved with the books on the 2nd and 3rd floors. R recent issues are on the 2nd floor and arranged by title.
All our books and journals are listed in the UofT Libraries’ Catalogue.
Request New Library Materials
The Kelly Library welcomes your recommendations for the purchase of material for the library collection. For detailed information on our selection mandate, you can read our acquisitions policy. Before recommending an item, please search the catalogue to determine if the library already owns it. The library reserves the right to make all decisions on what to purchase but will try to fulfill as many appropriate recommendations as possible.
We want to ensure that the books, DVDs and other library materials which we purchase support faculty research and classroom instruction.