Research room

Brethren Historical Library and Archives

Mission Statement

The Brethren Historical Library and Archives is the official repository for Church of the Brethren publications and records. Its purpose is to keep alive the Brethren faith heritage, by:

• collecting and preserving materials relating to the cultural, socio-economic, theological, genealogical, and institutional history of the Brethren;
• giving historical perspective and understanding to the mission of the church through counsel and publication;
• providing a centralized Brethren research center;
• serving as a clearinghouse for information on Brethren historical materials in other repositories.

Contact Information

Contact the director at 800-323-8039, x368, direct line 847-429-4368 or brethrenarchives@brethren.org.

Free Pamphlets

The Brethren Historical Library and Archives (BHLA) has a series of free pamphlets available on request. These include the following:

• Guide to Research in Brethren History (PDF)
• Guide for Local Church Historians (PDF)
• Guide to the Brethren in Europe (PDF)
• Brethren Historical Library and Archives (Word doc)

Used books for sale

BHLA maintains a collection of used Brethren books for sale. Search the list of available books (PDF) and contact BHLA for more details, including pricing. 

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