BHLA research room
Brethren Historical Library and Archives research room. Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford.

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.

Duplicate Books

The BHLA houses many duplicates of the books, hymnals, pamphlets, and more from the Church of the Brethren. These items are available for sale. On this spreadsheet, you’ll find an approximate number of the duplicates we have; quantity may not always be accurate. (Duplicate inventory PDF in case you can’t access the spreadsheet.) Please contact us for prices and to purchase books; we accept cash or check by mail or credit card information by email or phone. Prices may vary by condition and quantity. Buyers will also pay $5 for shipping.

COVID-19 Updates

BHLA COVID policy (updated November 2022)

BHLA News and Notes

News & Notes is the newsletter for BHLA. In each issue, you can read about the rich history of the Brethren and discover new additions to the Brethren Historical Library and Archives,

  • BHLA News & Notes 2019
    Topics include a story of Bethany Hospital, the Dunker Meeting House, books for sale, recent additions to BHLA, and more.
  • BHLA News & Notes 2018
    Articles include: “Faith, Archives, and History”; “The Unintended Consequences of American Missions”; “BHLA Notes”; “Recent Additions”; and more.
  • News & Notes 2017
    In this issue, an interview with actor Don Murray about the influence of Brethren Service on the foundation of the Peace Corps, and an article about Donald Durnbaugh’s ecumenical vision.
  • News & Notes 2016
    Learn about James Quinter, “Brother” Balsbaugh, recent additions to BHLA, and more.

Free Pamphlets

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

Annual Conference minutes

Index of Annual Conference minutes, 1778-2004

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