The Community has built a collection of more than 60,000+ volumes held in the main library. With strengths in liturgy, biblical studies, church history, the fathers of the church and material for preaching, the library also represents the eclectic interests of individual brethren over time. Additional libraries are housed in the College (a ‘living’ theology library) and the Retreat House.
If you would like to access the Community Library, please contact the Librarian Anisha Christison, before your stay/visit. The Retreat House Library is freely open to guests throughout their stay.
The library catalogue is online and can be accessed here
The Special Collections:
There are three very special collections in the Library:
CR Special Collection:
The Collection at Mirfield comprise a range of material of particular significance to the Community or set apart by reason of rarity or manner of production. A major part is the writings of members of the Community from its foundation to the present day. Other holdings include books that belonged to members of CR, sometimes of a personal nature e.g. ordination Bibles. There are also rare first editions, among them signed copies of works by T.S. Eliot and Henry Williamson, and copies of books inscribed by their authors, including St John Henry Newman, members of the Wilberforce family, Baron Friedrich von Hugel, Sir Ninian Comper and Evelyn Underhill. There are also some medieval liturgical books in illuminated manuscript, a number of early printed liturgical volumes, and annotated books illustrating the scholarly work of Charles Gore and Walter Frere. Also present are some groups of manuscript notes by Walter Frere and others on particular subjects.
The Mirfield Collection:
The Collection is on permanent loan to the University of York Library and contains over 2,000 books from the Community, most printed before 1800, many on the continent. Although the books are predominantly theological, there are many interesting works in other subjects. This collection includes books from the Wilberforce family, including the abolitionist William. To see what treasures are in this collection, follow this link. In addition, the Borthwick Institute for Archives at York University includes the papers of Walter Frere, Lionel Thornton and others.
The Thomas Merton Society of Great Britain and Ireland (TMSGBI) Collection:
Over the years the TMSGBI has built up a comprehensive collection of books pertaining to Thomas Merton’s life, writings and legacy, including a wide range of critical commentaries on Merton’s work. His own writing covers many genres, including poetry, theology, and social criticism. The collection here at Mirfield is one of the largest outside the collection at Louisville, USA, and the home of the International Thomas Merton Society.
Originally, the collection was housed at St Michael’s Priory, Willen, outside Milton Keynes. Following the Priory’s closure in 2019, the collection moved to Turvey Abbey. Since 2023, the Collection has had a new home at the Community of the Resurrection Library. Here are some must-reads written by Thomas Merton from the collection: The Seven Storey Mountain – which describes his journey towards monastic life; New Seeds of Contemplation – on spiritual reflection; The Sign of Jonas (14.24) – detailing his monastic experiences and No Man Is an Island (06.33) – explores solitude and community.
Other items include collaborations with Thomas Merton in the form of music and photography. Examples of titles in the photograph opposite:
And, titles edited by Paul M. Pearson (Director and Archivist – The Thomas Merton Center, Bellarmine University) for example, Seeking Paradise: the Spirit of the Shakers, A Meeting of Angels: the Correspondence of Thomas Merton with Edward Deming & Faith Andrews.
In addition, the collection includes The Merton Annual and The Merton Seasonal. And currently The Merton Journal is kept in the Community Library collection.
To access the collection on-site, please click here to contact the Academic Librarian, Anisha Christison.
Volunteers
If you would like to volunteer in the libraries, please email the Librarian.