Welcome

Formed in 1853 with the gift of 56 books from its owners' personal collections, the Congregational Library now holds 225,000 items documenting the history of one of the nation's oldest and most influential religious traditions.

Photo of 14 Beacon Street Reading room

Our 14 Beacon Street reading room

Rotating Historic Photos

From the photo archives…

 

Support Us

The Congregational Library is a non-profit organization that needs your support. Contributions are tax-deductible and welcome.

Donate now »

Instant History

Check here for quick information about all things Congregational, now available for downloading.
Check out Debby Applegate's lecture on Henry Ward Beecher!

Instant History »

CCHS Online

Visit our sister organization, the Congregational Christian Historical Society.

CCHS Online »

What's New at the Library

    Program Schedule

    Please review our Program and Workshop Schedule, which has been expanded to include
  • book discussions
  • a seminar on Congregational history
  • a half day workshop on new technologies in a church setting
  • a walking tour of Congregational Boston.

    • The old reliable workshops: Records Management and "Where Do I Start?" (originally named Research 101) are still available, as well.

    May 3

    Jessica Steytler will be teaching a class here at the library from 9am-12:30pm
    Using Primary Sources: a Tutorial for Educators
    Learning about history can involve more than just reading a textbook—and should! There is a rich and varied world in manuscripts and archive collections that history books can never present. However, finding a path through these collections can be intimidating, particularly when there are so few opportunities to navigate this 'raw material' of history. This workshop will walk educators through the wilderness of an archive—highlighting effective research techniques, pitfalls and stumbling blocks, and gems that they can share with their classes. Participants will try out some practical applications within the Congregational Library based on the theories discussed during class.
    Contact Kris Liberman at Simmons Continuing Education to register.

    May 13

    Our Brown Bag Lunch series resumes with a discussion of Eve LaPlante's "Salem Witch Judge : the life and repentance of Samuel Sewall". Take a look at our book discussion page for more information about this and future titles in the program series.

    May 20

    The next sessions of our Where Do I Start? and Records Management seminars will be conducted by Executive Director Peggy Bendroth and Archivist Jessica Steytler, respectively. See our Program and Workshop Schedule page for details.

    May 26

    The library will be closed in observance of Memorial Day.

    NEW SUMMER HOURS

    Beginning June 2, 2008, we will be changing our hours slightly.

    Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday

    9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

    Wednesday

    9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

    Massachusetts Council of Churches Award for Ecumenical Scholarship

    The Massachusetts Council of Churches is pleased to announce an annual prize of $500 to the best scholarly work on ecumenism, drawn from its archival collection, recently deposited at the Congregational Library. Those interested should contact Library director Peggy Bendroth for information about submissions.

    More news »