LibGuides: APU Resources for Ministry: Library Resources

APU Libraries

Your PIM membership card entitles you to have access to all APU Libraries, including Stamps Library (which is the theological library). For information about each library, click on the following links:

Your Library Privileges

Your PIM membership entitles you to the following APU library privileges (be sure to bring in your PIM card):

You may have up to 25 items checked out at any given time.
Books may be checked out for 4 weeks.
You may have 4 renewals.

Other information of interest:

Book fines are 25 cents per book per day - more than $7.00 in fines will prevent you from checking out any more books.
PIM patrons are not eligible to use LINK+ or interlibrary loan.

For questions about library policies and procedures, contact Cheryl Chesler (626-815-6000, Ext. 5672).

Library Resources

Books & Print Journals/Magazines/Newspapers

APU Libraries include regular collections (or 'the stacks'), reference collections, special collections, and print periodical collections. For more information about the particular collections, click here. To search for library resources, use our library catalog. The Stamps Library reference collection is an excellent place to prepare for sermons and Bible studies - it contains dozens of commentary sets, Bible dictionaries, Bibles, and several other similar resources. While patrons can't check out reference books, they are free to make copies.

Each library also has an extensive collection of print periodicals (in addition to the online journals available through our databases). Patrons also cannot check out periodicals, but again, copies can be made. Each library will have a section for current periodicals (roughly a year's worth of the most recent issues), and then there will also be a section for back issues (usually bound in books). Periodicals are arranged alphabetically by title.

Library Website

The APU Libraries website contains a wealth of information in addition to providing the access points for the catalog and online databases. You might be interested in the following resources:

Library faculty and staff directory - This page will give you contact information and photos for all of the APU Libraries faculty (librarians) and staff. You can also get to the list of subject specialists from this page.
Library Hours, Directions, and Contact Info
Online Subject Guides - These guides were created by APU library faculty, and cover a wide variety of topics. These can be excellent places to start your research.
Library Answers - This is an online knowledge base of questions that have been asked by library patrons, as well as a means to ask any questions you might have about research, library policies, etc.

Online Databases

APU Libraries subscribe to around 100 online databases, most of which are used for searching for journal articles. To access the databases, click on 'All Databases' from the library website. You can look for databases alphabetically by title, or you can choose a topic from the drop-down menu and discover the databases that are most relevant. PIM patrons will not be able to access these databases remotely, but can come into any of the three APU libraries to use them. PIM patrons might be especially interested in using the databases in the 'Theology/Religion/Philosophy' section. For help using the databases effectively, ask the person at the reference desk, or consult some of the following online sources:

Librarians & Library Staff

APU library faculty (librarians) and staff are more than happy to help you with research, renewing books, explaining library policies, and anything else you might want to ask them about.