Photograph by Susan Southall
Yesterday,
Today, and Tomorrow
The
Ministry and Vision of the Carmelite Library
Presentation
at the Carmelite Staff Day on Thursday the 21st of March
Philip
Harvey
YESTERDAY
When
the Province Library was at Donvale, in the last century, it served as both a
seminary library, a house library, and a library of spirituality. Its primary
vision was to serve the members of the Order, but even then the collection
itself was specialist, a place of interest to researchers and other readers in
the spiritual life. In other words, the foundation for the collection here in
the Carmelite Hall was already well established. This was not just a lot of
textbooks and catechisms. When today we look at the historical depth of the
collection we can easily discern the high standards and the vision that
generations of Carmelites put into their Library. This is one of the givens
that the Library staff inherit.
We
see the concentrated interest in particular subjects, reflective of Carmelite
life and witness. The so-called Carmelitana is the most obvious, i.e. the
literature of the Carmelites, both by and about them. This part of the
collection requires perennial attention as there is no end to what Carmelites
are able to write and what others are able to say about them. It is a paramount
duty to supply anything of value in this subject area, as we have anyway the
main responsibility to our users, to the Order, and to the nation. Hagiography,
or lives of the saints, is another specialist subject area that we endeavour to
build up, within the constraints of the budget. Prayer in its different forms
is to be represented in depth. The contemplative life in general, in fact, is
our concern, the essential spiritual practice of the Carmelites.
Mariology,
the study and theology of Mary likewise, is a major matter of collection
development. When I worked at the Jesuit library in Parkville there was once a
cull of their Mary section. Aghast that they would do such a thing, I expressed
my concern that these books might still have potential readers. Don’t worry, I
was assured by my Jesuit colleague, the Carmelites take care of Mariology. That
this was common knowledge in Melbourne Catholic library circles was news to me,
but today I find myself upholding that special duty.
These
are all specialist subjects within spirituality, but I think the main thing to
appreciate is that the discernment of the Carmelites then to focus on building
up a specialist theology library in spirituality, broadly speaking, continues
to be the central vision of our work. It’s for this reason that the Library
today reaches many more people than it could have hoped to reach while at
Donvale. It has become a byword in Melbourne for what is possible, given the
right attention, staffing, and promotion.
TODAY
The
main brief, to build up a Library of spirituality and mysticism, is the vision
of the Carmelites, articulated at the time that they decided to leave others to
keep seminary libraries. Why keep one more seminary library when there are
several others within a short distance? The focus on spirituality and mysticism
was identified in discernment as a charism of the Order, with its Library in a
place to meet the needs of everyone, including those of the Carmelite Family.
The
shift to Middle Park brought many creative changes which continue to inform our
vision and new directions. These include the fact that it became, overnight, a
public library. This makes the Library unique amongst theological libraries in
Melbourne and is an important factor in its ministry and, need I add, its
revenue.
The
long-wished-for foundation of a spirituality centre in Middle Park resulted in the
Library serving very directly a broader constituency. The Carmelite Centre
program has evolved each year since its inception into a living lively force,
its programs expanding at a sensible rate, and its outreach impossible to
estimate. Visitors to the Library have gone so far as to describe the Library
as a sacred space and we should affirm that experience. It has become a meeting
place for those of religion or no religion. All are welcome. Our policy is
hospitality first. This means that the Library and the Centre it supports are a
common meeting place, a zone where spiritual life can be opened up, discussed,
and shared. This is vital where those inside church can talk with those who
have left the church and need somewhere to reconnect. It is a place where
possibilities of new life are created without judgement. This vision of
inclusiveness and outreach is one that informs Library buying and activity.
Another
historical event that influences daily life in the Carmelite Library, and its
vision, was the setting up in Melbourne of Australia’s first university of
specialisation, the University of Divinity. We serve a large and diverse body
of students and staff across many theology colleges. Sensitivity to their needs
in our areas of expertise is a constant need, starting of course with our own
Carmelite students at Yarra Theological Union and the Australian Catholic
University. We could say that this vision is locked in. Our job is to be
responsive to the needs of all these people, at least one or two of whom join
the Library officially each week. Being part of the University means access to
the best online services. My own role on the Library Committee means advising
and working on an expanding vision for that institution as well.
TOMORROW
To
look at each of these in turn, our public face means reaching out to a very
wide potential user base. I would like to see more use of the Library by the
local community, raised awareness within the church, and even more diversity of
activities and events within the Library.
The
Library will become even more of a cultural centre in this part of
Melbourne. Exhibitions have become a
fact of life, made easy by the design layout of the Carmelite Hall space: it
lends itself to art shows, book events, and other displays and exhibitions. It
is quite possible to utilise the Library as a performance space.
As
we see even today with the Seraphim Icon Group, the Library can serve as a
creative workshop, within sensible limits. The Group meets on the third
Thursday of each month, as well as on other days in the Cecilia Room of the
Carmelite Monastery in Kew. Our Symposium in May will see an expanded use of
the space as an art workshop over three days.
So,
as well as our priority daily work of keeping going a special collection of
high standard with a diversity of users, the Library hosts reading groups,
lectures, exhibitions and anything else that feeds into our objectives of
feeding the spiritual life.
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