Beth Kumar, GTU Director of Library Services, Elected to Atla Board of Directors
CHICAGO, IL, March 9, 2023—The Graduate Theological Union is pleased to announce that Beth Kumar, the Director of Library Services of the GTU’s Flora Lamson Hewlett Library, has been elected to serve on the Atla Board of Directors.
Established in 1946 as the American Theological Library Association, Atla is a membership association of librarians and information professionals, and a producer of research tools, committed to advancing the study of religion and theology. Atla members elected four candidates, including Kumar, to serve a three-year term from 2023 to 2026.
“I strongly value the growing diversity of Atla and want to be a voice for all on the Board,” Kumar reflected in her election statement. “I think theological libraries, and Atla by extension, are a place where everyone with curiosity is welcome.”
Kumar’s unique experience at the GTU library, which serves the full consortium of eight member schools, five academic centers, and five affiliate schools, was a key component of her application. While GTU students and faculty are religiously diverse, they share the common hub of the library, where Kumar has emphasized hospitality and inclusion in her daily work to build relationships and foster community.
Atla’s membership includes more than 800 individuals and libraries at academic institutions from diverse religious traditions and backgrounds. As a community of collectors and connectors, Atla works to promote worldwide scholarly communication in religion and theology by advancing the work of libraries and related information providers.
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About Atla
Established in 1946 as the American Theological Library Association, Atla is a membership association of librarians and information professionals, and a producer of research tools, committed to advancing the study of religion and theology. Atla’s membership includes more than 800 individuals and libraries at academic institutions from diverse religious traditions and backgrounds. As a community of collectors and connectors, Atla works to promote worldwide scholarly communication in religion and theology by advancing the work of libraries and related information providers.
About the Graduate Theological Union
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) is a world leader in the study of religion and theology, as well as a vibrant home for spiritual exploration through online learning opportunities with global reach.
Spanning a robust array of interreligious and interdisciplinary perspectives, the GTU’s centers of study and wider consortium offer programs that lead to groundbreaking scholarship, with alumni who become thought leaders in their fields. We offer innovative approaches to advanced study, driven by our core commitment to empowering those with a passion for serving others, as inspired by the world’s many spiritual paths, faiths, and cultural traditions.
At its heart, the GTU’s educational work is brought to life by a unique instructional approach that encourages dynamic encounters and exchange about the world’s wisdom traditions and is inspired by the transformative power of spiritual study and reflection to generate profound personal, social, environmental, and spiritual healing to create just and peaceful communities worldwide.
Discover more about our programs and the work of our alumni and community at gtu.edu.