The Boston University School of Theology Library is proud to house the hymnal collection of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada. This valuable collection of approximately 900 historical volumes came to Boston University School of Theology in 2005, from Union Theological Seminary in New York.
Roughly two-thirds of this collection consists of psalters, tunebooks, and hymnals. In addition, there are more than 100 song collections (most entirely sacred, with others containing some secular pieces) and about 50 volumes of hymn texts and other religious poetry. The remaining books deal with the history of hymns, hymn stories, hymnal handbooks, biographies of hymn writers, music theory and history, and other miscellaneous materials. Approximately one-third of the collection predates the beginning of the Civil War.
A link to BU Libraries Search, searching the cataloged items in the The Hymn Society of the United States and Canada Collection.
A calling and a community : the Hymn Society, 1922–2021
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The Reverend Dr. Carl P. Daw Jr. is an Episcopal priest and writer who served as the Executive Director of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada from 1996 to 2009, while this ecumenical and international organization had its headquarters at Boston University School of Theology.
Dr. Daw retired his post as an Adjunct Professor of Hymnology in the Master of Sacred Music program in 2019. He also acted as the Curator of the Hymnological Collections in the School of Theology Library.
Rev. Dr. Daw was a key advocate in the transfer of the collection of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada to Boston University School of Theology Library in 2005. He continues to advise the library on its hymnological collections even in retirement.