The Library at the Philadelphia Bahá’í Center
With some holdings acquired in the first decade of the twentieth century, the Philadelphia Bahá’í Center Library has had several homes over the years but it is now located on the second floor of the Bahá’í Center at 2462 Bryn Mawr Avenue in Philadelphia.
Since 2013 librarian Jane A. McDay and her assistants have been sorting, evaluating, accessioning, repairing, and cataloging its HOLDINGS. As of 2021 over seventeen hundred items have been shelved.
Since 2013 librarian Jane A. McDay and her assistants have been sorting, evaluating, accessioning, repairing, and cataloging its HOLDINGS. As of 2021 over seventeen hundred items have been shelved.
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Visiting the Library
In late 2016 the library became operational and materials are now being lent out to persons who have applied for borrowing privileges. If you would like a library card please send your name, address, email and phone number to [email protected]. Normally library staff persons are present on Tuesdays from 10:00 to noon. Please arrange your visit in advance and you will be welcome to use the library. If you wish to visit from some distance away, it may be best to do so on the occasion of a Feast or holy day when a library assistant is present in the evening. |
Our holdings
In addition to a complete collection of the standard texts, the library already has a growing number of biographies and a good collection of curriculum materials. For the curious inquirer into the history of the Faith there is a complete run of the original Bahá'í World volumes and extensive set of Bahá'í News and complete run of The American Bahá'í. For the student of current discourse there are all the early World Order magazines. Initial collections of materials in Spanish, Persian and Arabic have been established. And for the serious scholar we have materials for study in early translations and rare publications of firsthand accounts of the experiences of early Bahá'ís. These are supplemented by a complete set of the Guardian’s maps and charts originally published in the Bahá'í World. These maps are NOT available in the modern reprints,
In addition to a complete collection of the standard texts, the library already has a growing number of biographies and a good collection of curriculum materials. For the curious inquirer into the history of the Faith there is a complete run of the original Bahá'í World volumes and extensive set of Bahá'í News and complete run of The American Bahá'í. For the student of current discourse there are all the early World Order magazines. Initial collections of materials in Spanish, Persian and Arabic have been established. And for the serious scholar we have materials for study in early translations and rare publications of firsthand accounts of the experiences of early Bahá'ís. These are supplemented by a complete set of the Guardian’s maps and charts originally published in the Bahá'í World. These maps are NOT available in the modern reprints,
The Persian Language Collection
Please see List of our Persian Books
Improving the collections
We can use help in improving the library’s holdings. For the present, one focus is to make sure there are complete collections of the most important periodicals for research purposes. On this page we will keep an updated list of gaps to be filled and copies of materials we have available for trading. If you have a book you would like to contribute or trade, please contact the Librarian, Bahá'í Center, 2462 Bryn Mawr Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19132 or at [email protected].
Items desired and available for sale or trade as of May 2015:
Bahá'í World
The Original Series from 1926 to 1992 is complete.
We have the following Bahá'í World volumes available for trade:
Original vol. II, 1928, very good condition, blue cloth binding, 303 pages, spine faded but contents are complete and intact.
Original vol. IV, 1933, poor condition, black cloth binding, 547 pages, with two fanfold charts. The spine is sprung but contents are complete and intact. Copy 1.
Original vol. IV, 1933, poor condition, black cloth binding, 547 pages, with two fanfold charts. The front cover is bumped and somewhat stained but the contents are complete and intact. Copy 2.
Original vol. V, 1936, good condition, brown cloth binding, 711 pages, with fanfold genealogies at pages 202 and 205 and a pocket map of “the Bahá'í World”. Copy 1.
Original vol. V, 1936, good condition, brown cloth binding, 711 pages, with fanfold genealogies at pages 202 and 205 and a pocket map of “the Bahá'í World”. Copy 2.
Original vol. VI, 1937 (covering 1934 – 1936), very good condition, dark green cloth binding, 771 pages with pocket map. There is light foxing on the page edges but it is otherwise complete and intact. sale being negotiated
Note that the contents of the first six volumes are available online free. Their contents may be viewed and they may be downloaded here:
http://www.bahai.org/library/other-literature/periodicals-supplementary-materials/bahai-world/
However, the PDF copies available online do not include the pocket maps.
Original vol. VII, 1939, fair condition, blue cloth binding, 892 pages, with a pocket map of “America’s Spiritual Mission”. The cover is scraped and the fanfold pages are wrinkled, but the contents are intact and complete. sale being negotiated
Original vol. XIV, 1974 (covering 1963 – 1968), near mint condition, ivory cloth binding, 672 pages.
Original vol. XV, 1975-76 (covering 1968 – 1973), near mint condition, dark blue cloth binding, 824 pages.
The Bahá'í World New Series from 1992 to the present has many gaps:
Bahá'í years 151, 153, 154, 155, 156, 159, and 161 through 171. We are primarily interested in obtaining good quality hard cover copies that will stand up to prolonged library use.
World Order Magazine
Complete from Vol. 1, No. 1 (Fall 1966) through Vol. 38, No. 4 (Spring 2007), except for fifteen issues: Gaps and Trades. If you can give us one of these or trade us for it, please get in touch. We have numerous duplicate copies for trade and can fill gaps in your collection.
Improving the collections
We can use help in improving the library’s holdings. For the present, one focus is to make sure there are complete collections of the most important periodicals for research purposes. On this page we will keep an updated list of gaps to be filled and copies of materials we have available for trading. If you have a book you would like to contribute or trade, please contact the Librarian, Bahá'í Center, 2462 Bryn Mawr Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19132 or at [email protected].
Items desired and available for sale or trade as of May 2015:
Bahá'í World
The Original Series from 1926 to 1992 is complete.
We have the following Bahá'í World volumes available for trade:
Original vol. II, 1928, very good condition, blue cloth binding, 303 pages, spine faded but contents are complete and intact.
Original vol. IV, 1933, poor condition, black cloth binding, 547 pages, with two fanfold charts. The spine is sprung but contents are complete and intact. Copy 1.
Original vol. IV, 1933, poor condition, black cloth binding, 547 pages, with two fanfold charts. The front cover is bumped and somewhat stained but the contents are complete and intact. Copy 2.
Original vol. V, 1936, good condition, brown cloth binding, 711 pages, with fanfold genealogies at pages 202 and 205 and a pocket map of “the Bahá'í World”. Copy 1.
Original vol. V, 1936, good condition, brown cloth binding, 711 pages, with fanfold genealogies at pages 202 and 205 and a pocket map of “the Bahá'í World”. Copy 2.
Original vol. VI, 1937 (covering 1934 – 1936), very good condition, dark green cloth binding, 771 pages with pocket map. There is light foxing on the page edges but it is otherwise complete and intact. sale being negotiated
Note that the contents of the first six volumes are available online free. Their contents may be viewed and they may be downloaded here:
http://www.bahai.org/library/other-literature/periodicals-supplementary-materials/bahai-world/
However, the PDF copies available online do not include the pocket maps.
Original vol. VII, 1939, fair condition, blue cloth binding, 892 pages, with a pocket map of “America’s Spiritual Mission”. The cover is scraped and the fanfold pages are wrinkled, but the contents are intact and complete. sale being negotiated
Original vol. XIV, 1974 (covering 1963 – 1968), near mint condition, ivory cloth binding, 672 pages.
Original vol. XV, 1975-76 (covering 1968 – 1973), near mint condition, dark blue cloth binding, 824 pages.
The Bahá'í World New Series from 1992 to the present has many gaps:
Bahá'í years 151, 153, 154, 155, 156, 159, and 161 through 171. We are primarily interested in obtaining good quality hard cover copies that will stand up to prolonged library use.
World Order Magazine
Complete from Vol. 1, No. 1 (Fall 1966) through Vol. 38, No. 4 (Spring 2007), except for fifteen issues: Gaps and Trades. If you can give us one of these or trade us for it, please get in touch. We have numerous duplicate copies for trade and can fill gaps in your collection.
