The three seminaries formed the Eastern Cluster of Lutheran Seminaries more than two years ago. Technological developments over the past decade have really eliminated many geographic obstacles to library cooperation.
Electronic catalogs are searchable worldwide via the Internet.
We can share resources via FAX and electronic files by computer. Paralleling these developments is the geometric growth of online databases, full-text electronic periodicals and the dispersion of scholarship through such developments as distance education. Librarians at the three seminaries have been working for some time toward a cluster understanding of library services. A study identified ten potential areas of cooperation. An early undertaking will be to evaluate the three automated systems currently in place at the three schools to choose the most appropriate approach for unifying data into one catalog and developing a unified system for acquisitions.