Tyndale University Library
Archives & Collections
Preserved. Curated. Accessible.
General Collection
Tyndale Libraries has over 100,000 items in its collection. This includes reference materials, audiovisuals, current periodicals and monographs that make up the main library collection. For holdings, please consult the WorldCat catalogue.
The library main reading room is located under the chapel and is accessible toward the south and east sides of the campus. The main library circulating collection is split between the ABBA Resource Centre, the main library and on campus storage locations. Interlibrary Loan is available for items not accessible locally.
The Reference collection is located beside the Circulation Desk. It consists of a wide range of reference materials including dictionaries, encyclopedias, bibliographies, handbooks, directories, Bible commentaries and concordances and language reference tools. This material remains in the library at all times. It is often a helpful place to begin research in order to obtain an overview of your topic. The Public Services Librarian is available to assist patrons in selecting appropriate resources. This includes hundreds of thousands of online articles, ebooks and online reference resources.
Periodicals and Ebooks
The library provides access to thousands of electronic periodicals and over 150 print periodicals. Print issues are displayed alphabetically in the main library reading room. Back issues can be requested. For full holdings and locations, see the Journal Directory.
We offer access to over 300,000 ebooks through academic subscription packages and individual purchases. Ebooks expand our collection and offer convenient access for online learners.
Tyndale Digital Collections
Tyndale Digital Collections contains digitized historical publications relating to the history of Tyndale and its forerunners: Ontario Bible College, Ontario Theological Seminary, Toronto Bible College and London College of Bible and Missions. The Archives are housed outside of the Library and individuals who are interested in consulting its collections should make an appointment with the Library Director.
Audiovisual Collections
These include compact disks and videos. CD’s, and DVD's are located in the main library. Additional resources for Education are at the back of the ABBA Resource Centre.
Kit Collections
A curated selection of teaching tools, games, and hands-on resources designed to support B.Ed teacher candidates. Used to enrich lesson planning, spark engagement, and bring learning to life. Some kits contain audiovisual multimedia materials which are available upon request.
Puppet Collections
Created to enrich the teaching practice of our Bachelor of Education teacher candidates, the Puppet Collections enhance storytelling, literacy, and instructional activities. These resources are also available to support children’s ministry programs and other community outreach efforts.
Special Collections
The Library’s Special Collection contains older and fragile materials that do not circulate. Special Collections items are listed in WorldCat. Much of this collection is off-site and not currently available.
Percival J. Baldwin Puritan Collection
The Baldwin Puritan Collection was donated to Tyndale University in 1988 featuring 203 rare volumes collected by Percival J. Baldwin. The works, primarily published between 1625 and 1700, include writings by key Puritan authors such as John Owen and William Perkins. This collection highlights the theological depth and enduring relevance of the Puritan tradition. Items may be accessed in-library by request at the Circulation Desk.
Percival J. Baldwin (1907-1975) was a senior executive in a major Canadian manufacturing corporation located in Toronto. He was raised in the Calvinistic Baptist tradition and developed an early interest in theology and an insatiable appetite for the writings of the Puritans. During the years after World War II he assembled a 2,000 volume Puritan studies collection, including the original editions donated to Tyndale University.
We are very grateful to his daughter Audrie and her husband Bruce Cossar for their generous donation of this collection, which was given to the J. William Horsey Library in 1988.
This 203 volume collection consists primarily of works by the Puritans and their contemporaries, with most of the titles being published between 1625-1700. There are a few titles published before 1600, the earliest being a copy of the "Geneva Bible" printed in 1576. There are also a few works published after 1700. Among the most significant authors represented in the collection are James Durham, John Owen, William Perkins and Samuel Rutherford. A portion of this collection is listed in the Short-Title Catalogue of [Rare] Books, edited by Donald Wing of Yale University. This catalogue is a standard reference work for those seeking to locate copies of items published between 1641 and 1700.
The collection is significant because it represents the Puritan tradition, which has a great deal to say to the modern church. The Puritans had a deep awareness of who God is, what He has done for us and how we ought to live in light of this. As the church seeks to minister to people in the twenty-first century, we will be in a much stronger position to do so if we take the time to listen to, and learn from, these godly people of the seventeenth century.
Those wishing to use the collection should fill out a request at the Library’s Circulation Desk and a Library Staff member will retrieve the requested item for use in the library.