Our specialised library

    Mission 21's library is open to interested members of the public as well as students. The library, which has close ties with the Research Archive, can look back on well over 200 years of active collecting, and it also has Basel Mission's rich stock of works at its disposal. In addition, the library offers the latest specialist literature on mission studies, worldwide Christianity, contextual theology, African studies and development policy. The entire stock of books can be consulted in the online catalogue of the Universities of Basel and Berne: ► go to the swissbib Basel Bern website

    Using the library and borrowing

     

    New registrations

    You need a library card to borrow books. This is provided by the University Library of Basel. You can also order the card online: aleph.unibas.ch. It is valid not only in our library, but also at university library Basel and in many other libraries.

     

    Order and return of books

    Due to the Corona pandemic, the open access area of the library will remain closed until further notice. You can pre-order books from our library online in the catalogue and pick them up at the library as soon as you have received an invitation to pick them up. The ordered books will be deposited at the entrance of the library. Works published before 1890 can only be consulted in the reading room.

    The loan period for books is generally 28 days. If there is no reservation, this period is automatically extended twice and can be extended three more times in the user account. The maximum loan period is 6 months.

    Books that are no longer needed can be placed in the return box provided in the entrance area of the library around the clock or delivered by post.

     

    usage regulations

    More detailed information on the topic of use and lending can be found here (German).

    Contact

    Library Mission 21

    Missionsstrasse 21
    Missionshaus, 1st floor
    CH-4009 Basel

    ► Email

    [Translate to English:]

    Patrick Moser

    Archivist
    Tel.:+41 (0)61 260 22 57
    ► Email

    [Translate to English:]

    Andrea Rhyn

    Archivist
    Tel.:+41 (0)61 260 22 42
    ► Email

    The main subjects covered by our collection

    Mission and theology

    African studies

    Development policy

     

    Two factors determine the main subject areas covered by our library. On the one hand, there is the enormous amount of material collected by Basel Mission over many years (1815 – 2000); and on the other, the subjects we cover are geared to Mission 21's ongoing development cooperation work and the requirements of researchers in our own archive and elsewhere. As well as specialised academic literature, we also offer non-fiction books on socially relevant issues that are easily understandable to general readers.

    Subjects covered by our collection:

    • Mission – in history, and in the present
    • World religions, interfaith dialogue
    • Theological perspectives from Africa, Asia and Latin America
    • African Studies, with heavy emphasis on West Africa and Southern Africa
    • Development policy in the broadest sense, personnel exchange in development cooperation, with a special focus on religion and development
    • Key geographic areas:
      • Africa: Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, DR Congo, Tanzania, South Sudan, South Africa
      • Asia: India (especially South India), China (South China), Sabah/Malaysia, Indonesia
      • Latin America: Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Argentina

    Further links

    swissbib Basel Berne library catalogue: ► https://baselbern.swissbib.ch

    IDS BS/BE (Basel-Berne Information Alliance for German-Speaking Switzerland) library catalogue: ► http://aleph.unibas.ch

    Basel University Library: ► www.ub.unibas.ch/ub-hauptbibliothek

    GlobeTheoLib: ► www.globethics.net/gtl

    Library of the Faculty of Theology, University of Basel: ► https://theolrel.unibas.ch/bibliothek

    WCC Library at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey: ► http://library.oikoumene.org

    Association of Librarians of Swiss Faith-Based Institutions: ► www.bibrel.ch

    Network of Swiss Development Documentation Centres (NEDS): ► www.neds.ch