During the past 50 years, theological libraries have confronted secularisation and religious pluralism, along with revolutionary technological developments that brought not only significant challenges but also unexpected opportunities to adopt new instruments for the transfer of knowledge through the automation and computerisation of libraries. This book shows how European theological libraries tackled these challenges; how they survived by redefining their task, by participating in the renewal of scholarly librarianship, and by networking internationally. Since 1972, BETH, the Association of European Theological Libraries, has stimulated this process by enabling contacts among a growing number of national library associations all over Europe. This volume commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the association known as BETH (Bibliothèques Européennes de Théologie), by presenting a rich collection of essays and case-studies about European theological libraries and the library associations that support them. Divided into three major parts, the book first surveys the history and current status of theological and religious libraries across Europe ? how they emerged, how they adapted to secularisation, shifting theological education, and changing church-society relationships. The second part focuses on networks, instruments, media and resources: for example union catalogues, digital portals, special collections, automation and the impact of digital transformation. The third part profiles BETH itself: its member associations, key initiatives, and the role it has played in facilitating cooperation, professionalisation and exchange among theological libraries throughout Europe. Through contributions from many countries, the book illustrates how theological libraries have not only survived but re-defined their mission: from repositories of denominational print holdings to hybrid, networked, digital-aware institutions engaging with scholarship, heritage, theology, and information science. Because the volume brings together historians, librarians, scholars of theology and library science, it offers both a historical panorama and a forward-looking reflection on how theological libraries might flourish in the decades ahead. Leo Kenis is a Belgian librarian and scholar, known for his work on the history of theological libraries in Belgium (especially Leuven) and church-library heritage. He has published widely on book culture, seminary libraries and the transition of ecclesiastical collections into the university context. Penelope R. Hall holds M.Div., Ph.D. and D.D., and has worked internationally in the field of theological education for over forty years, teaching, writing and editing texts for seminaries, libraries and theological institutions. Marek Rostkowski is a Polish scholar of library and information science, with particular interest in theological libraries, church heritage collections and digital library development; he serves as co-editor on this festschrift and brings a pan-European perspective to library association networks.