Subject librarian
Joshua Capitanio
About the Religion collection
Stanford Libraries collects primary and secondary source materials in print and digital formats to support the study of a wide range of religious traditions across the pre-modern and modern periods. Our main collections are held at Green Library, but materials related to the study of religion can also be found at the Bowes Art & Architecture Library, Cubberley Education Library, the East Asia Library, and the Tanner Philosophy Library. The curator for religious studies primarily collects materials related to American religions, Christianity, Buddhism, and Asian religions. Visit the subject pages for Islamic Studies and Jewish Studies for more information on those collections.
Whether you are an undergraduate working on a seminar paper, a graduate student conducting thesis or dissertation research, or a professor seeking new materials for your classes, the Libraries are here to support your research and teaching needs. Scroll down to view available research guides and a list of selected resources and collections, or contact the subject librarian to schedule a research consultation.
Featured collections
W.Y. Evans-Wentz Buddhism and Eastern Religions Collection, ca. 1600-1922
View the collectionW.Y. Evans-Wentz (Stanford 1923) was an anthropologist who traveled extensively throughout South and Southeast Asia researching Buddhism and other religious traditions. This archive contains manuscripts and books from his personal collection.
Missionary studies
View the collectionA collection of digitized primary sources for the study of missionary activity in Africa, Asia, the Pacific region, and the Americas. Includes personal papers, missionary pamphlets, institutional records, and other documents, with particularly strong representation of women's missionary activities and organizations.
Manuscripts and rare books on Christianity from medieval and Renaissance Europe
View the collectionThe Department of Special Collections holds over two hundred rare books and manuscripts related to the practice of Christianity in Europe during the medieval and Renaissance periods. These materials include breviaries, prayer books, musical scores, liturgical manuscripts, and more.