Got an idea for a holiday? Send it to us

Submit Now

Church-Library
October

Church Library Month – October 2025

Church Library Month is in October and we’ll help you celebrate the month in the best way possible. Did you know that the earliest known records of Christian libraries are almost 1,700 years old? Church Library Month provides the perfect opportunity to upgrade your church library and encourage more people to make use of the resources that it has to offer.

History of Church Library Month

In Christianity, a center of learning, reading, and preserving sacred texts has always had its importance. It is said that Bishop Alexander of Jerusalem had established a library during the first half of the 3rd century.

The Renaissance Period saw a rise in interest in religious and ancient texts among people. With the advancement in printing presses, the volume of books being published skyrocketed. The Vatican Library was refurbished.

By the end of the 18th century, many seminary libraries like New Brunswick, Service Seminary in P.A., and St. Mary’s-Baltimore were formed. In 1930, Yale indicated that theological libraries had a collection of volumes ranging from a few hundred to 200,000. The early 1900s saw a rapid decline in Catholic seminaries and the number of candidates for the priesthood, but in the second half of the century, the number of theological colleges and libraries rose again.

In 1947, the American Theological Library Association (ATLA) was formed. ATLA has since then governed the theological activities in the U.S. and Canada and also contributed to the development of Religious Indexes. Recently, ATLA has been working on putting theological periodicals into electronic format.

In 1970, the Evangelical Church Library Association was formed with a motto to promote church libraries to encourage Christian growth and to offer assistance to librarians. It was the Evangelical Church Library Association that observed October as Church Library Month for the first time. Since then, many church library associations have come together to celebrate Church Library Month and provide resources and spiritual guidance to millions.

Church Library Month timeline

200 A.D.
The First Church Library

Bishop Alexander establishes a church library during his tenure.

1500 A.D.
The Middle Ages

Many monastic libraries emerge in Britain and other parts of Europe.

1947
ATLA is Born

The American Theological Library Association is founded.

1970
ECLA is Founded

The Evangelical Church Library Association is formed and October is declared as Church Library Month.

Church Library Month FAQs

How do I set up a church library?

Arrange a meeting with your pastor and request members to volunteer to run the library. You can make newsletters and ads to make people aware of this initiative. Every bit of help counts.

Are there books that I can read during Church Library Month?

Yes! “Suffer Strong,” “In Stone and Story,” “Bavinck,” and “His Imprint My Expression” are just some books that you can read during Church Library Month.

Where is the oldest known Bible in the world?

The oldest known copy of the Bible, “Codex Vaticanus,” is kept at the Vatican Library and has been there since the 15th century.

How to Observe Church Library Month

  1. Form a church library

    If you do not have a library in your church, make one! Church libraries are of vital importance. They provide a way for people, especially ones who are not financially well off, to make use of the resources available and expand their knowledge or simply enjoy reading.

  2. Dust-off and donate

    We all have piles of books in the attic that have not been touched for ages. Donating books, digital encyclopedias, and other study materials would be a great way to contribute to Church Library Month.

  3. Spread the word

    Get creative. Make brochures, fliers, and ads to make people understand the importance of church libraries and Church Library Month. You can also organize contests and games to further spark interest in people, especially children.

5 Facts About Church Libraries That Will Blow Your Mind

  1. Library of Alexandria is a memorial

    The new library of Alexandria is a tribute to its predecessor, which was tragically destroyed in a fire 2,000 years ago

  2. Vatican Library was established in 1475

    The Vatican library is as old as the Catholic Church but it was formally established in 1475.

  3. The Abbey is a World Heritage Site

    In 1983, UNESCO declared The Abbey Library of Saint Gall as a World Heritage Site

  4. The Benedictine Library is the largest

    With over 70,000 volumes, including 1,400 manuscripts and 900 incunables, the Benedictine Library is the largest monastic library in the world

  5. Gutenberg Bible is in Washington D.C.

    One of the four copies of the Gutenberg Bible lies in The Library of Congress, in Washington D.C.

Why Church Library Month is Important

  1. Resources are for everyone

    Not everyone can afford the luxury of expensive library memberships. Whether it's biographies or citations for your school project or DVDs, CDs, non-fictional books, or self-help books, church libraries provide an ocean of resources and materials without being too heavy on your budget.

  2. It is the way of Christ

    Church Library Month is an opportunity to re-instill in the minds of people the essence of faith and to simply be a better Christian. It also provides an opportunity to provide spiritual assistance to those who might need it.

  3. It is important for theologists

    Church Library Month provides an opportunity to upgrade and further develop church libraries, which is important as theologists and even other congregants rely on church libraries for their religious studies.

Church Library Month dates

Year Date Day
2025 October 1 Wednesday
2026 October 1 Thursday
2027 October 1 Friday
2028 October 1 Sunday
2029 October 1 Monday
October
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
 
 
Elderly Filipino Week
National Walk Your Dog Week
Ayudha Puja
Balloons Around the World Day
Balloons Around the World Day
CD Player Day
CD Player Day
China National Day
Cyprus Independence Day
Durga Puja Navami
Filipino American Month
Filipino American History Month
International Coffee Day
​International Day of Older Persons
International Music Day
International Music Day
International Walk to School Day
Investiture Ceremony of the Captains Regent
Maha-Navami
Maha Navami
Mahanavami
Model T Day
Model T Day
National Black Dog Day
National Coffee with a Cop Day
National Day of China
National Fire Pup Day
National Hair Day
National Homemade Cookie Day
National Kale Day
National Lace Day
National Pumpkin Seed Day
National Raccoon Day
National Walk and Bike to School Day
Nepal: Maha Navami
Nigeria Independence Day
ROK Alliance Day
Semana Morazánica
Teacher's Day in Uzbekistan
Tuvalu Independence Day
World Sake Day
World Vegetarian Day
ADHD Awareness Month
Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
AIDS Awareness Month
American Pharmacists Month
American Pharmacists Month
Bat Appreciation Month
Bat Appreciation Month
Black Speculative Fiction Month
Blindness Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Caffeine Addiction Recovery Month
Celebrate The Bilingual Child Month
Celebrate The Bilingual Child Month
Church-Library
Church Library Month
Contact Lens Safety Month
Country Music Month
Critical Illness Awareness Month
Dental Hygiene Month
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Dyslexia Awareness Month
Eat Better, Eat Together Month
Emotional Wellness Month
Eye Injury Prevention Month
Fair Trade Month
Family History Month
Financial Planning Month
Financial Planning Month
German-American Heritage Month
​Global Diversity Awareness Month
Go-Sober-For-October
Go Sober For October — October
Halloween-Safety-Month
Halloween Safety Month
Head Start Awareness Month
Health Literacy Month
Healthy Lung Month
Hog Out Month
International School Libraries Month
International Walk To School Month
International Walk To School Month
Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month
Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month
​Italian-American Heritage Month
LGBTQ+ History Month
LGBTQ+ History Month
Liver Awareness Month
Long Term Care Planning Month
Menopause Month
Museums and Galleries Month
National Animal Safety and Protection Month
National Apple Month
National Apple Month
National Arts & Humanities Month
National Audiology Awareness Month
National Book Month
​National Bullying Prevention Month
National Caramel Month
National Chili Month
National Chiropractic Month
National Church Safety and Security Month
National Cookbook Month
National Cookie Month
National Cookie Month
National-Crime-Prevention-Month
National Crime Prevention Month
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month - October
National Depression Education and Awareness Month
National Dessert Month
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
​National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Ergonomics Month
National Indigenous Peoples Month
National Learning and Development Month
National LGBT History Month
National Medical Librarians Month
National Medical Librarians Month
National Non-GMO Month
National Orthodontic Health Month
National Pasta Month
National Pescatarian Month
National Pet Wellness Month
National Pickled Peppers Month
National Pizza Month
National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
National Pretzel Month
National Protect Your Hearing Month
National Sausage Month
National Work and Family Month
Physical Therapy Month
Pitbull Awareness Month
Polish American Heritage Month
Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month
Rett Syndrome Awareness Month
Spina Bifida Awareness Month
SQUIRREL AWARENESS MONTH
The Big Draw
Ultrasound Awareness Month
Unblocktober
Vegetarian Month
World Animal Month
World Habitat Awareness Month

Holidays Straight to Your Inbox

Every day is a holiday!
Receive fresh holidays directly to your inbox.