“Thy Word is the Light unto the Path of Knowledge”
The main objectives of the library are to provide the development of HCTC theological education, to support the needs of the individual interests, to serve as a reference library for faculty, students, and staff and church members and to stand as the valuable library for the Church of the Province of Myanmar with an Archive attached.
The library collects and engages access to and guidance in the use of resources with the important Church Documents for the teaching and research activities of Holy Cross Theological College and the Church of the Province of Myanmar. The library cultivates a user-oriented environment for teaching, learning, and cooperation with faculty, students, researchers, scholars and librarians.
Holy Cross Theological College’s library is situated in the centre of the Holy Cross Theological College’s Campus, at no (104) Inya Road, Kamayut, Yangon. The Holy Cross Theological College was founded in 1934 but the Library begun its service at 104, Inya Road in 1935, with two long-cupboards placed in an empty classroom of the main building. However, it was able to appoint the first Librarian only in 1993. The present library building was opened in 1996-1997.
In 14th March, 1998, Saw John Thet Lwin was recruited as a Library worker and took charge in setting up the Card Cataloguing system.
In the beginning of 1999, the General Secretary of ATESEA, Dr. Yoe Chwe Lak assessed the College and the Library during his short visit to Myanmar. Shortly after he left, in July of that year, an official letter of HCTC has been accepted as a member of ATESEA was received.
In 2000, the project for the Computerized Cataloguing System was started with ISIS Software. Meanwhile, Saw John Thet Lwin was appointed as an assistant librarian on February 11th 2000 and Daw Wai Wai Myint as assistant librarian on 1st July at that year respectively.
In 2002, Daw Wai Wai Myint finished her studies at Yangon University for the course called Library Technical Skill, level 3 and was graduated of Theological Studies (MTS) at MIT, Insein, in 2005.
In June 2003, Saw John Thet Lwin graduated Master of Divinity (M.Div.) with Theological Librarianship Studies from Lutheran Theological Seminary, Hong Kong.
In December 2003, Naw Mercy See Sein Soe was recruited as a Library Assistance. She joined the post graduate Diploma Course on Library Science at Yangon University which is officially called Diploma in Library and Information Studies (Dip. LIS) and graduated in 2006. In 2010, she was rewarded the degree called Master of Arts in Christian Studies (MACS) from MIT, Insein. Furthermore, she graduated her Master of Library and Information Studies (MA.LIS) in 2011 and Master of Research in Library and Information Studies (M.Res) in 2013 respectively from the Yangon University. Meanwhile, she is promoted as an Assistant Librarian on October, 16th, 2013. In 2015, she joined her Ph.D program on Library and Information Studies at Yangon University. In 2019, she earned Ph.D Degree (Doctor of Philosophy in Library and Information Studied) at Yangon University.
In 2003, the ten year project was drawn up by the Library Committee and the following were concluded:
In 1st May 2004, Saw John Thet Lwin was promoted as a Chief Librarian and is serving as Librarian since then.
The Library was infected severely by the cyclone Nargis in May 8th 2008 and major renovation was made on that year.
Although the Library has been using purchased software called Elib Library Automation System and trying to setting it up since 2010, the automation could only started on September, 2015.
The collections of the Library are mainly for research and reference. The total collection comprises of:
Currently, the Library is running by (1) trained library staff and (1) project staff.