Longtime NTS Librarian, Debbie Bradshaw, Retires

At Nazarene Theological Seminary (NTS), Debbie Bradshaw’s name has long been synonymous with the library. After 39 years of dedicated service, it’s hard to imagine one without the other.

Debbie began her work at NTS in 1986 as a catalog librarian after earning her Master of Library Science from Emporia State University. She rose steadily through the ranks and became Director of Library Services in 2001, following her mentor and friend, Dr. William (Bill) Miller, who had moved into administration. Reflecting on his influence, Debbie recalls, “Dr. Miller allowed me to learn every aspect of running a library. I also watched how he interacted with faculty and staff and how he built our collections. He encouraged me to get a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, which I did in 2005.” In 2006, she was named Associate Professor of Theological Bibliography—the title she will retire with in June, along with her title as Director of Library Services.

As the seminary’s longest-serving employee, Debbie has served under six presidents, beginning with Dr. Terrell C. Sanders, Jr. In 1995, she led the library’s transition from a traditional card catalog to a digital system—a year-long process. Since then, she has overseen three more system upgrades, most recently in 2022. A major library renovation in 2014 transformed the atrium into a more welcoming, reflective space. That same year, all 91,000 books were tagged with radio frequency identification technology.

As NTS expanded into digital learning, Debbie worked to ensure that electronic resources were well integrated with print collections. This work became even more critical as the seminary deepened its investment in online education. Under her leadership, digital holdings grew to better serve students, faculty, and researchers. “As a librarian, it’s very important to ensure that users have access to resources,” she affirms.

In addition to her administration roles, Debbie has mentored students with care and enthusiasm. Helping them navigate complex research questions has been one of her greatest joys. A devoted mystery reader, she traces her love of puzzles as a key reason she became a librarian. From 2005 to 2018, she taught a seminar in theological methods and research. Later, she directed the Center for Academic Writing, where she reviewed DMin dissertations and MATS theses for formatting, citation accuracy, and style. She also ensured these works were made available electronically.

Over the years, Debbie has supervised more than 50 library employees, most of them students or their spouses. She takes special pride in mentoring several into careers in librarianship. She built a strong, supportive work culture—celebrating birthdays and graduations with her team, who came to admire her for her leadership, warmth, consistency, and professionalism.

Dr. Sarah Coleson-Derck, Dean of the Faculty, offered her reflections: “On a personal note, Debbie was the first person to hire me at NTS. She welcomed me onto the circulation staff as a student employee during my own master’s degree. We have been friends ever since, and I have counted it a privilege to be her colleague all these years later. Debbie leaves behind a significant legacy: efforts in expanding both its physical and digital collections, along with her dedicated research support, have made ours of the finest theological libraries in the Midwest. Her contributions have been vital to the mission of NTS. We wish her every blessing in her retirement.”

Debbie’s influence also reaches beyond NTS. She has worked with Nazarene librarians across the U.S. to strengthen denominational schools around the world. Her work teaching librarianship has taken her to Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. She has also played a significant role in building the Wesley-Holiness Digital Library (WHDL), a key resource for students, pastors, church leaders, and scholars across the globe.

As she looks toward retirement, Debbie reflects, “I’ll deeply miss the wonderful people I have known at NTS, and I’ll miss helping students.” She and her husband, Rick, plan to spend more time at their lake house on Table Rock Lake in southwest Missouri, which she describes as a peaceful retreat. She looks forward to crafting, scrapbooking, and, of course, reading mysteries and other books. Even in retirement, a librarian is never far from a book.

A retirement celebration for Debbie will be held from 3:00 to 4:00 pm at the NTS Open House on May 2, 2025, at Nazarene Theological Seminary. 

To sign the digital guestbook, and leave Debbie a heartfelt message, click here.

To contribute to a retirement gift for Debbie, click here.