The praise songs of many different denominations of Christians are united on the shelves of the P. Boyd Smith Hymnology Collection. Containing books written in many different languages, published all over the globe, this rare collection reflects the diversity of the body of Christ Himself. Since some of these books are centuries old, the physical copies must be dealt with very carefully, meaning that opportunities to research these books are extremely limited. By transferring these books onto a digital platform, students and scholars are now welcome to learn more about the scholarship of hymnology or simply participate in heartfelt worship. While digital exploration cannot replace the magic of interacting with physical copies, it gives us the opportunity to advance the study of hymnology by paving the way for in-depth exploration of these hymns and hymn-writers. This digital platform also offers additional learning experiences where researchers can explore the broader context of hymnology, its history and development, as well as an intentional study of Isaac Watts' influence in hymnology. Whether these hymns are read devotionally or academically, the P. Boyd Smith Hymnology Collection has many spiritual and scholarly benefits to offer Christians.

The P. Boyd Smith Hymnology Collection contains centuries' worth of treasured hymnals and hymn books, reaching all the way back to 1608. This collection includes a total of 2100 marvelous books to explore, but access is extremely limited. The works of gifted hymn writers and poets throughout centuries from all over the world are united on the shelves of this collection. Thousands of students on California Baptist University's campus pass by this collection each day, unaware of the riches locked inside. This website exists to expand the collection so that anyone with online access can enter the wondrous world of hymns. Our library is working to produce digital copies of each physical book in the collection. Since this collection contains hundreds of books, an attempt to research the physical copies could be overwhelming or time-consuming. Those curious about the collection would only experience a limited portion of these hymns. Each book in the collection, especially the older books at risk of decay, must be carefully preserved. Consequentially, researchers would be unable to open up and study many of the books. These precious hymns are at our fingertips, and yet they seem unreachable. Technology offers us the keys to unlock the mystery of this collection. By transporting these books into the digital world, anyone curious about the study of hymnology is free to learn from this collection. The purpose of our design is to provide free access to the digital copies of these hymns, which allows researchers to zoom in and out of the collection. Viewers should be able to choose a specific setting in the database that allows them to organize the titles of the hymns according to author, year of publication, location, or alphabetically. When viewers click on the title, a digital pdf of the hymn book will appear. Research becomes much more efficient and attainable with these indexes and digital copies. If a researcher wanted to find a particular hymn book or group of hymn books, they would locate it quickly by searching through these indexes. A section of our website also highlights intriguing, unique, and significant hymn books or hymnals in the collection. It offers additional insights that are only possible in the digital world, such as a broader view of hymnology's history and a spotlight on the father of English hymnody - Isaac Watts. A review of the history of hymnology is included, highlighting key developments and shifts in the world of hymns. Since the Christian church was born, hymns have been a central component of worship and devotion. Today, many faithful Christians remain unaware of the jewels hidden within these hymn books. This platform unveils a glimpse of the history of hymnology without overwhelming viewers with excessive information. Isaac Watts was a crucial figure in hymnology's history who reshaped hymn-singing in churches and homes. This platform allows participants to interact with Watt's hymns and learn about his personal life as well as his impact on hymnody. Through this platform, researchers can travel to the past, surveying the wide world of hymns and taking a deep look into a rare hymnology collection.