This past week, Utah State University Libraries served as the venue for the celebrated Leonard J. Arrington Mormon History Lecture, an event that annually attracts notable scholars to delve into the particulars of Latter-day Saint history. This year's edition was no exception as over 200 individuals gathered at the Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall on Thursday to reflect on the legacy of church historians and their enduring work, according to USU Today.
Richard E. Turley Jr., a historian lauded for his expansive knowledge and past leadership over the Church History and Family History Departments of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, stood as the focal point of the lecture, aptly delivering a talk titled "Team History: The Latter-day Saint Historical Enterprise, 1986-2025," wherein he underscored the importance of collective scholarship and detailed the sizable strides made through collaborative efforts in the realm of church history, an exploration of the past four decades of concerted and groundbreaking scholarly endeavors.
The significance of the event was not lost on attendees, particularly with the praise coming from Jennifer Duncan, dean of libraries at the university, who lauded Turley's insights with utmost appreciation, saying, "Particularly as a librarian, I loved Rick’s sharing the impressive accomplishments of our colleagues in the Church History Department and all the many ways they are working to preserve our shared past for future researchers," she told USU Today.
