The Center for Anglican Communion Studies was discussed by the Dean and Board of Trustees as early as 1989. After the creation of CACS in 1998, its primary achievement for almost a decade was the effort of the Bishop Payne Library to collect materials “that document the life, history and practice of the church across the worldwide Anglican Communion at the provincial and diocesan levels.” The Library’s collection of Anglican Communion materials is an invaluable resource for Anglican leaders and scholars who seek to understand the Anglican Christian tradition. CACS draws on the Library’s materials which are related to the Anglican Communion, even as it works to increase the collection and access to it worldwide.