Baptism Without a Pool: Collaborative Information Behavior Among Storefront Churches

Storefront churches, often operating in resource-constrained urban environments, face unique infrastructural challenges in performing sacred rituals—particularly baptism. This paper explores how the absence of built-in baptismal pools catalyzes collaborative relationships between storefront congregations and more resourced, mainstream churches. Drawing on the framework of collaborative information behavior and extending insights from Peyton (2021), the study examines how leaders identify allies, negotiate spiritual space, document ritual processes, and translate theological culture across institutional boundaries. These practices reflect not only logistical adaptation but also theological negotiation, cultural humility, and community resilience. The findings contribute to broader conversations in library and information science, religious studies, and urban ministry by highlighting how underserved faith communities leverage information networks to sustain tradition and build sacred bridges.