Giving a Gift

The University of Chicago Library is dedicated to enriching life through the expansion of knowledge. All gifts to the Library support this mission and offer donors an opportunity to direct their contributions to special areas of interest. For more information on making a gift to the Library, contact the Library's Development Office.

Library Annual Fund

Donors who want to express their love of books, their support for the Library's mission, or their appreciation for what the Library means or meant to them as students, researchers, or faculty are invited to make gifts to the Library's Annual Fund. Annual Fund contributions in any amount help the Library to continue as a world-class academic research institution. For on-line help with making a gift, go to:

Collections

Growth of the collection is at the heart of the Library's activities. Book funds can be set up to reflect a donor's love for a particular discipline or subject matter. Named funds can be established with expendable gifts, or endowed funds can be created to enrich a special part of the collection in perpetuity. A Library professional works with donors to understand their interests and develop an appropriate digital bookplate.

$5,000 or more for a named book fund
$25,000 or more for an endowed book fund

Fund for Books is a special program that allows donors to make a gift in honor of a special friend or mentor, or in memory of a loved one. For each gift of $50, the Library will purchase a book and inform the appropriate persons of the gift. A special bookplate with the name of the person in whose memory or honor the book was purchased is placed in the book.

Preservation

As any book lover knows, a strong preservation program is essential to ensure the longevity of the collection. To conserve rare materials, highly specialized handling is often required. The Library has a general conservation fund that accepts any size gift, and donors who wish can endow their own named Conservation Fund.

$25,000 or more for a named preservation endowment

Digitization Initiatives

New technologies have helped expand the horizons of the Library by making information available to a global audience of scholars. Digitizing materials for preservation, accessibility, and enhanced research capabilities has become an essential activity of the Library, and additional support is needed.

The Digital Library Development Center (DLDC) coordinates the Library's digital activities, and donors can underwrite specific projects or provide funding for the overall activities of the DLDC. Library professionals work with donors to understand their interests and determine the best way to match interests to needs. Descriptions of current projects can be viewed here.

Gifts-in-Kind

Many supporters have generously donated their collections to the Library. Potential donors should contact Scott Perry (773-702-8734) for more information. If the Library cannot use the materials, Scott often can suggest more suitable alternatives.

Contact

Please contact the Development Office at the Library with any questions about making a gift.

Judy Lindsey
Director of Development
(773) 834-3744
jlindsey@uchicago.edu

Joan Bentley Hoffman
Associate Director of Development
(773) 702-8742
jhoffman@uchicago.edu

Barbara Palmer-Bostick
Development Associate
(773) 702-7695
bbostick@uchicago.edu