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Support the Libraries

The University Libraries is the heart of University of Maryland in so many ways. Not only does McKeldin Library sit at the heart of campus, but we sit at the heart of subject matter, as the entire campus community depends on us for information. We are a vital source that supports their academic aspirations. The Libraries has more than 1.5 million unique visits annually on-site and an additional 1.6 million visits online. These visits, made up of mostly students and faculty, get to the heart of their research and study, through on-site and digital resources that are provided by the Libraries.

Gifts to the Libraries support important digital resources, reference services, emerging technologies, vital information literacy instruction, and rare collections unique to the University of Maryland. Whether you support our efforts financially, or through advocacy, you play a vital role in the Libraries mission to provide outstanding services, and resources necessary for research, teaching, and learning for every UMD student and faculty member.

University of Maryland students and faculty depend on gifts that support the Libraries. Your gift can make a difference for every student and faculty member on campus.

Gifts in Action

Documenting the Filipino American Experience

Rita Cacas (UMCP B.A. 1978, M.L.S. 2002) established an endowment that will support the Rita M. Cacas Filipino American Community Archives (FACA). FACA offers a glimpse into the Filipino American experience through archival records preserved and donated by local DC area Filipino families and is especially notable as a historic record of events marking the Philippines’ journey to independence after nearly 50 years of U.S. occupation and its participation in two World Wars.

Telling the Story of American Broadcasting

The Library of American Broadcasting has provided ongoing support of the Library of American Broadcasting collection housed within Special Collections. The collection is the preeminent repository for the preservation and dissemination of the history and tradition of broadcasting, reflecting its people, policies, programming and the indispensable part it plays in the nation’s culture.

Highlighting a Distinguished Journalism Collection

John A. Jenkins ‘72 donated a collection of historic papers to UMD Libraries documenting his remarkable career, and created a fund to support the collection. The John A. Jenkins Papers comprise Jenkins’ body of work spanning more than a half-century in journalism and entrepreneurship–including historical primary-source documents and historical audio and video relating to major events of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Boosting Student Workers

The Friends of the Library, of the Marilyn J. Praisner Library in Burtonsville, MD made a generous gift to the Library Student Workforce Fund. The gift was made in memory of Susanne Perella, a colleague and former librarian for the Treasury Department.

Elevating the Prange Collection

Marlene Mayo created the Marlene J. Mayo Endowed Program Fund for the Gordon W. Prange Collection. This fund will provide support to enable access to, and increase awareness of, the unique resources within the Gordon W. Prange Collection that support Japanese Studies research and learning in the University Libraries. Funds will be used to establish the Marlene J. Mayo Lecture Series. The series envisions broader outreach and interdisciplinary scholarship in Japanese studies. It includes individual talks by scholars in various fields and eras and helps with workshops, forums, seminars, or even conferences.

Priorities for the Dean of Libraries

Student employee

Library Student Workforce Fund

The Library Student Workforce Fund will subsidize employment expenses related to UMD students who assist with routine library operations and provision of services. This may include supplementing the Libraries' student assistant budget, training expenses, and costs for student assistant mentoring and recognition programs.   

Librarian with student at computer

Collections and Content Enrichment Fund

In an average year, University of Maryland Libraries' 65 faculty librarians teach information literacy skills to more than 20,000 students to ensure they can navigate their way through the complex scholarly resources - including more than 350 databases, 500,000 e-journals, 6 million e-books, and many other information resources essential for teaching, learning, and research.

Visitor at Hornbake gallery

UMD Libraries' Special Collections Gift Fund

From the University Archives to rare and historical manuscripts, the Libraries' Special Collections are one of the premier resources to study all aspects of Maryland and beyond. Your donation helps Special Collections continue to provide access to these important materials, arrange for critical preservation projects, and build the collections in meaningful ways.

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