The Harvard College Library has long been an invaluable resource for teaching and research.  While its foundation is the outstanding print collection that has grown from John Harvard's gift of 400 books in 1638 to a world-renowned resource of 15 million, today's technologies are making it possible for the Library to acquire audio, video, and digital materials.  To support teaching and research in the 21st century and beyond, the College Library must collect, preserve, and make accessible recorded knowledge in all formats.

The broad range of materials in the Harvard College Library creates opportunities to support collections in academic disciplines, in geographic areas, in periods of history, and in individual languages. The Library is unique in its ability to offer gift options that meet real needs and that are tailored to the interests and capacity of each donor. Current priorities within the Library focus on the collections and the students, faculty, and scholars who use the materials.

Selected Opportunities

Gifts for Collections

Expand Harvard's collection to support today's teaching and tomorrow's research.

Book funds have been essential to Harvard's libraries since 1774. Today, these funds sustain more than the acquisition of books, they also provide support for preservation and access of library materials in audio, video, and digital formats. Endowed book funds are an outstanding way to honor or memorialize a family member and can be tailored to personal areas of interest. Book funds begin at $25,000.

To be an effective, globally-focused research institution, Harvard must collect and make accessible recorded knowledge in all formats. In addition, new areas of study often require aggressive collecting in order to provide the breadth and depth of materials demanded by students and faculty. Since 1774, gifts for endowed book funds have been essential to growing the Library's collections. Opportunities to underwrite such new collections are constantly evolving. Current collection needs include:

  • Jazz and African-American music
  • Math collections for undergraduates
  • Palestinian newspapers
  • Manuscript collections of historical or literary significance
  • Science journals

Gifts for Preservation

Protect unique information resources for future generations.

The libraries at Harvard hold an astounding number and range of materials having inestimable scholarly, artifactual, and monetary value. They range from scrolls, illuminated manuscripts, drawings, prints, and maps to letters, diaries, and rare and unique books. Many significant holdings have suffered the ravages of time and use, and are in urgent need of conservation treatment.

Some current preservation needs, beginning at $10,000, include:

  • Civil War maps
  • African pamphlets and monographs
  • John Donne's commonplace books
  • Watercolors by Edward Lear
  • Chinese rare books

Gifts for Access and Technology

Make library resources available to students and scholars at Harvard and around the world.

Technology plays an increasingly large role in today's library, from journals and datasets that are created electronically to catalogs and access tools that help students navigate the vast collections. Digital technology provides the opportunity for Harvard to make its traditional print and visual image collections available online from Cambridge to Katmandu, all day, every day. Digital projects range from $10,000 to $100,000 and include:

  • Improving access to and preservation of collections in support of undergraduate teaching
  • Imaging and geo-referencing historical urban maps
  • Digitizing musical scores from the Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library to support classroom teaching and individual research

Gifts for Facilities

Name one of the newly renovated rooms in the Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library.

The Widener Library renovation has greatly increased the Library's ability to fulfill its mission to provide intellectual access to materials and information; to provide training in the use of materials; and to provide facilities and services for research and study. Spaces within Widener Library that are available for naming include:

  • Stacks Reading Room $5 million

One of two new reading rooms created as a result of the Widener Library renovation project, the Stacks Reading Room was designed to meet the growing demand by students, faculty, and scholars for study space in close proximity to Widener's extensive collection.

  • Newspaper Microfilm Reading Room $3 million

Microfilm holdings increase significantly each year, as does the Library's need to provide access to these materials. The new Newspaper Microfilm Reading Room offers personalized service and sophisticated technology that improve accessibility of information in this format.

  • Collections Conservation Lab $3 million

This state-of-the-art laboratory on the lower level of Widener supports a comprehensive program to care for the Library's collections. A gift to endow this laboratory will ensure that items ranging from books and periodicals to maps and posters will remain available for generations to come.

Gifts for Positions

Name a highly valued, essential position within the Library.

The foundation of the Library's excellence is its knowledgeable staff. To maintain this excellence, we must recruit and retain dedicated professionals of the highest caliber. This includes general and special subject librarians, curators, technology experts, and archivists. If you would like to learn more about endowing a position in your area of interest, please contact Peggy Molander at 617-495-8062 or by e-mail.

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How to Give

Please send your gift or pledge commitment to:

Office of the Recording Secretary
Harvard University
124 Mt. Auburn St., Suite 430N
Cambridge, MA 02138

Checks should be payable to the Harvard College Library.

Gifts to the Harvard College Library receive class credit.

If you would prefer to make your gift online, please go to the Post.Harvard Web site at http://www.haa.harvard.edu/ and click on Giving to Harvard and follow the directions. In step 3, type in Harvard College Library in the Other Designation box.

If you are interested in making a gift of securities or a planned gift or bequest, you can also find the information at http://www.haa.harvard.edu/.

If you have questions, please contact Peggy Molander by telephone at 617-495-8062 or via e-mail.

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How to Make a Memorial Gift

Memorial gifts to the Library are a thoughtful way to honor a friend or relative while providing meaningful support to the Library. Please make your check payable to the Harvard College Library, noting the name of the person you wish to honor. If you want us to acknowledge your gift (not the amount) to the honoree's family, please include the appropriate name and address.

Mail your memorial gift to:

Peggy Davis Molander
Harvard College Library
110 Widener Library
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA 02138

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Friends of the Harvard College Library

The Friends of the Harvard College Library was established in the 1920s as a group of alumni, library patrons, faculty, and staff interested in increasing awareness of the Library and its collections. The original goal of the organization was to provide funds for acquisition and operations of the College Library. Today, in addition to providing valuable financial support, the Friends play a vital role as goodwill ambassadors for the Library. Their work is an important complement to the Library's mission of supporting teaching and research at Harvard.

We invite you to join the Friends and enjoy a variety of exhibitions, lectures, poetry readings, and concerts while at the same time providing vital support for Harvard's libraries. As a member, you will receive the Harvard Library Bulletin and a membership card that admits you to the library buildings and programs. You need not be affiliated with Harvard to become a member.

To join, please complete the Friends Membership Form, then print and mail, along with your check made payable to the Harvard College Library, to:

Secretary
Friends of the Harvard College Library
110 Widener Library
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA 02138

All memberships (less $35 for the Harvard Library Bulletin) are tax deductible as allowed by law.

Please contact us with comments and inquiries about giving to the Harvard College Library or joining the Friends.

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