Message from the University Librarian:
Donors Make a Difference

The UCI Libraries benefit greatly from the generosity of our donors, as do the students, faculty, and other scholars who use library services and collections. 

One of the most noticeable differences is the sparkling new look of the Langson Library, thanks to an external renovation that was part of the naming gift from Jack Langson.  The Langson Library was one of the first buildings designed by architect William Pereira when UCI opened forty years ago.  It is often graphically featured as the campus’s signature building and as a symbol of our mission; for example, it appears on the UCI Medal.  While the building had aged well, four decades of weather, coupled with the effects of seismic renovations in the late 1990s, left the exterior in need of refurbishment.  Just in time for the launch of our 41st academic year, a program of extensive cleaning, repairs, and new coatings has restored the exterior to its original condition.

Many of our other donors have created funds for collections, enhancing our ability to meet the challenges presented by UCI’s continuing growth.  General collection endowments such as the Forest J. and Dolores S. Grunigen Library Endowed Fund allow us to acquire materials across all academic disciplines.  Some donors have a passion for a particular subject area and target their gifts accordingly; the Verle and Elizabeth Annis Library Endowed Fund for Early California History, for example, enables us to further develop our excellent Regional History Collections.

Gifts to the Libraries’ annual fund have grown significantly in recent years.  Last year, annual gifts from alumni, parents of students, and community members totaled more than $150,000, three times the amount raised in 2001.  Annual gifts help us provide state-of-the-art services and incorporate new technologies.  Private support can also enhance our services; Nors and Waltraut Josephson recently made a bequest to endow library services for students studying in Germany on the Education Abroad Program.

Other donors give valuable research materials as in-kind gifts, enhancing the holdings of Special Collections and Archives.  Laguna Beach resident and historian Ellen Lee donated a variety of valuable antiquarian books in American and British history.  Raymond Watson, former president of The Irvine Company and chief planner of the City of Irvine during the 1960s and 1970s, donated his personal papers, which include his own writings on the history of our campus and the local area.

Private support clearly has had an enormous impact on the excellence of the UCI Libraries, and on the services and collections we provide to faculty, students, and the community.  Our donors understand the importance of the UCI Libraries, and we thank them for their support.  It truly makes a difference.

Gerald J. Munoff
University Librarian