Attending: Jim Cogswell, Deb Ward, Ann Riley, Mike Holland; Guest: Matt Gaunt; Support: Mark Ellis
Information Item: Highlights from a discussion of MU’s upcoming fundraising campaign and how it relates to the Libraries:
- Health Sciences Library will be a major focus of the upcoming campaign. The current $1.5 M remodel of HSL first floor is a “hold-over” from stimulus money projects. Focused meetings will take place about other possible HSL refurbishing to support programmatic goals.
- A central element of the campaign will be the Library Centennial celebration. Jim and Matt would like to create a centennial endowment, an unrestricted fund much like the “Chancellor’s Fund for Excellence,” to support a variety of needs. A book purchase to commemorate the anniversary is still being considered. The St. Johns Bible is a candidate, although cost for this is an issue. Other possible acquisitions will be considered.
- Renovating the Ellis Grand Reading Room (201) is another focus of campaign. Conversations are underway with Campus Space Planning about possibly moving Special Collections and Archives into the west reading room (Ellis 202). This would collocate the two work units around a central area for study and use of materials while using the west stack core for storage of collections. The Grand Reading Room would be updated but would remain a quiet study area as it is now. Further study of this option is needed and will continue before a decision is made.
- Matt is exploring some ideas to promote the Library and to bolster fundraising:
- Special Collections Roadshow.
- Collaborating with other divisions and the campus as a whole to encourage large gifts that partially include Library.
- Promoting the Library as the next target of major institutional and donor investment.
- Why not establish a state of the art, attractive library that expands out toward student center?
- This would create an impressive stretch of campus (the Rec Center, Student Center, an enhanced Ellis Library. – Like three prize jewels in the crown of campus!)