Fundraising Goals
Acquisition Fund
The broad range and the depth of the library collections have long been a source of pride at Smith. In recent years, however, dramatic increases in the cost of both print materials and electronic journals have been a cause of on-going concern. Annual double-digit price increases for science materials in particular have become routine. The impact of price hikes on the materials budget provided by the College prompted the College to create this new endowed fund. The Acquisitions Fund is an area of specific need for which we welcome your support.
FSCL Preservation Fund
Smith College has been building library collections for well over 100 years. Special collections of rare and historically significant materials have grown steadily since the 1940's. To address a growing need for preservation, the Friends created the FSCL Preservation Fund to provide an annual income for the repair and protection of fragile materials. Preservation work is expensive due to the cost of materials and the skilled handwork involved. We continue to seek support for this important fund.
Reading Room Fund
Faculty and student feedback about the library interior reflects a national trend toward collaborative learning in many disciplines, an approach that dictates different configurations for libraries. Shifts in the way knowledge is gained highlight the need for libraries to create more varied space for learning and teaching. The Smith College Libraries want to respond to these needs by relieving the demands on the Browsing Room with a new Reading Room.
Renovation Fund
In a wired world, students don’t need to spend quite as much time in the library as before. Nevertheless, Neilson and the branch libraries (Hillyer, Josten and Young) all see heavy traffic. Study environments within the libraries inevitably show signs of wear and tear. A master plan has been drafted to gradually improve the physical surroundings of the libraries for our patrons. The Renovation Fund has helped purchase new soft seating, lighting fixtures, ottomans and side tables. By supporting this fund you will provide tangible and immediate improvements in the libraries.
Library Technology Fund
"The only constant these days is change" — an apt adage for today's academic libraries. Over the past decade new technologies have transformed how the Libraries offer collections and services. In order to provide an optimal learning climate for future generations of Smith students, the libraries must adapt quickly to technological change. The Library Technology Fund was established by Marjorie Lamberti, Class of 1959, to provide the libraries with the flexibility necessary to adapt quickly to changing technologies. We invite your support of this necessary fund.
Sophia Smith Collection
The Sophia Smith Collection (SSC) is an internationally recognized repository of manuscripts, photographs, periodicals and other primary sources in women's history. Today, the Collection consists of approximately 8,500 linear feet of material in manuscript, print, and audio-visual formats. The holdings document the historical experience of women in the United States and abroad from the colonial era to the present. Monetary gifts help support all aspects of acquiring, preserving, cataloging and making new materials available to scholars.
Contributions to these funds may be made through the Friends' Office or online. All contributions are tax-deductible and count toward Annual Giving and Class Totals. For additional information, contact Mary Irwin, Library Gifts and Development Officer. Tel: 413-585-2903.
