UW Libraries

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The Best in North America

The University Libraries is leading the way for academic libraries into the 21st century. Recently recognized as the best academic library in North America by the Association of College and Research Libraries, the Libraries is a network of 21 facilities serving the Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses, and includes the Suzzallo and Allen libraries, Odegaard Undergraduate Library, and the Health Sciences Library. Its 14 subject-oriented branch libraries are located from the K.K. Sherwood Library in downtown Seattle to the Friday Harbor Library on San Juan Island.

At the Core of Education and Research

Any university library is an essential partner in the educational and scholarly lives of its students and faculty. At the University of Washington, the UW Libraries is at the core of the important work that may someday find a cure for cancer, resolve tensions in the Middle East, or unlock the mysteries of a 2000 year old Buddhist scroll.

In the Puget Sound region and throughout the Northwestern states, the UW Libraries is the research library of choice. When local author, Erik Larson, researched material for his National Book Award nominated book, The Devil in the White City, he headed for the Suzzallo Library. In the book's "Notes and Sources" section he wrote, "I acquired nice base of information from the University of Washington's Suzzallo Library, one of the finest and most efficient libraries I have encountered."

Libraries in the 21ST Century

But the world of the UW Libraries is changing. New fields spring up overnight and new publications, books, and journals must be purchased and made available. More and more information is available only online, so the Libraries must keep pace with the latest technology to bring these resources to students and faculty. And more students and faculty expect access to information 24/7, so the Libraries must function around the clock.

Students and faculty consistently rank the University Libraries as their most important resource on campus. The Libraries of the future requires the finest staff to assist students and faculty to navigate the exploding world of information. Resources must be available to attract and retain the finest librarians and technical staff, and we must also provide support for the 500 student employees, who are an essential part of the Libraries' exemplary service.

Campaign Priorities for the UW Libraries

To remain at the epicenter of this information revolution, the UW Libraries is participating in Campaign UW with a goal of $9 million for the Libraries. We seek additional resources to:

• Expand the minds of the University's young scholars.
• Enable established scientists and scholars to pursue work that will change our world in ways we can't begin to imagine.
• Preserve our history, culture and collective memory.
• Provide scholars throughout our community and the world with access to the information they need to create new knowledge.

Private support is a critical element to maintaining this foundational University resource now and into the future. You can help by:

• Creating a collection endowment to ensure excellent educational and research resources for students and faculty.
• Establishing a preservation endowment to ensure accessibility to rare print materials and rapidly changing electronic resources.
• Endowing a librarian or staff position to attract and retain the most highly skilled work force to serve students, faculty, and scholars around the world.
• Supporting Libraries student employee scholarships, graduate and research fellowships to enable students to pay for their education.

Annual Support

The University Libraries aspire to bring all students the best resources and services anywhere. Private support, which covers unique needs beyond our state funding, makes this possible. With your gift to the 21^st Century Fund, the Friends of the Library Fund and others, we can:

• Enhance print and electronic resources at all three campuses, particularly for freshman at UW Bothell and UW Tacoma.
• Encourage excellence in undergraduate research through the annual Libraries Undergraduate Research Awards. http://www.lib.washington.edu/researchaward/
• Create innovative Libraries resources like the Odegaard Undergraduate Library Writing and Research Center to strengthen students' research, writing, and editing skills.
• Preserve vital research data, moving it from outdated floppy disks to new data storage formats that are accessible and searchable.
• Provide $1000 Libraries Student Employee Scholarships for ten outstanding students selected from more than 500 student employees.

Your unrestricted gift to the Graduate Dean's Discretionary Fund allows the Dean to provide critical funds to meet these and other high priority needs and emerging opportunities as they arise, improving the excellence of the School and the University.

Recognition Levels

The President's Club ($2,000+)
Friends of the UW Libraries ($100+)

Contact Information

To learn more about how you can help the UW Libraries, or for more information about our specific Campaign goals, please contact:
Cyndi Asmus
Director of Development
Box 352900
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-2900
206.685.1973

More Information

For more information on the UW Libraries, visit our web site at http://www.lib.washington.edu/support/