Support the Libraries

Your gift to the Libraries supports CMU students and faculty from every academic discipline. Contributions to our key initiatives promote student success, scholarly and creative endeavors and cultural activities.

The CMU Libraries are central to learning and research. The quality of our collections, facility, services, programs and technology contributes to the recruitment and retention of students and faculty and strengthens the university's reputation.

Students and faculty can explore their academic interests in the Park Library and online through our virtual resources and services. In addition to providing services and access to scholarly collections, the University Library provides spaces where users may study alone or work collaboratively. The Clarke Historical Library's special collections and programs engage scholars in Michigan and beyond.

Thank you to the Friends of the Library!

University Library Key Initiatives

Clarke Historical Library Key Initiatives

Friends of the Libraries

Endowments at CMU Libraries

University Library Key Initiatives

Scholarly Journals and Books

Your gift to the Library Acquisitions fund expands the Libraries' ability to provide the very best, most up-to-date scholarly resources for CMU students and faculty. Material costs vary by format and subject; from an average of $75 for a physical book to $125 for an e-book; from $500 for an annual subscription to a humanities journal; to $6,000 for an annual subscription to an online chemistry or physics journal.

A student holding a piece of paper, thanking their scholarship donor for their gift.

Library Student Employment Scholarship

Your gift to the Library Student Employee Scholarship fund provides assistance for students working part-time while attending college. Students who work on campus are more likely to complete their degree than those who work off-campus, and they gain important skills for their future. One student employee earns up to $200 per week, and we employ about 100 students during a typical semester.

Individual, closed-off study spaces in Park Library.

Enhancing the User Experience

Your gift to the Friends of the Libraries enables us to refresh the Park Library's appearance and ambiance. The condition and comfort of library furnishings directly affect students who study for extended periods of time. Students study differently today compared to 20 years ago, and we've been gradually remodeling sections of the building to address their needs.

Sustaining Technology

Connecting students and faculty to the best technology and equipment for learning and research is an ongoing effort. Your gift to the Friends of the Libraries helps us stay up-to-date. Technology costs vary from $1,600 for a new laptop to $5,000 for a new public printer.

Employee placing items on display in an exhibit case

Fostering Cultural Experiences

Your gift to the Friends of the Libraries extends our programs and exhibitions creating a dynamic atmosphere and highlighting cultural diversity. Our whole community benefits from hearing quality speakers, appreciating art and artists, and experiencing traveling exhibits.

Clarke Historical Library Key Initiatives

Read more about our key initiatives below. If you are interested in making a gift-in-kind please refer to the Clarke Historical Library collection policy.

Michigan History

Your gift to the Clarke Historical Library Associates Program supports one of the key missions of the Clarke Historical Library: collecting and preserving books, documents, manuscripts and periodicals about the cultural, industrial and natural history of Michigan.

CMU Archives

Ranging from official records to social and cultural activities, the University Archives collects materials that define the CMU experience. Your gift to the Clarke Historical Library Associates Program enables the Clarke to document and preserve CMU's rich history.

CMU Digital Collections

CMU's Digital Collections provide access to the CMU Archives, CMLife Archives, CMU yearbooks, the Michigan Digital Newspaper collection and more. Your gift to the Clarke Historical Library Associates Program will enable further digitization of Clarke collections and help to cover the costs associated maintaining the digital collections.

Microfilming and Digitizing of Michigan Newspapers

Your gift to the Clarke Library Newspaper Microfilm and Digitizing Endowment or to the Robert W. & Susan L. Clarke Endowment at the Clarke Historical Library supports one of the Clarke's key missions enabling us to collect and preserve Michigan's cultural, industrial and natural history.

Children's Literature or Art Collection

Your gift to the Francis and Mary Lois Molson Endowment or the Ihor & Christa Kamenetsky Endowment enables the Clarke to continue growing its exemplary collection of children's books (Kamenetsky) or art (Molson), an important resource for CMU students and scholars in children's literature. The collection includes books from various cultures and time periods and documents beloved authors and illustrators.

Hemingway in Michigan

The Clarke Historical Library is acknowledged internationally as the premier location for researching Hemingway's Michigan connections. Your gift to the Michigan Hemingway Endowment enables the future collection, preservation and outreach activities related to the place of Michigan in Hemingway's works and the influence of northern Michigan on Hemingway.

Angling Collection

The Clarke Historical Library's collection of books, manuscripts, periodicals and ephemera about angling continues to grow in depth and significance, highlighting the history of tourism, outdoor recreation, and natural history in Michigan. Your gift to the Robert E. and Cordelia B. Korhman Angling Endowment will advance the future collection, preservation and outreach activities associated with the Clarke's Angling Collection.

Friends of the Libraries

The CMU Friends of the Libraries is a membership organization that supports the programs and services of the University Library and the Clarke Historical Library. Gifts from our Friends nourish students and faculty in all CMU academic programs.

You can become a Friend of the Libraries with an annual donation of $100.00.

Your annual membership in the Friends of the Libraries enables us to:

Purchase unique materials that supplement and strengthen existing collections.
Enhance library services that nurture student success and foster scholarly activity.
Develop cultural programs that increase our awareness and understanding of diverse academic topics and perspectives.

Benefits of Friends Membership

Receive invitations to library-sponsored events.
Receive invitations to Friends-only events.
Attend behind-the-scene library tours.
Receive newsletters and library updates.
Gain satisfaction from having a positive impact on students and faculty who use the Libraries' collections and services.

Past Friends of the Libraries Appreciation Event Presenters

9/16/2023 Jeff Morrison
9/22/2022 Ernie Peters
9/30/2021 Douglas Rushkoff
9/21/2019 David Sax
9/15/2018 Frank Boles
5/21/2016 Gina Kolata
5/31/2015 A.J. Baime
5/17/2014 Charles C. Mann
6/8/2013 Paula McLain
5/19/2012 Robert Knapp

5/14/2011 Don Gonyea
5/22/2010 Dava Sobel
6/6/2009 Maria Arana
6/14/2008 Francis Blouin
6/16/2007 Jeffrey Brown
5/13/2006 David Broder
6/19/2005 Nicholas Basbanes
4/3/2004 Matthew Battles
4/12/2003 Andrew Isenberg

Endowments at CMU Libraries

You may contribute to any existing endowment. To establish a new endowment, contact Jacob Uithoven.

University Library

Art and Art Exhibits

Catherine O’Connell Library Endowment for the purchase of artworks for Park Library and for costs incurred in hosting art related exhibits and events.

Collections

Alfred and Naomi Asch Library Endowment for the purchase of print and digital information resources at the University Library.
Brannan Family Library Endowment for the purchase of monographs for the University Library's collection with preference for print monographs.
Dr. Philip Kintzele Library Endowment to support the accounting resources at the University Library; primary, although not exclusive, intent will be to support the purchase of printed materials.
Betty A. McDonald Children’s Literature Endowment for the continued development and growth of the Park Library's collection of children's literature.
Minnie Mae Porter Moore Library Endowment for the purchase of library materials relating to education, especially at the elementary level.
Morrow Family Library Endowment for the purchase of materials for environmental studies and children's literature at the University Library.
Cynthia E. Walker Family Library Endowment to support the collections of the University Library.
Alice C. Webb Library Endowment to support the University Library's collections related to Native Americans.

General

Orville L. Eaton Library Endowment for the general purposes of the University Library.
Margaret Foley Memorial Library Endowment for the general purposes of the University Library.
Alice M. Jumper Library Endowment for, but not limited to, library books, journals, digital information resources, and equipment at the University Library.
S. Benjamin Prasad Library Endowment to support the CMU Libraries at the discretion of the Dean of Libraries.
Robbins DeJonge Library Endowment supports the CMU Libraries collections and services at the discretion of the Dean of the Libraries.
University Library Endowment for the priority needs of University Library.

Student Employee Scholarships

The Gus and Lucille Grozdon Family Scholarship to support an annual financial award for an undergraduate student who is employed by CMU Libraries.
Helen Holz Rooney Endowed Award at the CMU Libraries to support an annual financial award for a student employed by CMU Libraries.
R&M Schmidt Endowment to support an annual financial award for an undergraduate student who demonstrates financial need and is employed by CMU Libraries.
The Robert & Marily Peterson Scholarship in Memory of Patricia M. Mehrkens to support an annual financial award for an undergraduate student who demonstrates financial need and is employed by CMU Libraries.

Clarke Historical Library

Digitization

Clarke Library Newspaper Microfilm and Digitizing Endowment directly supports microfilming for preservation and digitizing for online use of historic Michigan newspapers.
Robert W. and Susan L. Clarke Endowment to support the preservation and fostering of access to documents relating to Michigan, in particular, newspapers (currently through microfilming or digitization).
Austin and Gail Knapp Genealogical Endowment to support the web publishing of genealogical materials held by the Clarke Historical Library. First preference should be for materials relating to Clare County, Michigan; second preference to Van Buren County, Michigan; third preference State of Michigan in general.
Panax Endowment to support newspaper related projects at the Clarke Historical Library.

Exhibitions, Speakers or Research Grants

David M. & Eunice Sutherland Burgess Library Endowment to support the Clarke Historical Library in hosting an author, storyteller or scholar on storytelling, to be brought in on an annual and sometimes twice yearly basis, along with a reception as appropriate.
Croll Family Endowment to support receptions and other events related to exhibits and presentations at the Clarke Historical Library.
John and Audrey Cumming Endowment to support the Clarke Historical Library in hosting speaker(s) on children's literature or Michigan history, to be brought in on an annual basis, along with a reception if needed.
Cindi J. and Kathryn R. Graham Endowment is unrestricted with first consideration to exhibits and publications in the Clarke Historical Library.
Dr. Susan Stan International Children's Literature Research Endowment to support a guest scholar to make use of the dossiers and books of the Hans Christian Anderson Award Nominees and Medalists held in the Clarke Library.

General

Clarke Library Endowment, from the Library’s founder, Norman Clarke, Senior, may be used for any purpose that falls within the purview of the Clarke Historical Library.

Special Collections

Anderson, Powers, Teng Endowment to support the Clarke Historical Library acquisitions and the university archives.
Almeda Boulton Endowment to support the Clarke Historical Library acquisitions and the university archives.
Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) Endowment to support Clarke Historical Library Acquisitions.
Ihor and Christa Kamenetsky Endowment to support the children's literature collection at the Clarke Historical Library with emphasis on building the collection's historical and international children's literature resources.
Robert E. and Cordelia B. Kohrman Angling Endowment to support the purchase of and preservation of books, manuscripts, periodicals, and ephemera that would add to and enrich the collection of angling books, periodicals and related materials found in the Clarke. A secondary function of this endowment is to help support the promotion of such materials in the Clarke through programs and publications.
Leon and Frances McDermott Endowment for the purchase of books related to railroad history at the Clarke Historical Library.
Michigan Hemingway Endowment for the acquisitions, preservation and dissemination of information relating to Ernest Hemingway's experiences in, or recollections about life in Michigan.
Francis and Mary Lois Molson Gift/Endowment to support the collection of children's literature illustrations at the Clarke Historical Library.
Mount Pleasant Woman's Club Endowment to support Clarke Library acquisitions, primarily relating to Isabella County or the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.
Oil & Gas in Michigan Endowment to support the collection of materials relating to Michigan oil, natural gas, developable mineral resources and refineries; the public dissemination of the collected materials; the preservation and conservation of the collected materials.
Presidential Campaign Biography Collection Endowment to support obtaining campaign biographies and other materials relating to individuals seeking election to the presidency and to support outreach efforts that utilizes the material obtained through this endowment or addresses the subject of American presidential elections.
Mary Catherine Rentz Endowment to support the acquisition of resources for the Lucile Clarke Memorial Children's Library within the Clarke Historical Library.