Support
A strong library is essential both to the intellectual vitality of the University and to the quality of the education it provides. Our library cannot remain strong without the continued support from people like you, who share our goal to prepare students for life-long learning. The needs of the library are many, including:
- Building and preserving the circulating and special collections
- Adopting new technologies
- Creating a sense of belonging in our spaces
- Enhancing research and work opportunities for students
- Providing library faculty and staff professional development opportunities
A gift to the library supports all academic disciplines and programs. We are grateful for your contribution.
Endowments and Major Gifts
The University Library enjoys the support of many donors who have established, or contributed to, named endowments. The minimum level for a new library endowment is $100,000. Historically, gifts range from $250 to $1,000,000.
Memorial funds and gifts may be set up to acknowledge and honor a person close to the donor. These funds provide annual support for specific purposes defined by the donors in one or more of the categories above.
Please contact University Librarian K.T. Vaughan (kvaughan@wlu.edu) for more information.
The Friends of the Library
The easiest way to support the library is to join the Friends of the Library with an annual membership gift. The Friends provide the generous support needed to make the library a place of growth and scholarly engagement. By pooling large and small donations, the Friends make an essential contribution to meeting current needs and building the collection. For a limited time, become a Friend of the Library and receive a complimentary 250th anniversary T-shirt or tote bag! To claim your free gift, contact Wendy Rains (wrains@wlu.edu). Please include your preference (T-shirt or tote bag), T-shirt size (S, M, L, XL, or 2X), and your mailing address.
Donating Books and Other Materials
Rare and Special Collections
If you are interested in donating material to the University Library's Special Collections and Archives, please contact Associate University Librarian Kim Sims (ksims@wlu.edu). We are interested in donations that support our collecting priorities and funding to offset the cost of curating, processing, and preserving them.
Our collecting priorities include:
- History of Washington and Lee University
- Student life at Washington and Lee University
- History of Rockbridge County/City of Lexington
- Current curricular needs in consultation with Washington and Lee University faculty
Scholarly and Popular Books, Journals, and Other Materials
The University Library rarely accepts book, journal, or other donations for inclusion in the circulating collection, due to a lack of staff time and space for processing gifts.
We accept book donations for our occasional Library Student Advisory Board book sales, which fund student-led library programming and outreach. Please contact University Librarian K.T. Vaughan (kvaughan@wlu.edu) for more information.