New Endowment to Expand Kelly Library’s Special Collections for Generations
A new endowment created by the Friends of the Kelly Library (FOTKL) to support the acquisition of rare and important materials will enhance the student experience while also serving as a lasting testament to the dedication of some of St. Michael’s hardest-working volunteers.
The Friends announced at their recent general meeting that they have committed $100,000 to create the Special Collections Acquisitions Endowment Fund. Funds will be gifted after the 2026 book sale as part of a legacy initiative connected to the University’s 175th anniversary in 2027, says James Roussain, who is the William D. Sharpe Chief Librarian and Director of Special Collections at the John M. Kelly Library.
“The library is deeply grateful for the Friends’ generosity in establishing this endowment, a lasting investment that strengthens our collections and supports the Kelly Library’s students, scholars, and mission,” says Roussain.
The fund will support the acquisition of rare and distinctive materials for the library’s Special Collections: Archives and Rare Books division, enhancing undergraduate learning through works from non-Western traditions, non-traditional book forms, and materials that build on the library’s established collections.
The library’s first fund dedicated solely to supporting the acquisition of rare and important materials, the endowment will ensure that resources will be available in perpetuity to enhance and expand the collections that distinguish the Kelly Library and support faculty, students, and academic programs. All acquisitions supported through this fund will include the acknowledgement: “Acquired with the support of the Friends of the Kelly Library.”
The acquisitions will be “a means to support our programs in meaningful ways,” Roussain adds.
Funds will become available for use beginning May 1, 2027. Over time, the availability of funds will increase as the endowment continues to generate earnings. Additional donations to this endowment will gladly be accepted from willing donors.
The Friends have raised an impressive $556,903 since the book sale was launched in 2004, and a further $70,000 has been raised and will be directed to the new fund, says Liz Gilbert, who is the President of the volunteer group. This initiative represents an important milestone for the Friends and is the first permanent legacy project of this scope that they have undertaken.
“The Friends are committed to ensuring that the library continues its vital mission of supporting personal and intellectual endeavours of all those who study and work at the University of St. Michael’s College now, and in the future,” Gilbert says.
The annual fall book sale, now a tradition on campus, takes a year’s worth of preparation, with volunteers sorting donations year-round. (Up to six boxes of books can be dropped off at the Kelly’s front desk. For larger donations the library asks donors to arrange a drop-off time.) The group also hosts pop-up book sales as well as lectures, and they support various exhibitions hosted by the Kelly.
“They are not in it for the glory,” Roussain says, smiling.
This year’s sale will run from September 30 to October 3. Stay tuned for more exciting developments.