You can donate to any of the funds, accounts, or projects described below by either:
Donations to an endowment fund are not spendable by the University; they are added to the principle of the fund, which is invested by the University System of Maryland Foundation on behalf of UMBC. The income generated from that principle can be expended during the following year on the purposes for which the endowment was created. Unspent income becomes part of the endowment's principle at the close of each fiscal year. Establishment of an endowment currently requires a minimum of $25,000 in donations.
- The Suzanne Schlenger Endowment for a Collection of American Women’s Literature
Established in 2014 by Suzanne Schlenger, the purpose of the endowment is to support a literary collection of American women writers. In addition, Mrs. Schlenger has donated a substantial collection of collectable quality books for the collection. This gift-in-kind includes many works by Willa Cather and Edith Wharton, a limited edition of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind, and secondary sources on Cather and Wharton. The collection is being developed in the Library Special Collections by UMBC librarians in consultation with English and Theatre Department faculty members. The Library is seeking additional donations of books as well as funds for purchases.
- The Founders & Friends of the Library
Established in 1999 at the suggestion of Dr. Evelyn Barker with the support of UMBC Founding Faculty, the purpose of this endowment is to support the Library as a center of community life by supporting Friends of the Library sponsored acquisitions and cultural events.
- The UMBC Library Joseph Larkin Arnold Endowment Fund
The purpose of this endowment is to provide financial resources to acquire materials for the Joseph L. Arnold Maryandia Collection and to preserve and promote it. Both the Collection and the Endowment are named for Professor Joseph L. Arnold (1937 - 2004), who was a prominent urban historian and a key leader of UMBC. The fund was initiated by Mary Jane Arnold in 2004 and achieved endowment status in 2004.
- The Martin and Rita Seplowitz Saltz Endowment Fund
Established in 2003 by Rita Seplowitz Saltz, this endowment provides ongoing support to the Azriel Rosenfeld Science Fiction Research Collection.
- The John Addison Price Bell Fund
This endowment was established by retired Professor Gloria Oden Bell in honor of her late husband, John Addison Price Bell. Its purpose is to support the expansion/enhancement and maintenance of the collection of early African American and Abolitionist materials at the Albin O. Kuhn Library. Primary expenditures are to be on black, then abolitionist, newspapers prior to 1860 and secondarily on originals of books printed prior to 1860 or originals of other abolitionist materials printed prior to 1860. In addition, the collection may include materials by or about the donor, Dr. Gloria Oden Bell.
- The Albin O. Kuhn Memorial Fund
The purpose of this Fund is to benefit the Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery by providing income for the procurement of rare books and other materials for the permanent collections of the Library.
- The Libby Kuhn Memorial Endowment
Established in 1986 by Founding UMBC Chancellor Albin O. Kuhn, this endowment supports receptions and similar functions held to advance the Library & Gallery.
- The Bunting Family Library Fund
Established in 1996 by George Bunting, this fund supports purchasing of materials for the Library Special Collections.
- The Dr. Thomas Hardy Taliaferro Endowment
Established in 1988 by an anonymous donor, this endowment is restricted to acquire library materials in Archaeology and Ancient Studies.
- The Walter & Martha Burchard Endowment
Established in 1991 by Professor Robert Burchard, this endowment is restricted to the acquisition and maintenance of Library materials in classical music.
- The Richard and Alwilda Scholler Jacquish Archive Fund
Established in January, 2003 by Alwilda Scholler Jacquish, this fund will (when it reaches endowment level) provide ongoing support to the Richard Jacquish Archive.
Donations to a spending account are available for expenditure upon receipt by the UMBC Foundation. Unexpended funds carry forward indefinitely.
- Friends of the Library & Gallery
This fund is for unrestricted support of all programs and services of the Library and the Library Gallery. Its main source of income is from annual membership contributions from the members of the Friends of the Library & Gallery. The governing council of the Friends group determines how funds are expended.
- Library
This fund receives all donations to the Library which have no specific designation of purpose as well as some designated gifts which are not managed through the Friends, e.g. donations for the dedicated books program. The Library Director or designee of the Director determines expenditures of these funds. Unrestricted donations in the fund are typically used to supplement the expenditures from other accounts for the purposes stipulated for those accounts, to defray expenses in the acquisition of gifts in kind, to assist in the solicitation of further cash donations, as well as to augment the collections, services and programs of the Library.
- Library Special Collections
This fund receives all donations in support of projects and acquisitions in the Library's Special Collections. The Donor may specify a specific use of funds within these parameters at time of donation. In the absence of donor specifications, the Library Director or designee of the Director determines expenditures of these funds. Unrestricted donations to this fund are typically used to acquire materials for the Special Collections, to defray expenses in the acquisition of gifts in kind, to assist in the solicitation of further donations, or to advance the processing or preservation of Special Collections holdings.
- Library Special Exhibitions
This fund receives donations designated for exhibitions or for the Library Gallery. Generally, it is for unrestricted support of the Library Gallery and its publications, though some donors designate gifts for specific Gallery-related purposes such as to print an exhibition catalog.
- The Don O. Warthen, Jr. Book Fund
Established in 1994, this fund is used to purchase books on gay/lesbian issues. Books are bookplated "In Memory of Donald O. Warthen, Jr."
- The Bud Curnoles Memorial Book Fund
Established in 1997, this fund supports the purchase of reference books and materials of lasting interest, to be bookplated in Mr. Howard "Bud" Curnoles' memory.
- The Dr. Aleeza Cerf-Beare Memorial Book Fund
Established in 1996, this fund supports the purchase of books and other information resources related to Psychology.
- The Joseph Larkin Arnold Fund
This spending account supports the purposes of the Arnold Endowment Fund.
- The CBSA Archives Fund
This spending account supports the Center for Biological Sciences Archives.
- The Dedicated Books Program
This program provides a way to pay lasting respect to friends, relatives, loved ones, colleagues, and others who have touched our lives. In an institution of learning, what could be more fitting than a bookplate in a volume that will remain part of the campus Library? You may dedicate a paperback book for $25, a hardback book for $50, or place a unique message in a hardback book for $100. Dedications are in the form of "In honor of [name] by [phrase]", "Dedicated to [name]", "Donated by [name]", or "In Memory of [name]". Unique messages are free form, limited to the size of the book cover. To arrange for the dedication of a book, send a check made out to "UMBC Foundation" together with the text you would like to use in your book dedication and information on how to contact you. Library staff will select an appropriate book, catalog it and add it to the collection; then, you will be notified of the title and call number of the book. This process normally takes about six months. If you have questions, or would like to request special arrangements, please call (410) 455-2356 or email: aok@umbc.edu
- The Retriever Learning Center
The Retriever Learning Center (RLC) is an 8,000 square foot social learning space that facilitates student success through peer to peer teaching, group learning, tutoring and informal interactions among students and faculty. It features movable furnishings with which groups can configure their workspaces, and is located conveniently close to library services, tutoring, information resources and information technology.
Because it is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the new Learning Center consolidates late-night study space into one location and provides improved safety and security through key card access, video monitoring and other enhancements.
Library planning for this project began in 2006, but was accelerated by a 2008 bequest from the estate of Dr. Richard Roberts, a founding faculty member of UMBC. A specific proposal was approved in 2010, and construction was completed in the Summer of 2011.
Donations may be made to the UMBC Foundation, Library fund with a designation (on the check memo line or in an accompanying note) "for the RLC."
- The Leisure Reading Program
The Friends of the Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery wish to extend the joy of reading to students through our support of the Library’s Leisure Reading program. The offerings in this program are fiction and non-fiction works considered to be of high quality and of both current and lasting interest.
You may "nominate" a book which you particularly enjoyed to be placed in this collection located in the Rotunda of the Library. To nominate a book, you may provide it yourself or sponsor the Library's purchase of it with a $50.00 gift. Your name will be inscribed in the book as the donor.
If you have questions, or would like to request special arrangements, please call (410) 455-2356 or email: aok@umbc.edu
