Finding a way: the influence of endowments in collection development

Abstract

In 1986, Kent Library of Southeast Missouri State University received $250,000 from an alumna for the purpose of library collection building. After receiving the initial gift, university administrators pledged to add to this fund until it reached $1 million. This money supports the Kent Library Program Development Fund, also called the Tweedy Endowment, which provides a means of purchasing library materials through a competitive grant‐writing process open to all university faculty, including librarians. This article outlines the history of the fund, the competitive process, the distribution of money, and discusses the program’s success.

Citation

Speer, L.K. and Pracht, C. (2003), "Finding a way: the influence of endowments in collection development", Collection Building, Vol. 22 No. 1, pp. 10-12. https://doi.org/10.1108/01604950310457159