Fundraising Priorities

The Library’s fundraising priorities are driven by projects that nurture and advance our mission and embrace our values. We are a diverse and inclusive community focused on supporting the University’s faculty, students, alumni and researchers; embracing curiosity, experimentation and learning through open and equitable access to knowledge and collaborative partnerships.

Annual Fund

Gifts to the Library Annual Fund are unrestricted and provide critical flexible support ensuring the Library can respond to opportunities as they arise, as well as present exhibitions and public events to showcase our collections and the difference we make to distinguished scholarship in Chicago and around the world.

Black Metropolis Research Consortium (BMRC)

The BMRC is a membership association of libraries, universities, museums, community/arts organizations, and other archival institutions, based at the University of Chicago Library. The BMRC's mission is to connect all who seek to document, share, understand, and preserve Black experiences. It is the vision of the BMRC to be essential to promoting discovery, preservation, and use of Black historical collections.

Center for Digital Scholarship

The Center for Digital Scholarship provides online spaces for faculty and students to explore new methodologies, analyze complex data and share and preserve research results – bolstering the Library’s role as a nexus of ideas and community.

Civic Engagement Fund

The Civic Engagement Fund is a new Fund launched in August 2022. Community partnership is a priority for the University and the Library. Gifts to this Fund will enable the Library to develop collaborations with local institutions and individuals to share knowledge, preserve cultural heritage, and help create job opportunities in information management.

Conservation and Preservation Fund

Preserving the Library’s physical and digital collections is an investment in the future that ensures students and scholars can continue to take advantage of our resources. With millions of books and materials in circulation every year, the Preservation team repairs and stabilizes these essential resources for future generations.

Library Fund for Books

The Fund for Books enables the Library to acquire print materials and access to online versions of print materials, ensuring scholars have the resources they need to learn and explore.

Post-Baccalaureate Fellowship Fund

The Post-Baccalaurate Fellowship Fund is a new Fund launched in January 2023. The Post-Baccalaurate Fellowship program will prepare recent graduates for a future in scholarship, and make an impact at the Library and in society. The program will provide them with an opportunity to collaborate with librarians, explore our rich collecitons, and deliver innovative programs - all within the academic framework of the Library.