Friends of the Union College Library

The Friends of the Union College Library (Schaffer Library) is a group established in 1966 to help develop particular areas of the Library's book collection, enabling it to acquire materials, such as rare books and expensive contemporary books, that cannot reasonably be purchased on an annual book-buying budget that necessarily reflects the basic curricular needs of the College.

Over its two hundred years of history the Library has acquired many books that have since become rarities, sometimes very fine ones, such as J.J. Audubon's Birds of America, bought from Audubon himself by Eliphalet Nott.  As money from Friends' gifts and membership dues becomes available, the Library will continue to strengthen its Special Collections, to maintain the kind of distinction Union College deserves.  Being near to rare or fine books, especially to great ones, is for many people an important part of their education.

The Friends hope too that some of their members will consider the Library a proper permanent repository for parts or all of their own collections.  The library of John Bigelow (Class of 1835), the papers of William James Stillman (Class of 1848), and the gifts and bequests of Harold E. Blodgett (Class of 1911) are some examples of donors' far-sighted generosity.  The Library is grateful for such gifts, which reflect deep interest in the Library and enlightened understanding of its needs.

With an ability to build upon gift collections, the Library provides opportunities for students and faculty research and assumes a small institution's proper share of the responsibility for maintaining research collections useful to the scholarly community generally, reciprocating other libraries' aid to Union's faculty and students.

Continued annual support by Friends will provide a reliable source of funds for discretionary purchases not otherwise possible.  The college administration and Trustees have promised their support and assured the Friends that any monies raised by them will be at the disposal of the Library, over and above regularly budgeted College funds.

Membership Advantages

1. Members receive a special membership card entitling them to the full services and privileges of the Library during the membership year.
2. Members receive a newsletter from the Library telling them about new acquisitions, the development of the Library's programs, its personnel and services, and those College activities of particular interest to the members.
3. Members from time to time will receive a special publication, usually devoted to some phase of Union's history, book collecting, the art of the book, or to the reproduction of one of the treasures from the College's collections.
4. Members are informed of and invited to all exhibits and programs sponsored by, or held in association with, the Library.

Schedule of Annual Dues

The scale of annual dues listed below has been set to allow broad participation from students, faculty, alumni and all others interested in the welfare of the Library.

The dues of all alumni will, in addition, be credited to their class each year and alumni-members will receive all appropriate recognition in the Annual Fund drive as well as enjoying their membership in the Friends.

Founders

The alumni and Friends listed below gave their encouragement and support when The Friends of the union College Library was established in 1966.  The Friends hope you will want to continue the commitment and interest of these Founders by enrolling as a member now.

Contact

For further information, contact Ellen Fladger, Union College Archivist and Head of Special Collections in Schaffer Library at 518-388-6620.