Friends of the UNCG Libraries

As my first full semester as Interim Dean and calendar 2016 comes to a close, I have been reflecting upon how much libraries, librarians, and access to information are essential to vibrant communities. Our donors make it possible for the UNCG University Libraries to shine as teaching and learning partners for the students, faculty, friends, and region which we serve.  Because of your generosity we—and they--are stronger, better, and more vital. Here are just a few of the initiatives your assistance has fostered this year: ·          Growing and digitizing our unique collections such as the Cello Music Collection, the Women’s Veteran’s Historical Project and the Book Arts and Book Binding Collection. These collections distinguish us among research libraries and we make them available to users worldwide. ·          Working with faculty across the campus to develop low cost, high imp...

L-R: Music Librarian Sarah Dorsey with Alice Brown '65 Alice Garrett Brown ('65) completed her reunion gift by naming a carrel in the Schiffman Music Library.  Alice, who has given her oral history for the African American Institutional Memory Project, was a music teacher for 36 years in both Greensboro and Randolph County.  Her gift, she says, combined her love of both music and libraries. Her reunion gift also included a gift for the Quad Renovation and the African American Institutional Memory Project. We are grateful for Alice’s generosity.

Mae Douglas has spent much of her life mentoring others.  With her recent gift to the University Libraries, she continues to do so. To honor her nephew Sterling, Douglas has made a major gift to the University Libraries Enrichment Fund that will name the Presentation Practice Room in the Digital Media Commons (DMC).  The gift is a current restricted fund to support the Digital Media Commons in the Libraries, for furniture, equipment, and updated technology for the Practice Room and throughout the DMC.  A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, Douglas graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a degree in sociology. She went on to enjoy a storied and well-decorated career as a Human Resources executive that spanned two major industries and culminated with her tenure as a highly revered executive vice-president and chief people officer for Cox Communications. Douglas held positions of progressive responsibility in Human Resources before Cox, inc...

Dr. Safrit The University Libraries wish to thank Dr. Jo Anne Safrit (’57) a member of the Excellence Foundation at UNCG, for her recent gift to the University Libraries Enrichment Fund, where it will support the Women Veterans Project.  Other recipients of her most recent gift include the UNCG Alumni Association Fund, the Spartan Athletics Scholarship Fund, the New York Theatre Showcase, and the Jo Anne Safrit Undergraduate Kinesiology Scholarship Income Fund. After obtaining her B.S. from UNCG, she earned M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and received an honorary Doctorate in Education from the Shanghai University of Sport.  Now retired and living in Greensboro, she was previously the Henry-Bascom Professor for the University of Wisconsin at Madison and Chair of the Department of Health and Fitness. In thirty one years of giving to UNCG, Dr. Safrit has given three scholarships and a research fund.  The University Libraries are ...

Luther Hodges, Jr. has donated a painting to the University Libraries which will be displayed in the Hodges Reading Room.  The painting is "Bassin Petrolier (Oil Fields)" by the French painter Arthur Van Hecke (1924-2003).  It replaces a painting by Maud Gatewood which has been returned to the Weatherspoon Art Museum, from which it was on long-term loan. Mr. Hodges, along with his sister Betsy Bernard, provided funding to name the Martha Blakeney Hodges Reading Room after their mother, the former First Lady of North Carolina and the first chairperson of the Friends of the UNCG Libraries.

Clint Jackson IV and Terri Jackson The Jackson family’s legacy at UNCG extends for yet another generation, supporting the Special Collections and University Archives in Jackson Library, named for the first generation of Jacksons associated with the University.  The family’s connection to UNCG goes back more than a century, to 1909. Walter Clinton Jackson, IV (Clint) and Terri Jackson have committed to establish the Walter Clinton Jackson Family Acquisition and Preservation Endowment with a testamentary gift.  Clint and Terri’s intention in making this gift is to honor the generations of Jackson family involvement with UNCG and to support the work of the University Libraries’ Special Collections and University Archives. Walter Clinton Jackson (June 28, 1879 – August 12, 1959) served as the Chancellor of the Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina (currently the University of North Carolina at Greensboro) from 1934-1950.  His father was a farmer who h...

Ann Perdue of Access Services has received the University Libraries Staff Service Award for 2015. Ann Perdue The University Libraries Staff Service Award was established in 1997 upon the retirement of Martha Ransley, former Head of the Circulation Department "to recognize and reward members of the SPA Library Staff who provide outstanding leadership and service in furthering the accomplishment of the mission of the Library to provide service to students, faculty, staff and members of the community which the University serves." Ann Perdue with Martha Ransley, who created the Staff Service Award Ann has actually been employed by the library twice -- from 1994-1998 and then coming back from more in 2007.  She started in 1994 as the Circulation Desk Manager, moved into the Stacks Manager position in 1996, left the Library in 1998, but came back in 2007 when the Stacks/Remote Storage Manager position became available. In announcing her award, her nominator cited ...

Members of the Friends of the UNCG Libraries Board of Directors and the Jackson Society , made up of those who support the University Libraries at UNCG with gifts of $1000 or more during the past year, enjoyed a wine and cheese reception with UNCG author Michael Parker at the Scuppernong Bookstore on March 3. 

photo by Carly Glazier Photography A conference room in UNCG’s Jackson Library has been named for retiring U.S. Representative Howard Coble.  The J. Howard Coble Conference Room is located on the third floor of Jackson Library, where the Congressman’s papers reside in the Special Collections and University Archives.  “We are thrilled and honored to have Congressman Coble's archive at the UNCG libraries,” says Dean of University Libraries Rosann Bazirjian. “Researchers, faculty and students will make wonderful use of his valuable papers and we are so proud that we can provide access to and preserve his collection for generations to come.” "We are so honored by this very generous donation," says Keith Gorman, Head of the Special Collections and University Archives. " This gift helps to support our efforts in collection development, research support, and the use of archival materials in instruction.  Moreover, the newly named conference room will provide us with ...

Charlotte Holder Clinger and Noel W. Clinger have established The Colonel Charlotte Holder Clinger ’65 Oral History Fund as a term endowment gift to enhance the work of the Betty H. Carter Women Veteran’s Historical Project in the University Libraries.  Charlotte Clinger was born in Asheboro, North Carolina.  She graduated from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1965 with a degree in history.  Her love of history motivated Charlotte to support the oral history project of the Women Veterans Historical Project.  She recognizes the importance of capturing first-hand accounts to document history. Charlotte joined the U. S. Air Force in 1967.  She attended Officer Training School and was then sent to Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado for intelligence training.  It was there that she met her future husband, Noel Clinger.  Charlotte was the first woman ever stationed with the 553rd Reconnaissance Wing.  She did intelligence br...

(L-R) Anna Koester, Jack Koester, Dean of University Libraries Rosann Bazijrian, Will Koester, Pat Gruber, Ira Gruber, Caroline Koester Pat Sanderford Gruber (’51) and husband Ira live in Texas, so they don’t visit UNCG’s University Libraries every day.  As a student at Woman’s College who majored in English, however, Pat spent a lot of time in Jackson Library, and her love for the libraries at her alma mater remains.   She reminisced about the libraries during a recent visit, and enjoyed remembering that Jackson Library had just opened when she went to school here.  With her husband, daughter Anna and her husband Jack Koester, and grandchildren Will and Caroline, Mrs. Gruber also enjoyed seeing the dormitories where she had lived, and the transformation of what had been her library study carrel into the present-day Reference Services area.  Mrs. Gruber’s mother, Mildred Butler Sanderford, was a member of the class of 1927, and her sisters graduated in 1...

Bill and Wilma Bates love the University Libraries, and their gifts demonstrate that appreciation for the role of the libraries in campus life.  The Bates Collaboratory, Room 574 in the Jackson Library Tower, was recently renovated and named to honor William Bates, Professor Emeritus of Biology, whose career spanned 1966-2000.  Bill was Head of the Biology Department from 1979-1988, so it is particularly appropriate that the Collaboratory should be located on the Fifth Floor of the Tower along with the biology collection.  Both during his career and after his retirement, Bill has spent a lot of time in Jackson Library, particularly at his faculty study. His wife Wilma, now retired, was a media coordinator in the Guilford County Schools.  Frequent attendees at library events, the two want to give back to the Libraries and have been members of the Jackson Society for several years and members of the Friends for more than a decade.  We are appreciative of the...

John May, a member of the Jackson Society, has been a long-time supporter of the University Libraries at UNCG.   He knows their value first-hand.   Using and working in Jackson Library on a daily basis, he wrote a novel, Poe and Fanny , published to excellent reviews by Algonquin Books in 2004. Shannon Ravenel, the legendary editor at Algonquin, mentored John in the preparation of his book for publication. John later said of his experience, “I spent many happy days writing Poe and Fanny , and I did it all in the UNCG Library.   For two years, I spent my mornings reading and researching, and my afternoons writing.   I loved it.   Those were vital years.”   He continues, “I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the Jackson Library.   I was always welcomed.   I was always at home there.   I was always at my most creative there.” John, who founded Bonaventure Company, also served as Chair of the Friends of the UNCG Libraries from 200...

Pam Sprinkle is a person who makes things happen. During her term on the Friends of the UNCG Libraries Board of Directors, financial cutbacks threatened the continuation of the Children’s Book Author and Storyteller Series that brings prominent author/storytellers to the UNCG campus each fall.  The Series has three components: 1) to perform at UNCG for nearly 1000 fourth graders in area schools; 2) to conduct a master storyteller Q&A session with UNCG students studying to become elementary school teachers; and 3) to appear at both UNCG and the area Bookmarks Festival under UNCG sponsorship.  Without even being asked for her support, Pam determined that she wanted to see the series continue, and worked out a plan with husband David to do so, committing to fund it for five years.  The Sprinkles’ generosity not only saved the series, it allowed it to thrive, and with their ongoing commitment top author/storytellers could be booked a year or more in advance, som...