Our Gro'wing Collections

ROLAND BAUGHMAN
 

The decade just completed (July, 1951-June, 1961) has been
marked by extraordinary growth of Columbia's Department of
Special Collections through gifts of printed books, manuscripts,
and research collections. In that ten-year span donations and be¬
quests of such materials totalled in value over a half million dollars
— which is more than two and a half times the record of the pre¬
ceding decade. In 1960-61 alone, there were 59 individual gifts of
rare books and manuscripts, totalling $77,704.90 in value.

The reasons for this increased donor activity are not hard to
find. There is more than coincidence in the fact that a distinct
upward trend became apparent from the moment the University
began to encourage re-activation of the Friends of the Columbia
Libraries in 1950-51. This trend gathered force consistently,
abetted not a little by the publicity attending the Graphic Arts
development program of 1952-53, and by the Columbia-centered
activities of the Bicentennial Year, 1954. When, in 1956-57, the
University was given a "take-it-or-leave it" chance to purchase
the Iselin collection of John Jay papers, outside assistance was
sought and obtained; nearly S6o,ooo of the needed amount came
from donors, both ptivate and corporate. Concurrently there was
a new spurt in gifts — in no way allied with the Jay project, but
undoubtedly affected positively by it — and this has been sustained
at a high level ever since.

The widespread donor interest which is now evident has been
fostered to a substantial degree by the devoted generosity of a
few who have made repeated newsworthy donations. During the
past decade, one such donor has given us materials valued at more
than Jioo,ooo; another is nearing the $65,000 mark. Still another,
whose gifts are individually modest, is in our records for every
year of the past ten, in amounts ranging from $200 to $2500.

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