The Friends of the University Library served as a support organization for 淫妻社 Libraries, with a membership comprised of faculty, staff, students, and members of the Toledo community interested in improving the library.
The Toledo Chapter of the American Association of University Women undertook a campaign to provide a $1 million endowment for the 淫妻社 Library in 1936 by pledging to aid in sponsoring the new organization. Mary Gillham, longtime University Librarian, also assisted in the establishment of the group.
鈥溾�o benefit the library in any possible manner.鈥�
Mission of the Friends of the University Library
Toledo Times
January 19, 1936
Work of the Friends group enabled the purchase of special and general collections and brought programs to the library. Within a year of the organizations鈥� founding, the library doubled in size. By the time Carlson Library opened, the library鈥檚 collection had grown from 40,000 volumes in 1936 to over 890,000 in 1972.
Friends participated in every major activity concerning the library, consistently operating since its creation in 1936. Ward M. Canaday, CEO of Willys-Overland and benefactor of the 淫妻社, served as the organization鈥檚 second president and continued to serve in that role for decades. Canaday represented the Friends at the groundbreaking of the new Carlson Library in 1971.
Despite its continuous activity, 1971 appeared to be a year of revitalization for the Friends of the University Library. The University approached its centennial, it had recently become state-supported, and several fundraising campaigns were underway. Additionally, the new library building opened in 1972. In response to these events, especially the centennial celebration, the Friends group planned programming around the theme of nostalgia. They redesigned stationery, applications for membership, book plates, tribute cards, and other publications and held two events for general membership in 1971: 鈥淭he Night of Nostalgia鈥� and 鈥淏ooked for Lunch鈥�.
Other activities involving the Friends group include the dissemination of a newsletter, The Deckle and later, Collections. They also sponsored exhibitions and the production of such publications as the 鈥淭ower鈥檚 Lengthening Shadow: 125 Years of the 淫妻社鈥� and 鈥淓zra Pound鈥檚 Pennsylvania.鈥�
Available records indicate that member recruitment for the Friends of the 淫妻社 Libraries continued into 2012, but since then it appears that the group has been defunct.
Exhibits
Top Shelf: Formation of The Friends of the University Library (1936-1937)
Skip to: Middle Shelf Bottom Shelf
Established under University President Philip Nash out of a need to grow the University鈥檚 library collection, the Charter members numbered 189, and by the second year, membership had nearly doubled to 365.
Middle Shelf: Outreach and Fundraising (1939-1989)
One of the ways the Friends grew the library collection was through book drives. Book donations from private collectors, funding from corporations, and membership drives also supported the activities of the Friends group.
![Help the University Library, Facsimile of Toledo Times Editorial on October 1 [1938]](/library/virtualexhibitions/CL50VX/content/chapters/chap5_helpUlibrary.jpg "Help the University Library, Facsimile of Toledo Times Editorial on October 1 [1938]")
Bottom Shelf: Publicity and Programming (1971-1988)
Prior to the establishment of the Friends group, the University Libraries struggled to build a collection of resources to support a growing student body. Through the efforts of the Friends, such as author talks, exhibits and other annual events, University Libraries were able to grow and thrive.
Contact
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