Case for Support

Since 1950, the M. D. Anderson Library has been the intellectual heart of the University of Houston. On an average day, more than 12,000 students, faculty, and community professionals utilize the Library's resources, drawing on a permanent collection of more than one million volumes and more than 100 electronic publication databases. Over the years, the building's physical capacity has become strained due to the need to keep pace with the everchanging needs of its patrons and the steady growth of information technology. The Library lacks the space to further develop its collections and access to electronic resources. In order to better serve the needs of the institution and those of the Houston community, the University of Houston has launched a vital campaign to raise funds to expand and renovate the Library. The completed building, which is slated to open in October 2004, will offer many new and improved areas and services (click here for details), including new quarters for The Honors College. The Honors College serves over 1,200 of the University's most academically gifted undergraduates and is the main reason why many outstanding high school seniors choose UH over other institutions. Honors has been located in the basement of the Library since its inception in 1976. With a growing community of students, faculty, and staff, this facility has become cramped and inadequate. The proposed expansion plans will almost triple its current size and provide Honors with prominent space space on the second floor of the new wing (click here for details). In addition to $25 million in state funds, more than 4,200 donors contributed a combined total of $19.5 million in private funds to the project. Thanks to the support of this group of generous donors, UH met the criteria needed to earn a $500,000 challenge grant from the Kresge Foundation, bringing the total amount of private dollars raised to $20 million. Your contribution will have a significant impact on how the University of Houston will serve future generations of students.