Many of the Special Collections book holdings come from donations of friends of the University and the Library. Donations of collections that may have significant scholarly or historic value to the Library and University are welcome. Acceptance of these donations will also depend on the condition of the material, the presence of related collections at DePaul, and their potential for use in the classroom. We welcome direct donations of money to support specific subject strengths in Special Collections.
Some recent or permanent monetary gifts include:
- The William T. and Irene Beck Collection. This ongoing donation of rare books from alums Bill and Irene Beck develop the book collections in the area of Chicago social justice movements.
- The Berland Fund. Established by DePaul alumnus and Trustee Abel Berland, this fund supports general acquisition and preservation of rare books.
- The Verrona Williams Derr Fund. Established by former faculty member Gilbert Sims Derr, this fund supports the acquisition of rare books in the field of African American studies.
- The James Miller Fund. Established by alumnus James Miller, this fund supports general acquisition of rare books.
- The Meehan Family donation. Alums Thomas and Elizabeth Ann Meehan donate annually to support the acquisition of rare books on Irish literature and history.
- The Richard Houk Fund. Established by Alex Papadapoulos, Geography Department, this fund supports the acquisition of maps and books on cartography.
- The Goodin Fund. This fund was a one time donation in honor of Virginia Goult, long time library employee, and Library Director from 1967 through 1974.
For information on book dealers and appraisers, review the
Midwest Bookhunters information. Staff in this department are not qualified to provide appraisals of books or art objects.
Archives collections are built through the ongoing deposit of University records in DePaul University Archives, and through the donation of records of individuals and organizations with a demonstrated link to DePaul programs. Collections sought and acquired reflect the curricular goals, faculty interests, and community involvement of the University. Such collections are most frequently acquired through a faculty member or administrator with a direct connection to the individual or organization. External collections develop the holdings of Archives along specific guidelines and create subject strengths that can be used in classes as well as for external research. These archives and manuscript collections are transferred to DePaul as donations, with the ongoing commitment of staff here to process, house, and provide access to the resources.
Inquiries about donations of any type should be made to:
Jamie Nelson
Head of Special Collections and Archives
Lincoln Park in JTR 314
(773)-325-2167
jnelso56@depaul.edu