Founded in 1958, the University of
Delaware Library Associates work to
expand and enrich the research
collections of the University of
Delaware Library through gifts from
members, funds raised by University of
Delaware Library Associates programs
and donations of significant books.
The University of Delaware Library Associates also sponsor publications and activities that make the collections better known to the university and national scholarly communities and to members of the public.
Private matching funds raised by the University of Delaware Library Associates contributed substantially to the expansion and renovation of the Hugh M. Morris Library, begun in 1983 as part of the University’s 150th anniversary celebration and completed in 1986. Special Collections includes a separate gallery for public exhibitions which, together with related publications and programs, contribute to a broader awareness of the University of Delaware Library’s important scholarly resources.
All illustrations on these pages were reproduced from originals in Special Collections, University of Delaware Library.
With the generous support of friends and alumni, the University of Delaware Library has built distinctive collections of more than 2,800,000 volumes in fields that complement the University's academic programs.
Holdings within Special Collections include over 100,000 books, more than 500,000 manuscripts, historical maps, broadsides, posters, trade and seed catalogs. Book collections of national significance contain rare and important editions in the history of chemistry, engineering, and technology; the history of printing and papermaking; American horticulture and landscape architecture; the applied and decorative arts; U.S. travel and exploration; and Delawareana.
The rare book and manuscript holdings of writers important to twentieth-century Irish, American, and British literature constitute an area of outstanding strength and current growth. Djuna Barnes, Paul Bowles, Kay Boyle, John Malcom Brinnin, Brian Coffey, Alice Dunbar-Nelson, Mark Harris, Ernest Hemingway, Donald Justice, Hugh MacDiarmid, Ishmael Reed, W. D. Snodgrass, Gilbert Sorrentino, Louis Untermeyer, Tennessee Williams and William Butler Yeats are among the authors represented by original manuscripts and correspondence.
The University of Delaware Library
Associates sponsor an annual dinner
lecture, an annual faculty lecture
and other book- or library-related
events. Members receive the
Newsletter of the University of
Delaware Library Associates,
published twice a year; publications related to exhibitions and invitations for events.
University of Delaware Library Associates receive a 10 percent discount on University of Delaware Press books by calling (302) 831-1149.
All who share an interest in ensuring the continued growth of library collections at the University of Delaware are invited to join the University of Delaware Library Associates and participate in activities and benefits.
Note: To become a member, please fill this form out online and then print it to accompany your check. If a printed brochure is preferred, call (302) 831-2231 to request the UDLA membership brochure.
