New Collection Endowments Provide Vital Support for the Library

Collection endowments have been critical in supporting and growing the Library’s collections, ensuring that the Library’s information resources will be maintained and enhanced in perpetuity. Over the years, supporters of the UC San Diego Library have established more than 50 collection endowments that support academic disciplines and intellectual interests. Recently, several collection endowments have been enhanced or newly established—including one from a long established San Diego family, as well as endowments from a UC San Diego faculty member and an alumna.

Robert and Fredricka Driver
Robert and Fredricka Driver

In December 2014, a significant gift was made by the children of Robert and Fredricka Driver to strengthen the Fredricka Driver Endowment Library Fund. This endowment was established in 1986, in conjunction with an NEH matching grant by long-time San Diegan and civic leader, Robert “Bob” Driver, in honor of his wife, Fredricka, best known as Freddie.

“My parents had a deep love of learning and were thrilled when UC San Diego was established in 1960, in a location so close to their Del Mar home,” said Sandy Driver-Gordon. “My mother especially appreciated what an education could bring, as she attended Pomona College at a time when women generally did not pursue higher education.”

The Driver family also demonstrated their generosity to the San Diego community in numerous ways. Bob—founder of one of San Diego’s most prominent independent insurance brokerage firms—was a major supporter of Project Concern (now Project Concern International), a humanitarian, San Diego-based non-profit, and also ran for a number of political offices. Freddie’s many charitable activities included volunteering as head of the San Diego Girl Scouts and Door of Hope, a home for unwed mothers.

“With this recent gift, the Driver endowment is now one of the Library’s largest collection endowments and provides significant support for the humanities materials. We thank the Driver family for their continued commitment to the Library and the University,” said University Librarian Brian Schottlaender. “We are also very grateful to Pamela Newcomb and Clare and Paul Friedman for their support.”

Pamela Newcomb
Pamela Newcomb

In addition to the Driver family, a new endowment—the Pamela Newcomb Library Collection Endowment—has been established by UC San Diego alumna Pamela Newcomb, in support of humanities collections. Pamela graduated in 1981, with a degree in history and classical studies and felt that the Library supported her studies in a very meaningful way.  “I am enthusiastic to be able to create this endowment in support of the humanities collections,” said Pamela. “The Library was so important to my educational experience at UC San Diego and I feel fortunate that I can now support the excellence of the information resources available to future generations of students, faculty, and the general public.” Pamela’s gift will help nurture a new generation of humanities scholars who can take advantage of cutting-edge research materials in classical studies, history, art, philosophy, literature, music, and other topics that form many cultural heritages.

A second collection endowment was established by long-time Library supporters, Paul and Clare Friedman, whose endowment provides unrestricted support for the Library’s general research collections. Paul Friedman is a professor emeritus at UC San Diego; Clare Friedman is a retired faculty member at USD.

“We are delighted to establish the Paul and Clare Friedman Library Collection Endowment at the UC San Diego Library,” said the Friedmans.  “As emeriti faculty and lifelong readers, it means a great deal to us to support the Library’s collections and their vital role in fueling discovery and learning at UC San Diego and beyond.  We have supported the Library for many years and felt it was the right time to create an endowed fund that will impact the resources available to students and faculty for generations to come.  We encourage others to do the same!”

If you are interested in providing collection endowment support to the UC San Diego Library, please contact Julie Sully, Director of Development, at 858-822-4554 or jsully@ucsd.edu.