During the summer of 2008, the Mardigian Library began creating
digital bookplates to highlight items in our collection that have been acquired through the generosity of our donors. Three of these donations contain children’s books: the May G. Quigley Collection, the Balbach Collection, and the Patricia Bravender Gift. The library plans to continue adding digital bookplates to recognize significant donations of books and items that are purchased using endowment funds. Most recently, we completed work on the digital bookplate for items purchased through the Mardigian Endowment.
Each digital bookplate describes the gift or donation as well as the donors or honorees and includes links to the items in the library catalog. In some cases, photos of the donors are included, making their stories come to life, and providing them with something they can show to friends and family.
Creating these bookplates was a collaborative process. Librarian Beth Taylor is responsible for creating and maintaining the digital bookplates. She organized a team of librarians to work on various aspects of the project over the summer. Taylor said, “We utilized the skills and strengths of librarians from various departments to make this project a success. The result is an easy-to-use and attractive addition to the catalog, and it can grow over time.”
Librarian Barbara Kriigel brought back the idea for creating digital bookplates from a conference she attended last spring. She was intrigued by a presentation given by Brown University librarians, who had created over 600 electronic bookplates for their endowments and gifts, and she wondered if the concept could be adapted for the Mardigian Library. Kriigel said, “What caught my attention was how enthusiastic their donors were about the bookplates. Also, the idea that donors could quickly and easily pull together a list of everything they had given made so much sense in today’s world where we look everything up on the internet and then share it with our friends and family!”
These gifts and endowments support the library’s mission by enriching students’ learning experiences. We welcome your gift! If you or someone you know is interested in donating books, please contact Fu Schuttringer at 313-583-6324 or
fysch@umd.umich.edu . If you are interested in making a cash donation, you may do so
online or through the mail. Your contribution will help us reach the highest level of excellence in the collections and services we deliver to UM-Dearborn students, faculty, and alumni.
