The Friends of the UW-Madison Libraries recently received a donation of nearly $1 million from the estate of a UW-Madison graduate and book-lover.
The organization, which helps fund exhibitions, lecture series and manages donations and grants for the UW-Madison Libraries, plans to extend the money to visiting scholars, students in the School of Library and Information Sciences and higher profile speakers, according to Friends President Chris Kleinhenz. The Friends will also use the money to help build a well of endowment on top on profits made at bi-annual book sales. ""We will of course not be able to use any of the money for about a year,"" Kleinhenz said, explaining the donation would be left for about a year to accrue interest.
The donor, Douglas Schewe, received degrees from UW-Madison in the 1950s and 1960s and taught English at Madison Area Technical College for over 20 years. He was an active donor to UW-Madison, giving to many humanities departments and the Chazen Museum of Art.
A former colleague of Schewe's, John Tortorice, said in a news release Schewe had a real passion for books and love for the campus, visiting it almost daily. His collection held over 5,000 volumes.
