A library lover in Washington, D.C., has made a record-setting bequest to help aspiring librarians.
James W. Lewis fondly remembers trips to the public library while growing up in New Bern, North Carolina. As a preschooler, his parents would take him to the library, housed in the historic John Wright Stanly House. From those early memories to his more recent involvement serving on the Board of Trustees of the District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL), Lewis has maintained a special connection to libraries—one that has led him to make an approximately $25 million bequest to the American Library Association (ALA)—the largest individual bequest to ALA in the Association’s history.
Lewis’ gift will fund library school scholarships for students with demonstrated financial needs and will benefit legions of young people who would otherwise be unable to pursue professional librarianship. The gift will honor Lewis’ parents, J. Vance and Blanche B. Lewis, who always encouraged education. Lewis credits his commitment to libraries to his parents.
“Libraries are the most democratic institutions we have,” Lewis said. “With libraries, anyone can walk in and benefit, not only from the books but from the resources and full offerings libraries provide to their communities, including computers, technology training and assistance, career building, homework help, and literacies of all kinds, including health and financial literacy. Libraries are one of our last community spaces where people can go without economic barrier to entry and be welcome.”
Lewis has demonstrated his lifelong commitment to libraries and their communities by volunteering for the Board of Visitors at the library of Wake Forest University, his alma mater. A career librarian and longtime friend inspired him to become a candidate for the DCPL board. With appointments confirmed by the D.C. mayor and city council, Lewis’ service at DCPL spanned 10 years. Lewis currently leads the Lewis Group as senior vice president and senior relationship manager at Merrill Lynch.
ALA Interim Executive Director Leslie Burger expressed gratitude for the gift in a December 9 statement.
“Mr. Lewis’ exceptionally generous bequest ensures the library profession will remain strong for years to come by funding scholarships,” Burger said. “The gift will enable generations of library leaders to serve their communities by removing the financial restrictions for those without the economic means to afford their master’s in library sciences.”
ALA provides more than $300,000 in scholarships annually for studies toward master’s degrees in library and information science at ALA-accredited library schools. In the future, the bequest from Lewis could triple the funds available to support scholarships, significantly expanding educational access.
Big gifts from Carnegie
Lewis’ gift comes on the heels of an announcement from the Carnegie Corporation of New York that it will devote $4 million to three New York City public libraries.
Carnegie will give $1 million to Brooklyn Public Library, $1.2 million to Queens Public Library, and $1.8 million to the New York Public Library in Manhattan to provide English language and work-force training classes for adults as well as civics and college- and career-prep courses for teenagers.
The grants are a prelude to a larger investment in public libraries, Carnegie President Louise Richardson told The Chronicle of Philanthropy. She said the renewed attention comes because, in a highly polarized nation, libraries are one of the most trusted institutions that can serve as common ground for people despite their differences. They act as civic hubs where all residents have the same access to books, seminars, videos, and other resources. Richardson said the language and civics programs the grants will support can help people new to the country attain better jobs, succeed in school, and contribute to the city.
“Having a place that is completely nonpartisan, completely unassociated with any political perspective is critically important,” Richardson said.
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