Gift acknowledges Libraries’ need

In mid-May, Duke Athletics announced it will donate $1 to Duke Libraries for every regular season home ticket sold starting in the 2011-2012 season. The establishment of this fund—conceived at a dean’s meeting earlier this year—stands to be the first of its kind in the nation.

The libraries have an operating budget of approximately $27 million, as reported in 2009 by the Raleigh News and Observer. Although the ticket fund will likely raise only a pittance of the libraries’ overall budget, it is worth commending the athletics department for its generous donation.

Often Duke is considered to comprise two distinct institutions: an academic and research powerhouse as well as an athletic giant. It is necessary to reinforce that the two are indeed linked. If nothing else, the fund will serve as a symbolic gesture that highlights the overall excellence of the University sparked by the interactions between its athletic and academic communities.

The possibility remains, however, for the fund to play a much more significant role. Only rarely do the budgetary needs of the libraries come to the forefront, and now is one such occasion. During the past few years, the library system has taken significant strides to remain open for 24 hours on weekdays, continue with renovations to Bostock Library, increase the number of digitized records and maintain personnel. Deborah Jakubs, University librarian and vice provost for library affairs, noted that these expenses have not been fully met by the University. Perhaps Duke can now take a moment to reassess its budget allocation, considering the evident funding need demonstrated by the libraries.

More significantly, this fund will demonstrate the libraries’ expressed need for funds to potential donors. A large portion of the University’s fundraising comes from donors who contribute with the sole purpose of furthering the athletics department. These donors often do not recognize the lack of funding experienced by other aspects of the University. For instance, it can be difficult to determine whether a library, which continues its face-value operations under times of duress, needs funding.

The $1-per-ticket initiative will hopefully alter donors’ perception of the University’s need for funding. Perhaps it is unrealistic to expect a 40-year Iron Duke member to suddenly contribute significant amounts to the library system, but at least the awareness has been raised.

This act of goodwill also raises an important question: Is it the role of the athletics department to grant a monetary gift to the libraries? Some may contend so on account of the gargantuan amounts of private donations received by the department. They argue that it is both symbolically and pragmatically appropriate for the establishment of such a fund in order to emphasize that Duke is more than simply an athletic institution.

At the same time, one is left to consider why this need even exists. Something as fundamental as the library system—the centerpiece and symbolic head for scholarly pursuit—should not be dependent on other departments to operate at its desired level.