5/30/97

ATHENS, Ohio -- The Friends of Ohio Unversity Libraries at their annual meeting Tuesday kicked off a fund-raising drive to establish an endowment for scholarships for student employees of the library.

The Friends will donate $6,000 as seed money and will begin a year-long, fund-raising drive for the endowment, said Friends President Dwight Woodward.

"In their 18 years of existence, the Friends have contributed nearly $150,000 to the Libraries to purchase a variety of items important to the library's operation," Woodward said. "This year, the board decided to establish an endowed scholarship fund, offering yearly scholarships to top student employees long after the current board members have retired from the board."

A minimum of $15,000 is needed to establish an endowment. The Friends hope to raise at least $16,000 so that the first scholarships can be awarded for the 1998-99 academic year, Woodward said.

Margaret Thomas, a lecturer in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Rich Purdy, co-owner of Athens Little Professor Book Center, were appointed to the Friends' board of directors.

Ruth and Chuck Overby, emeritus professor of industrial systems, were awarded life memberships in the Friends, honoring their ongoing contributions to the libraries.