Funding Priorities at the OSU Library

Friends of the OSU Library

Gifts of any size
The Friends encourage and provide support for the OSU Library and its mission to serve as the "intellectual commons" of the University. Your help is vital to the Library in achieving and maintaining its reputation for quality resources, services and gateways to information to meet the needs of OSU's diverse instructional, research and outreach program.

Give to the Friends

Scholarships for Students Working at the Library

Gifts of any size
The OSU Library is one of the largest student employers on campus, and many Library student employees are working because they need the financial support a part-time job offers. Scholarships are great help to those workers. The Library’s scholarships are exclusive to students currently employed at the Library. Gifts of any size to the Library General Scholarship Fund can impact a working student. A gift of $500-$2,000 funds a single scholarship for a year. With a minimum gift of $25,000, donors can create an endowed scholarship, which delivers a perpetual source of funding.

Give to Scholarships

Paid Internship Program

$7,500 funds one student intern for a year. Gifts of any size support the program.
Internships offer students the chance to put their academic work into a real-life professional context, build portfolios and gain relevant experience in their field of study. All Library internships are paid, and like other Library student jobs, provide financial assistance to those students who need to work while they complete their degree. The Library internship program includes dozens of positions in a variety of disciplines. Many of the internships focus on building and applying advanced technology skills.

Give to Internships

Naming Opportunities

Interior

Study Bars: $5,000-$35,000
Study Areas: $25,000-$250,000
Study Rooms: $50,000
Tribute Display Areas: $100,000
Digital Scholarship Center: $250,000
Art Walls: $200,000

North Garden

In 2022, the initial construction of the North Garden at the Edmon Low Library was completed. The garden provides an attractive and welcoming approach to the library’s north entrance. While a generous gift of the Tom and Edna Carson Family Foundation made the launch of this beatification effort possible, a number of giving opportunities exist to further enhance the project.

Wrought Iron Bench: $3,500 each
An additional two wrought iron benches flank the central garden feature. Similar seating can be found throughout the campus. A gift of $3,500 will be recognized with a plaque on one of these benches.
Stone Bench: $5,000 each
Across the southern path through the garden are eight stone outcropping benches, which mirror the stone used in the walkways. Each bench represents a naming opportunity. A gift of $5,000 will be recognized with the donor’s name etched on the stone surface.
Water Feature: $10,000
The North Garden provides outdoor space for relaxation and reflection. This could be further enhanced with the addition of a water feature. A gift of $10,000 would make this possible. Such a gift would be recognized with a plaque bearing the donor’s name.
Native Planting throughout the Garden: $25,000
The garden is part of a larger campus initiative to add native plants to the landscaping. This area north of the library completes a native plant corridor that stretches from Monroe to Hester. A gift of $25,000 would not only underwrite the cost of maintaining the landscaping but also would fund the addition of informative signage throughout the garden, adding an educational element to the space. This donation would be recognized with a plaque in the garden area.
Sculpture Art: ~$100,000-$200,000 each
In recent years, a number of public art pieces have been placed on campus. In line with this effort, designs for the garden include space for the placement of two sculptures, one on each end of the garden. Two giving opportunities of $100,000 each would make this vision a reality. Donors would be acknowledged with a plaque near the artwork.

Textbook Affordability Initiatives

Textbook Checkout Program

$20,000 and up
Each semester, the Library places a copy of selected required OSU textbooks “on reserve.” This means the books are available at a single service point for two-hour checkouts. The goal of the program is to offer students one more option to deal with the rising cost of textbooks. The program includes all required textbooks costing more than $90. A gift of $20,000 would fund the program for a full year. Gifts at a higher level would enable us to expand the program further.

Open Textbooks

Gifts of any size support the publication and use of free textbooks through the Library's OER initiative.