Special Collections Research Center

O. James Woodward III Family Endowment

This endowment supports purchases for the Roy J. Woodward Memorial Library of Californiana.  Established in 1998, this gift continues the longstanding tradition of commitment and generosity of the Woodward family to the Library and the Special Collections Research Center.  O. James Woodward III and Judith Woodward have been loyal supporters of Special Collections for many years. In 2011, the newly renovated Special Collections reading room was named the O. James Woodward III Family Reading Room in their honor. 

Del Crummey Endowment

Del Crummey, known for his commitment to the community and to philanthropy, was a longtime board member of the Friends of the Library and also served on the Library's Leadership board. The Crummey Endowment is dedicated to creating oral histories for Special Collections. To date, the endowment has made possible oral histories with former congressmen John Krebs and Tony Coelho for our Political Collections.

Leon S. Peters Legacy Endowment

This endowment was established through the efforts of Kenneth Peters, Dr. Bud Richter, Dr. Peter G. Mehas, and the Honorable Robert Oliver and was funded by many individual donors. Its purpose is to ensure that Leon Peters’ legacy of ethical standards, civic engagement, and philanthropic spirit is perpetuated. The endowment funds the preservation, promotion, and access of Peters’ papers, as well as interviews with each current and future Leon S. Peters Award recipient.

Gary and Tina Bruno Endowment

The Bruno Endowment supports additions to the many collections of the Special Collections Research Center. The endowment is funded by Gary and Tina Bruno of Clovis and Santa Barbara. Tina Bruno, a Library Leadership Board member, and her husband, Gary, created the endowment in 2011. 

Donald G. Larson World’s Fair Collection Endowment

The Larson Endowment is our newest one. Still in the active funding stage, it will support new acquisitions (in all formats, for all world’s fairs) to the Donald G. Larson Collection on International Expositions and Fairs. Contributions to the endowment have been made by many of Don Larson’s friends; gifts are welcome from any donor who wants to support our world’s fair collection.

Mr. Roy Woodward was a prominent Fresno businessman. His collection, the Roy J. Woodward Library of Californiana, is a cornerstone of the Special Collections Research Center. The collection was donated to the library by Roy J. Woodward’s heirs in 1950.

Mr. O. James Woodward III was one of the original heirs to the Californiana collection built by his grandfather, Roy J. Woodward. He and his wife established the O. James and Judith Woodward III Endowment to fund future acquisitions to the Woodward Collection and foster its growth in perpetuity. In 2011, the newly redesigned and renovated O. James Woodward III Family Special Collections Reading Room was named in honor of the Woodward family in recognition of their dedication and ongoing generosity.

Donor of the Donald G. Larson Collection on International Expositions and Fairs, 1851-1940, and an avid collector of world’s fairs materials, Mr. Larson is a longtime benefactor of the Special Collections Research Center.