One Donor’s Vision for the Library

As an undergraduate, Elai Katz ’92 loved getting lost in the stacks of Sterling Memorial Library, discovering unexpected treasures, and imaging the students and scholars who had run across those same books long before. Like generations of students before and since, when it was time to study, Elai would settle down in the Linonia & Brothers Reading Room, surrounded by others who shared his affinity for the Library.

Last spring, in honor of his 20th Yale College Reunion and in recognition of the Library’s special place in the life of the University, Elai made a generous five-year pledge to the Alumni Fund for Library Resources. Why does Elai (now an antitrust attorney in New York City) support the Yale University Library in this way? He gives because he believes, “especially in this digital age, a great academic institution such as Yale must maintain its leadership in collecting and classifying information. We now have access to a tremendous amount of data and texts through electronic sources, and yet, more than ever, we need exceptional libraries and librarians to organize and understand the contexts of those materials so we can make good use of them.”

By checking the “Library Resources” box when they make their annual Alumni Fund gift, graduates like Elai help the University Librarian address the Library’s most pressing needs and ensure that it remains a world-class resource for a world-class university. Non-alumni can have the same impact by directing a gift to the Yale University Library Fund. If you have any questions about supporting the Yale University Library, please contact Benjamin Yousey-Hindes, Assistant Director of Development, at 203-432-8087 or benjamin.yousey-hindes@yale.edu.

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