Loker Gift to Transform Widener

Expressing once more her commitment to Harvard's mission, Katherine B. Loker has made a gift of $17 million, the bulk of which will support the campaign for the Harvard libraries and, in particular, make possible critical renovations of Widener Library.

Robert G. Stone Jr. '45 made the surprise announcement of Mrs. Loker's gift on April 18 at the spring meeting of the Committee on University Resources (COUR) and President Neil L. Rudenstine immediately addressed its impact: "What Katherine Loker has so eloquently expressed, through this magnificent new gift, is that our libraries are as vital to Harvard's future as they have been to its past. Perhaps more than any other place in the University, Widener embodies Harvard's devotion to scholarship and education of the highest possible quality. All of us who care about serious learning should join in thanking Mrs. Loker for her wonderful generosity, and for what it will do to help take Widener into the century ahead." Rudenstine added, "She is a great friend of the University, and she leads, with modesty but also with boldness, by the sheer force of her example."

Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Jeremy R. Knowles commented, "In one magnificent stride, Katherine Loker has brought us close to fulfilling our critical goal for Widener: to preserve and to safeguard the Library and its extraordinarily rich and extensive collections. Widener is a jewel, and Katherine is making sure that we can keep it sparkling. Her generous spirit is matched by her thoughtful recognition of what is important for our future."

Having considered Harvard's needs for many years, and focusing recently on the libraries, Mrs. Loker told President Rudenstine of her decision to make the gift in a meeting after touring Widener Library with him, and with Director of the Harvard University Library and Carl H. Pforzheimer University Professor Sidney Verba and Roy E. Larsen Librarian of Harvard College Nancy M. Cline.

"Katherine Loker's generous gift is an outstanding commitment to the thousands of students and faculty who depend on the collections and programs housed in this library," said Cline. "Widener Library, built in the early part of this century by Eleanor Elkins Widener as a memorial to her son Harry, has been an exceptionally enduring gift. Katherine Loker has provided the opportunity to renew this landmark building so that its second century of service to Harvard is full of promise."

Widener is one of the five great libraries in the world, along with the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, the British Library, the Library of Congress, and the New York Public Library, and it is the only one of those libraries with open stacks. It houses approximately 3.5 million volumes and accommodates about 50 miles of bookshelves. Many faculty cite the invaluable scholarly and cultural resources of Widener as a critical factor in their decision to come to Harvard.

Built in 1915, Widener was an innovative building in its day. Eighty-three years without any major renovation has taken its toll, however, and the building is in serious need of repair. Air does not circulate well in the stacks and temperature and humidity fluctuate widely with the seasons, accelerating the deterioration of the world-renowned collection. Furthermore, the wiring, lighting, and fire-protection systems must be upgraded to meet the expectations of Harvard's contemporary computer-intensive educational environment. Mrs. Loker's gift will help the University move forward with all of these imperative renovations.

Mrs. Loker, who had previously given $10 million to make possible the popular gathering spot on the lower level of Memorial Hall, the Katherine Bogdanovich Loker Commons, is the widow of Donald P. Loker '25. In addition to being a member of the Campaign Executive Committee, she is a national co-chair of both The University Campaign and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) Campaign. In 1996, President Rudenstine presented the Harvard Medal to her to honor her history of service to and support of the University. In addition to the libraries, her gift will address other FAS needs, as yet undesignated. Mrs. Loker has said of her philanthropy at Harvard and other institutions, notably her alma mater, the University of Southern California, "I would rather give to support education than almost anything else."

Sidney Verba described the far-reaching effects of her generosity. "Mrs. Loker's concern for the total student experience is most striking to me. After creating a new setting for students to talk and enjoy one another's company with the Loker Commons, she is now, with her magnificent gift to the libraries, helping to improve their intellectual life as well."