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Make an enduring contribution to the future of scholarship

Giving to the University of Sydney Library has a lasting impact

In 1885, the University of Sydney Library buildings and collections were enriched by a bequest from one Thomas Fisher, retired bootmaker and property investor.

Today, our University Library has one of the largest research and teaching collections in the Southern Hemisphere, and vibrant student spaces at the heart of the University campus.

Ways to contribute

Financial donations

With your support, the University Library will continue to develop comprehensive collections, research, teaching and learning support services and unique learning spaces for our students and researchers.

Give today

Rare books and Special Collections

The University Library welcomes donations of rare contemporary and historical items and special collections. Rare books aren’t just a unique addition to the University Library’s collections; they are a priceless resource for researchers and students, now and into the future.

Learn more and express your interest

Bequests

Gifts in wills can make an enduring contribution to the progress of learning and research. Make your passion your legacy through a future gift to the University Library in your honour, or in memory of a loved one.

Learn more about bequests

Book donations

The Chancellor’s Committee receives donations of all types of books for the University’s annual Book Fair. At the Book Fair, bibliophiles can browse thousands of books at bargain prices, raising funds for important University projects.

Learn more about the Book Fair

Stories of giving

A generous gift: 400-year-old literary treasures

In 2020, the University Library received an extraordinary donation: a first edition of The Workes of Benjamin Jonson from 1616, along with a 16-volume set of the Plays and Poems of William Shakspeare (sic) curated by Edmond Malone and originally published in 1790, and a rare complete set of Malone Society publications.

Learn more

New Law Lounge: Focus on the student experience

A generous bequest to the Sydney Law School has enabled the Law School and University Library to partner to create a welcoming new space for students: the Herbert Smith Freehills Law Library Learning Commons.

Learn more

Enabling discovery: Cataloguing our Rare Books

Funds from the Ethel M Richmond Bequest have enabled the Library to undertake a large-scale project to catalogue the Library’s extensive Rare Books and Special Collections. By improving collection metadata, our Rare Books and Special Collections can be discovered by scholars, teachers and students from around the world.

Learn more

Become a Friend of the University of Sydney Library

Founded in 1961, Friends of the University of Sydney Library supports the Library’s interests in the promotion and purchase of rare scholarly resources. Friends enjoy special invitations to Library exhibitions and events. The Friends welcome new members, and it is free to join.

Learn more about the Friends of the University Library

Since the Fisher bequest in 1885, the Library has greatly appreciated gifts that will continue to enrich the University’s research and education experience and the development of its unique collections.

– Philip Kent, University Librarian

Thank you for your generosity

Your gift makes an enduring contribution to future research and scholarship.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this website may contain images, voices and names of people who have died.

The University of Sydney Library acknowledges that its facilities sit on the ancestral lands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who have for thousands of generations exchanged knowledge for the benefit of all. Learn more