John P. McDonald served as Director of the
University of Connecticut Libraries from 1963 to 1987.
Under his leadership the Libraries made important progress in building the archival,
manuscript, and other research collections that are now assembled in the Thomas J.
Dodd Research Center. He established the Special Collections Department in 1964
and the Historical and Manuscripts Department in 1978, services now merged as
Archives & Special Collections.
Among Mr. McDonald's key accomplishments was the cultivation of personal
and professional relationships with potential donors to the collections
including, in particular, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edwin Way Teale,
whose archives now reside in the Libraries. As Director, Mr. McDonald
encouraged other staff to develop similar relationships and supported
their work in acquiring important collections of primary research materials.
John McDonald was also an important donor to the Libraries. He
contributed his father's collection of the first editions of William
Faulkner as well as his own extensive personal collection of books and
field guides on birds and birdwatching. An early and ardent advocate for
the protection of the natural environment, he was actively involved in
local groups such as the Natchaug Ornithological Society, Joshua's Trust,
and the Audubon Society.
The John P. McDonald Reading Room commemorates his many
accomplishments, his love of books and nature, and our memory of him as
a friend and colleague. |
University of Connecticut |