Frank and Eleanor Hart Library Endowment

Frank and Eleanor Hart

Franklin D. and Eleanor Hart have pledged to create the Frank and Eleanor Hart Library Endowment. The fund will produce income supporting the NCSU Libraries' collections in all subjects and formats. Hart, past president of the Friends of the Library, says, "Eleanor and I decided to found a library endowment because it is a lasting way to help the library. We are pleased to have a continuing part in helping to keep the NCSU Libraries strong and vigorous." Hart continued,

As any student who has gone through the university or anyone who worked for the university knows, it is important that NC State have rich library resources. These resources benefited me a number of times during my career at the university. In addition, those who love to read and love the pursuit of knowledge understand that getting the real information that defines a particular project is like being a detective. It is important that NC State students have the opportunity to learn this in a great library.

Hart's own personal experience taught him the importance of the Libraries to an NC State education; he received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from NC State and has spent most of his professional career at the university as well. Beginning as a faculty member in mechanical engineering in 1963, he became engineering's associate dean for research in 1980. He was named NC State's chief research officer (later research vice chancellor) in 1983. Hart became acting provost in 1990 and served as provost from 1991 to 1993. In 1993 Hart left NC State to become president of MCNC in the Research Triangle Park, retiring from the company in 1998. As acting provost and as provost, he advanced the library's standing and promoted its welfare within the university.

The Harts chose to create a general collections endowment to give library staff the greatest possible choice in addressing future challenges. Hart explains that donations

should give the greatest possible flexibility to the people who are running the library. Our endowment gives extensive leeway to the people in charge of building the collections. When you are working with a great group like the NCSU Libraries' staff, you let them use their expertise to get what needs to be gotten. We both love books, and we both have such great respect for the people at the library that we work with. It is a pleasure to have an association with the library and with the Friends of the Library, and a pleasure to give to support the library.

Eleanor Hart, like her husband, spent most of her professional career at NC State. After attending what is now Barton College, she worked with NC State's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, with the Agricultural Research Service in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and with the Department of Civil Engineering. "In her work with the College of Engineering," Hart says, "Eleanor looked after graduate students and, because of that, understands that a great university library is crucial to student success." In conclusion, Hart adds, "The library is the beacon of intellectual enlightenment on campus. It shines over every library user, over the campus, and over the community. We hope it is ever strong, vibrant, and improving."

Based on an original article by Tony Reevy, which appeared in vol. 21, no. 3 of the NCSU Libraries Focus (Spring 2001).