Penn Libraries Announces 3 Million Dollar Endowment Gift to Name Vice Provost and Director of Libraries Position

Thanks to the generosity of the Penn Libraries Board of Overseers and the Orrery Society Council under the leadership of Board Chair, Judy Bollinger and Vice Chair, Erik Gershwind, the Penn Libraries are delighted to announce the newly endowed H. Carton Rogers III Vice Provost and Director of Libraries position at the University of Pennsylvania. The position bears the name of Vice Provost and Director, H. Carton Rogers III, whose forty-three-year career with the Penn Libraries will conclude with his retirement in June of 2018. The endowment was made possible through a 3 million dollar gift from the Penn Libraries’ Board of Overseers and the Orrery Society Council.

During his thirteen-year tenure as Vice Provost and Director of Libraries, Rogers has transformed spaces, strategically shaped departments, invested in cutting-edge technology, and bolstered community outreach initiatives across the system to bring the Penn Libraries into the 21st Century. Gershwind and Bollinger feel this work has positioned the Penn Libraries as the University’s engine for sharing Penn breakthroughs with the world. “Carton has created a space to enable disciplines to intersect, and to connect theory and practice at Penn. He has moved our impact beyond our campus in to the community, especially through our partnership with Philadelphia public schools, which has allowed us to re-open numerous school libraries across the city,” says Gershwind. “We hope that having his name attached to the position inspires future Penn Libraries leaders to innovate and lead boldly,” says Bollinger.

University Provost Wendell Pritchett believes that Rogers’ visionary leadership has not only propelled the Penn Libraries but also transformed educational life at the University of Pennsylvania. Pritchett states, “This tremendous gift is a fitting recognition of his profound impact, which will be felt for generations to come. President Gutmann and I are indebted to the Libraries Overseers for their generosity in helping us to honor one of our greatest university citizens.”

The gift marks the launch of the Power of Penn Libraries Campaign, which seeks to strengthen the Penn Libraries’ ability to lead innovation in education both within the Penn community, and to increase and enhance their community outreach programs in Philadelphia.