On December 9, the American Library Association (ALA) announced a $25 million bequest by James W. Lewis, of Washington, D.C. The gift, the largest individual bequest in ALA’s history, will fund scholarships for aspiring librarians.
The statement reads as follows:
James W. Lewis, of Washington, D.C., fondly remembers trips to the public library in his hometown of New Bern, North Carolina. As a preschooler, Lewis’s parents would take him to the library, housed in the historic John Wright Stanly House.
From those early memories to his more recent involvement serving on the Board of Trustees of the District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL), Lewis has maintained a special connection to libraries.
Lewis has made the largest individual bequest to the American Library Association in the Association’s history. The approximately $25 million bequest is truly transformational and will fund scholarships for aspiring librarians, ensuring future generations of highly educated and committed librarians prepared to meet the informational needs of their communities, according to Leslie Burger, ALA interim executive director.
Lewis’s gift will fund library school scholarships for students with demonstrated financial needs. These scholarships will benefit legions of young people who would otherwise be unable to pursue professional librarianship.
“As the first Spectrum Scholar elected as ALA president, I am proof that scholarships help students obtain degrees to elevate their careers, and we are grateful for this gift to support the library profession,” said ALA President Cindy Hohl. “At the American Library Association, we know the work of our librarians across all library types is incredibly important to help strengthen the impact of knowledge workers in society as we strive to serve as leaders for the public good. The role of the library is to provide a safe space for everyone to learn together, and librarians work hard to ensure their libraries serve the whole community. We know this gift will help aspiring librarians obtain education to help us serve our communities in a good way.”
Throughout Lewis’s career at Merrill Lynch, where he leads the Lewis Group as senior vice president and senior relationship manager, he has demonstrated his commitment to libraries and their communities by generously volunteering his time, including as a member of the Board of Visitors at the library of his alma mater, Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
A career librarian and longtime friend of Lewis’s inspired him to become a candidate for the Library Trustee Board at DCPL. With appointments confirmed by the mayor of the District of Columbia and the city council, Lewis’s service at DCPL spanned 10 years.
This gift will honor Lewis’s parents, J. Vance and Blanche B. Lewis, who always encouraged education. Lewis credits his commitment to libraries to his parents.
“Libraries are the most democratic institutions we have,” he said. “With libraries, anyone can walk in and benefit, not only from the books but from the resources and full offerings libraries provide to their communities, including computers, technology training and assistance, career building, homework help, and literacies of all kinds, including health and financial literacy. Libraries are one of our last community spaces where people can go without economic barrier to entry and be welcome.”
Burger expressed gratitude to Lewis for his gift.
“Mr. Lewis’s exceptionally generous bequest ensures the library profession will remain strong for years to come by funding scholarships,” she said. “The gift will enable generations of library leaders to serve their communities by removing the financial restrictions for those without the economic means to afford their master’s in library sciences.”
The American Library Association provides more than $300,000 in scholarships annually for studies toward master’s degrees in library and information science at ALA-accredited library schools. In the future, the bequest from Lewis could triple the funds available to support scholarships, significantly expanding educational access.
As ALA approaches its 150th anniversary, Lewis’s generosity garners a distinguished place in ALA history while positively impacting the future of librarianship.
