SDU Board of Governors makes significant donation to UPEI’s Robertson Library revitalization campaign
The University of Prince Edward Island is pleased to announce that the Saint Dunstan’s University (SDU) Board of Governors has donated $1,050,000 to the Robertson Library’s $15-million “Love Our Library” revitalization campaign.
In recognition of this generous donation, the high-traffic foyer within the Library will be named in honour of SDU, a predecessor to UPEI.
“The Saint Dunstan’s University Board of Governors is very pleased to be a major financial contributor to the UPEI building fund for the expansion and upgrade of the Robertson Library,” said chair Bob Pierce. “In supporting the revitalization of the Robertson Library, we recognize the essential role the facility plays in the education of UPEI students.”
UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor Wendy Rodgers expressed the University’s appreciation to the SDU Board of Governors for its generous support of the project.
“We are very grateful to the SDU Board of Governors for this generous donation to our library campaign,” said Rodgers. “The Library is essential to the University, serving everyone—students, faculty, researchers, and the general public. Robertson Library has served our campus well over the years, and now, with support from SDU, we will transform it into an innovative and inclusive hub that will meet the needs of our campus and broader community well into the future.”
Rodgers also thanked the SDU board for its past support of UPEI, saying that its dedication to the University has helped students to excel in their academic and professional lives, providing them with the knowledge and skills they need to be leaders in their communities.
University Librarian Donald Moses echoed Rodgers’ appreciation to the SDU board.
“The Library and the SDU board have worked together to highlight the history and important contributions of SDU, its graduates, and its role as a founding institution of UPEI,” he said. “The SDU board’s investment in the Library further enhances their long-standing role as champions of education on Prince Edward Island. We are very grateful for their ongoing support.”
UPEI launched the Robertson Library revitalization campaign on April 26, 2024. Funds raised will be used to support teaching and learning by upgrading existing group and individual study spaces, renovating former storage space to create new study areas, reducing barriers, and creating a more inclusive and accessible environment for users within and beyond the campus community. The Archives and Special Collections area will be expanded and enhanced to preserve the valuable historical documents and artifacts housed within it.
Opened in 1975, the Robertson Library has served the campus community, the province, and a world-wide community of users for almost 50 years. Today, with access to over 1.6 million unique books, 130,000 journals, and 100,000 streaming media, the Library connects the campus to a world of information. The Library is a leader in software development and digitization, providing online access to unique digital collections including the Saint Dunstan’s University collection, “A Decade of Growth: 1954–1964.”
The Library also offers information literacy skills training and unique learning opportunities and provides support for Open Education Resources (OER), reducing barriers to learning and making education more affordable.
UPEI stands on the former campus of SDU, which was operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlottetown from 1855 to 1969. Since the creation of UPEI in 1969, SDU has supported the University in numerous ways—from funding multiple student scholarships and awards, program and faculty support, and experiential learning to the Elder-in-Residence program, the food bank, and infrastructure projects such as the Performing Arts Centre and renovations to Main Building and the Dr. Steel Recital Hall. In recognition of SDU’s contributions, Main Building is named SDU Main Building, and the stage in the Dr. Steel Recital Hall is called the SDU Stage.
