Friends of RBS

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The Friends of Rare Book School provide ongoing financial support for the School’s programs. Through contributions to the annual fund, the Friends directly support the School’s mission to provide innovative and outstanding educational opportunities for studying the history, care, and uses of written, printed, and digital materials. Most of the Friends have taken a course at the school; many of them have come back to attend additional RBS courses, and some of them have maintained their membership in the Friends for more than thirty years. All levels of support are welcomed and encouraged! A basic annual membership in the Friends of Rare Book School is $50.

The levels of giving are as follows:

  • Friend $50–$99
  • Good Friend $100–$249
  • Very Good Friend $250–$499
  • Close Friend $500–$999
  • Best Friend $1,000–$2,499
  • Sponsor $2,500–$4,999
  • Patron $5,000–$9,999
  • Benefactor $10,000+

Why your Annual Fund support matters

Rare Book School relies on the generosity of Friends to close the gap between tuition income and the actual costs of educating each student. Making a tax-deductible contribution to the Friends of Rare Book School demonstrates your commitment to advancing book history and bibliographical studies by supporting the education of students from all disciplines and skill levels. When you become a Friend, you help RBS:

  • Educate over 400 students each year on the history of manuscripts, typography, book illustration, bookbinding, descriptive bibliography, rare book librarianship, and related subjects;
  • Offer intensive, hands-on instruction with original source materials for examination and analysis;
  • Engage the public by presenting free lectures on topics related to the history of books;
  • Maintain and develop RBS’s teaching collection of some 100,000 objects;
  • Curate book-related exhibitions at the University of Virginia;
  • Advocate for the preservation and skillful interpretation of our bibliographical heritage;
  • Recruit and maintain outstanding teachers and scholars for our faculty;
  • Expand our programs to reach a broader, more diverse audience.