Robert D. Farber University Archives and Special Collections

 In 1990 the Libraries were able to preserve nearly 100 original posters from the Spanish Civil War with the assistance of grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives and the Program for Cultural Cooperation Between Spain’s Ministry of Culture and United States’ Universities. The posters are a unique resource for both historians and art students.

In 1991, the Reference Department of the libraries implemented a new way of providing Information Desk and Research Consultation Services that has come to be known as “the Brandeis Model.” Making use of trained graduate students at the Information Desk to answer basic reference questions, the professional reference librarians schedule appointments with library users in order to offer in-depth research assistance. In 1996, the Brandeis Model of reference services was cited in a survey published in the Journal of Academic Librarianship as providing the highest customer satisfaction among academic reference libraries in the U.S.

Also in 1991, the Libraries received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to create an index to the Chaim Weizmann archives.

In 1993, the Libraries moved to the DRA automated system, still in use.

The Sakharov Archives (now housed at Harvard University) include materials pertaining to the scientific activities of Andrei Sakharov and to his struggle for human rights in Russia. The photograph at left shows him addressing the Congress of People’s Deputies in Moscow, U.S.S.R. in June 1989.

In 1996, the Libraries acquired their one millionth volume. An edition of the Leeser Bible, the first American Jewish translation of the Old Testament, was designated as the one millionth book. In honor of the occasion, the Brandeis University National Women’s Committee created a $500,000 endowment for materials in American Judaica. The first purchase from the new endowment was the Jacob Radar Marcus Collection, a collection of materials created by the prominent scholar.

The Center for Information and Multimedia Technologies was established in the Farber Library, providing a computer laboratory where faculty members have access to state-of-the-art information technologies in order to create courseware. CIMTECH also provides a computer-equipped classroom where faculty members may take advantage of the latest information technologies in order to present classes.

In 1997, with a gift from Leonard L. Farber, Brandeis University established a university archive located in the Main Library. The Robert D. Farber Archives houses materials of historical interest relating to Brandeis faculty, staff, students and the University itself.

The Brandeis University National Women’s Committee, formed in 1948, has supported the University Libraries since the founding of the University. By the end of 1997, the National Women’s Committee had raised well over $60 million through the years in support of the Libraries.