UFV Library receives Suzanne Klerks’ Collection

In addition to Suzanne Klerks’ legacy to UFV as an influential scholar and teacher, she left a very tangible bequest. After Suzanne’s death, her mother contacted the UFV Library. Elizabeth Klerks said that Suzanne’s wish was for her extensive personal library to be donated to the UFV Library.

As a result, UFV received over 80 boxes of books ranging in topics from Hercules to Chaucer. In total, we were able to add a remarkable 425 items to the UFV library collection: 65 hardcover books, 360 softcover books, and 41 music CDs. The catalogue record for each of these titles identifies the item as having been donated by Suzanne, which means that these records can be searched to create a bibliography of her donations. And when you’re browsing in the stacks, from time to time you’ll come across a book with a donation plate acknowledging Suzanne’s generosity.

Within Suzanne’s library there were quite a number of items that were not added to the collection for a variety of reasons including duplication of existing library titles, or the physical condition of the items. Over a period of months, we sold these items through our book sale table, with the proceeds of these sales going toward purchasing titles for the Library’s Heritage Collection. Suzanne’s books generated a great deal of interest. We know that many of the books sold were purchased by Suzanne’s former students and colleagues, and that they appreciated her sticky notes and the marginalia that they frequently found inside the books.

Thanks to Suzanne, our library collections have been enriched significantly. On behalf of the UFV community, the Library would like to acknowledge Suzanne, and thank her parents for carrying out her wishes.

Kim Isaac, UCFV Library Director



Updated Dec. 17, 2008