Javits Foundation Establishes Largest Endowment for SBU Libraries

The Marian B. and Jacob K. Javits Foundation has given $1 million to create SBU Libraries’ largest endowment, which will help preserve, promote and make accessible the Senator Jacob K. Javits Collection at Stony Brook, with the hope that the public, scholars and elected officials can build on the legacy of the senator’s body of work.

Sen. Jacob Javits played a critical role in shaping national policies on civil rights, social justice, the arts and environmental protection during his more than three decades of service as an elected official from New York. He also had a long-standing relationship with former Stony Brook University President John H. Marburger III and spent time at the university, meeting with faculty and students and giving lectures on campus. In 1981, he gifted his papers, documenting his 34 years in public office, to Stony Brook. “It is my hope that this collection will be a source of creativity in human and governmental endeavors,” said Javits at the time.

“This collection serves as a powerful educational resource,” said Kristen Nyitray, director of Special Collections and University Archives. “It is not only an archive of the past, but a source for informed citizenship and critical thinking about the present and future.”

The collection features nearly 2 million items, including speeches, bills and campaign literature, audio and film recordings, photographs, artifacts and memorabilia, cartoons and correspondence. The papers document Javits’ political career as well as his intellectual development, decision-making processes and influence on American history, according to Jamie Saragossi, associate librarian and associate dean, content services. The collection gives users a deeper understanding of policies that have shaped the country and highlights his career achievements in public service. 

The foundation, run by Javits’ children, has worked with the University Libraries to maintain and expand access to the collection, supporting digitizing of Javits’ books and records to allow for a global reach. “We thought a high-caliber New York State academic institution, which already had a long and deep familiarity with our father’s papers, would be the perfect venue to maintain and disseminate his ideas and achievements,” said his son, Joshua Javits. 

The Sen. Jacob K. Javits Collection Engagement Fund will ensure that their father’s legacy lives on in perpetuity. The fund will be used to help maintain the archive; develop workshops and training sessions, including content that builds literacy, broadens historical knowledge and fosters civic responsibility; provide hands-on training in archival practices; and support at least two scholars each year to travel to Stony Brook to conduct research using the Javits Collection in person and present their findings to both the internal and external Stony Brook communities. This project also received institutional support to begin programming as the endowment builds.

“We are profoundly grateful for the generous endowment received to maintain the Sen. Jacob K. Javits Collection. As we navigate these challenging times, it’s more important than ever to ensure access to such invaluable resources,” said SBU Libraries Dean Karim Boughida. “By facilitating enhanced access to the collection, we honor Sen. Javits’ legacy and reaffirm our commitment to serving as a hub of knowledge and collaboration for all.”

Sen. Javits’ daughter Carla said that he loved public education and was always interested in bringing young people into conversations about civic leadership. “By making the collection more accessible, we hope the practical ideas and concepts that he worked on his whole life will inspire people and the future of policymaking,” said Carla.

Information about the collection can be accessed on the SBU Libraries Special Collections website. To contact Kristen Nyitray, email kristen.nyitray@stonybrook.edu.

Funding for the Jacob K. Javits Collection Engagement Fund will be amplified by the New York State endowment match program and the Simons Infinity Investment Match Challenge, which will triple the impact this endowment gift will have on Stony Brook. For more information, visit stonybrook.edu/endowments. If you have interest in or questions about endowments or the match opportunities, contact Scott Barrett, interim vice president of Advancement, at (631) 632-9128 or scott.barrett@stonybrook.edu. 

-Story by Christine McGrath
-Photos by Tyler Mooney