UNH Library

University of New Hampshire Library
A Member of the Boston Library Consortium

Site Search
Comments
Virtual Tour

Gareth and Janet Dunleavy

Gareth was a true Friend of the UNH Library – he gave us his Chaucer Collection several years ago -- an outstanding collection that included a copy of the beautiful Kelmscott Chaucer. He added to the original gift over the years, while establishing another collection dedicated to women writers in honor of his late wife, Janet. In addition, Gareth provided us with an endowment so that the library can continue adding appropriate volumes to both collections.

He was a bibliomaniac to the end. Over lunch last month, conversation veered wildly between presidential politics and books. Earlier this year, he gave the UNH Library a 1607 copy of the Geneva Bible, the version preferred by the early settlers to New England. Most recently, in recognition of world events, he gave us a copy of the first English translation of the Koran, published in London in 1649.

Gareth never attended UNH nor did he ever teach here in a formal sense. It bears repeating that Gareth’s strong feelings for the UNH Library grew out of how well he was treated by library staff. He first came to the “library” in the late 1990s, when Dimond Library was under construction and services were spread across campus. He never forgot the cheerful assistance he received in the midst of such upheaval. This kindness was rewarded a couple of years later when he sought a good home for his collection.

Please visit The Gareth and Janet Dunleavy Chaucer Collection online. And if the opportunity arises over the next few days or weeks, raise a pint of Guinness to Gareth. I know he’d appreciate it.

Bill Ross
Professor and Head
Milne Special Collections and Archives