The Vincent J. Duncan Family Library Endowment was established in 1985 by the late Vincent J. Duncan (’44). Vincent was president of Club Oil and Gas, Ltd., an oil exploration company in Denver, Colorado. Vincent was also the chairman of Durango Ski Corporation and the operator and owner of Purgatory Ski Resort in southwestern Colorado. In addition to serving on Notre Dame’s Advisory Council for the Hesburgh Libraries, he was a member of the University of Denver Chancellor’s Society, the Regis College President’s Council, the Lions Club, and other civic and professional organizations. Vincent is survived by six children, three of whom are Notre Dame graduates.

The Hesburgh Libraries touch every aspect of the University of Notre Dame. Students and faculty use journals, books, databases, and collections for study and discovery in every field. The unrestricted nature of the Duncan Endowment enables the Hesburgh Libraries to supplement underfunded collections and areas of critical or imminent need. Such needs result when a new program is established, interdisciplinary studies spring up outside of departmental boundaries, or a new emphasis stretches the resources of traditional program support. The Duncan Endowment has helped to support collections in a variety of disciplines, including gender studies, the history of technology, and computer science.