The John F. and Kathleen L. Gibbons Endowment for the Enrichment of Studies in American History was established in 1983. John F. “Jack” Gibbons (’63) is a member of the Hesburgh Libraries Advisory Council. He and his wife, Kay, a graduate of Saint Mary’s College, have six children. All of them are graduates of Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame.

American history impacts every aspect of life. This endowment is critical to the study of this important subject, as well as the broader field of humanities. The recent acquisition of key titles in a number of important fields has included resources on immigration studies, African-American history, and social history. Historical research has been greatly enhanced by the growing availability of digitized primary sources. The Gibbons Endowment has made it possible for the Libraries to provide students and faculty with access to these costly resources including historical documents, newspapers, letters, diaries, and travel accounts pertaining to all areas of American history. The collection of monographs and journals in print and electronic formats is also growing.

Other endowments supported by the family include the Thomas and Rosemary Gibbons and James and Helen Moore Library Endowment, the John F. and Kathleen L. Gibbons Endowment in American Catholic Studies, and the John F. and Kathleen L. Gibbons Family Endowment in Irish Studies.