The Margaret Conway Library Collection in Medieval Studies was established in 1988 by Robert M. Conway (’66). It honors Margaret Conway, who devoted her life to her family of seven children, including Patrick (’57) and Robert. In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees, Robert is on the Ireland Advisory Council and the Performing Arts Advisory Council. He received an honorary doctorate from the University in 2005. Robert has also endowed the Directorship of the Medieval Institute, the Robert M. Conway Endowment for the Medieval Institute, and the Robert M. and Ricki Conway Endowment for Excellence for the Performing Arts, and established Conway Hall in London, England. He has two daughters, Rebecca and Caroline.

The Medieval Institute Library offers quality, accessibility, and breadth to the scholars it draws from around the world. The Conway Endowment enables the library to keep up with current publications in the Medieval Institute’s traditional areas of special strength: theology, philosophy, church history, education, and manuscript studies. This core collection is further broadened with supporting scholarly works and also some original pieces. Studying these pieces is a thrill for faculty and students.

The Conway fund has contributed greatly to the quality of the medieval studies collection at Notre Dame, boosting the prominence of the Hesburgh Libraries and, in turn, the entire University.