Memories of visiting Wilson Library as a student helped inspire a tradition of giving for Caroline Finch Ives ’03, MAC ’04.
By Michele Lynn
During an undergraduate English class, Caroline Finch Ives ’03, MAC ’04 visited the Wilson Special Collections Library to review diaries written during the Civil War. “I felt how extraordinary the documents were through the special care that the staff took with them,” she says.
That experience helped influence the choice Ives and her husband, Michael (MAC ’04, MBA ’12), made more than 20 years later to support the Wilson Library Fellowships program at the University Libraries. The fellowships make it possible for researchers and instructors at Carolina and other institutions to work directly with the collections and staff at Wilson Library.
“The Libraries are not only about collections, but also the people who run and manage the Libraries, maintain the collections and make them available to scholars,” says Ives. She noted that travel costs can be prohibitive for researchers from out of the area who “want to use our incredible collections to drive their impactful research.”
Ives appreciates that Wilson Library Fellows return to campus to present their findings in the Wilson Library Research Forum series as a way of giving back. “It’s a nice way to continue to educate others and keep the collections alive,” she says.
The Libraries are not only about collections, but also the people who run and manage the Libraries, maintain the collections and make them available to scholars.
— Caroline Finch Ives
In addition to supporting the Libraries philanthropically, Ives is an active volunteer, now in her fourth year as a member of the Friends of the Libraries Board of Directors. She got involved because of her desire to reconnect with the Carolina community. As vice chair of the board, Ives enjoys spreading the word about the importance of supporting all of Carolina’s libraries.
“Everyone who attended Carolina benefited from the Libraries in ways they might not even realize,” says Ives. “The more I’m involved with Carolina’s libraries, the more I have learned that a strong academic library is central to the University’s success.”
Ives first developed a love of libraries in Wilson, North Carolina, where she grew up. “It is hard to compare anything to UNC’s Wilson Library, but my hometown library is historic, beautiful and located in a grand building,” she says. “It was always fun to go to the library.”
Caroline and Michael met at the start of their UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Master of Accounting program. The couple, who live in Raleigh with their two school-aged sons, share a belief in investing in their communities. “We choose to give to UNC because we both realize how lucky and grateful we are for everything that we have experienced and received from the University,” she says.
Ives looks forward to “big things on the horizon over the next decade for the Libraries,” including Wilson Library’s centennial in 2029. “The recent work on master space planning will ensure that all library spaces are utilized to their full potential,” she says. “Everyone at the Libraries is committed to making sure that we are prepared for the next generation of students, faculty and scholars.”
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