Tom Peterson

Tom Peterson owns a book collection of 4,000 technology volumes dating back to the 1500s. His favorites include a first edition Galileo; an early edition Benjamin Franklin; and an original signed photograph of Albert Einstein. Over the years, he has had many of his own rare books restored and valued the results, so he wanted to do the same for MIT.

Recently, Peterson gave the Institute $1.5 million to establish the Thomas F. Peterson, Jr. (1957) conservator position at MIT Libraries. The gift will make it possible for MIT's collection of rare books and materials to be preserved in perpetuity. Peterson's gift is one of the largest ever made by an individual to the MIT Libraries. "I just wanted to get this project started," he says. "I really wanted to preserve rare books for scholars to use 500 years from now."

Peterson came to MIT in 1953. He continued his studies until his father fell ill, which prompted him to return to Cleveland to work in the family business. He joined Preformed Line Products, a manufacturer of components for the energy and communications industries, where he spent 10 years and rose to executive vice president. Then, he launched his own company, Motion Picture Sound, Inc., a firm that produced sophisticated audio for movies and television. The company edited film, added music to industrial films, and recorded the voices of narrators. His clients included the Pentagon, PBS, NASA, and Disney World. Peterson was in business for 20 years, before turning his love for invention into three electrical technology patents.

In the 1970s, Peterson began collecting rare books. "I wanted MIT to be able to preserve books in a fully professional way. If there is a 200-year-old edition in need of repair, I did not want someone to say, 'What's another five years before we restore it?' I wanted to be sure there were funds available now," says Peterson, quoting Lawrence Clark Powell, an author and librarian, who said, "No university in the world has ever risen to greatness without a correspondingly great library."

Jim and Marianne Rothnie

Colorful canvases with sun-splashed landscapes of Italy and coastal Carolina fill Jim Rothnie's home art studio. Painting is an interest this MIT alumnus is able to devote more time to since he and his wife, Marianne, retired to South Carolina in 2002. When Jim reminisces about his years at MIT, he paints a picture that is as warm and vibrant as his artwork.

"I loved being a student at MIT," said Rothnie when he recalls the excitement around learning that he found amongst his MIT peers. Jim's fond memories of MIT and his gratitude to the Institute where he earned three degrees (SB in EECS in 1970, and an SM and PhD in civil engineering in 1972) recently inspired the Rothnies to establish a $50,000 endowment for the MIT Libraries.

Jim and Marianne, who met in the third grade, were married while Jim was in graduate school. He attended MIT on an ROTC scholarship and joined the Army after completing his graduate work. Jim held positions with the Department of Defense, the Computer Corporation of America, Kendall Square Research Corporation and Data General before becoming Chief Technology Officer of EMC Corp., the world's largest data storage company, in 1995. At EMC Jim oversaw the development of innovative technologies designed to archive massive data files.

His background in data storage led to an interest in MIT Libraries' DSpace project—the digital archive created by Hewlett-Packard and the Libraries to store and preserve MIT's intellectual output. Rothnie lends his insight and expertise in this area by serving on MIT Libraries' visiting committee. He feels the challenges of digital archiving—including changing media formats and scholarly communication issues—are areas where the MIT Libraries can make a difference.

"The Libraries are at the cusp of something very important. I'd like to see MIT continue to be a leader in this area." Rothnie said. He and Marianne also feel it's important for the Libraries to provide spaces for students to study. Jim used the libraries as a quiet space for studying away from the commotion of his fraternity and feels it's important for MIT to offer welcoming environments conducive to study and learning. The Rothnies' unrestricted gift will help the Libraries to fund areas of greatest need.

Larry Young

Former astronaut Larry Young may have spent his long career in a futuristic field, but he knows scholars will always need the history held by libraries. "A Google search is not a substitute for library scholarship," said Young, the MIT Apollo Program Professor of Astronautics.

Young speaks from personal experience. As an MIT alumnus and member of the faculty for 43 years, he has benefited from MIT's research libraries for decades. A widely-recognized expert in the field of aerospace medicine, Young has focused his research on the interaction of the eyes and inner ear—the components that determine motion sickness during spaceflight—and created models widely used in the field. In addition to using library resources, Young has also added to them; his own books on motion sensation are part of the collection.

In 1962, Young co-founded the MIT Man Vehicle Laboratory, which focuses on interdisciplinary research on the effects of air and space travel on pilots and passengers. He trained at the Johnson Space Center as a payload specialist astronaut before becoming the first holder of the newly-created Apollo Program chair in Astronautics. In 1995, NASA recognized his development of an expert system for astronauts with a Space Act Award. He has been elected to two National Academies, the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Engineering, as well as the International Academy of Astronautics.

Throughout his long and prestigious career, Young has kept in mind the fundamental role of the MIT Libraries in advancing knowledge. Recently he established a gift annuity to support the Aeronautics and Astronautics Library. In return, Young will receive a guaranteed, fixed income—much of which will be tax-free—for the rest of his life. He also received a charitable income tax deduction in the year of his gift. But more than these benefits, Young values the satisfaction of knowing his gift will make a difference to the library.

"I chose to make a gift now rather than just including MIT in my will," he said, "because I want to enjoy it while I'm still around. This gift is a legacy to future students and to my grandchildren, who will someday find in the library the value of what's gone before them, and perhaps share my appreciation of MIT."

Find out more about making a planned gift