In early America, Benjamin Franklin and his fellow civic-minded colonists formed voluntary associations to improve society in early America. Franklin encouraged the establishment of libraries in order 鈥渢o render the benefit from books more common.鈥� Today, the Associates of the Spirit of America Collection is a new voluntary effort in support of the Marvin and Sybil Weiner Spirit of America Collection at the FAU Libraries. Marvin Weiner collected rare early American and European books dating to the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries to replicate the libraries of founding thinkers like Franklin. In 2006 he donated the collection, which is unique in the American southeast and of national importance, to FAU.
As a Member, you help support . . .
1. Preservation and access for this amazing collection about America鈥檚 origins
2. Public exhibitions that make the Spirit of America available to the South 吃瓜网 community
3. Public lectures in the library and beyond
4. Fellowships for scholars visiting and using the collection
5. Educating the next generation about the ideals and struggles of the nation鈥檚 founding
Annual Membership Levels and Programming
Franklin鈥檚 Apprentices $25/year for students; $100/year for the general public
听听听听 Invitation to collection events such as lectures and exhibits
Adams鈥檚 Delegates $250/year
听听听听 Early invitation to collection events such as lectures and exhibits
Jefferson鈥檚 Cabinet $1,000/year
听听听听 Preferred seating at lectures and priority status at events
听听听听 Invitation to a guided tour of exhibits related to the collection
Washington鈥檚 Inner Circle $2,000/year and above
听听听听 All of the above benefits
听听听听 Invitation to an exclusive yearly salon where patrons can learn from experts and interact with the material more closely
听 听 听
Additionally, all Associates of the Collection will, with their permission, be recognized on the Weiner Collection website.听听
听to become a Weiner Associate today.听 听听
Franklin鈥檚 Apprentices
听 听 听 听 听Sidney Turner
Adams鈥檚 Delegates
听 听 听 听 听Arthur Winston
听 听 听 听 听Howard and Carol Wulfson听
Washington鈥檚 Inner Circle
听 听 听 听 听Howard and Judith Weiner听
听 听 听 听 听Herbert and Sheila Weiner听
Founding Associates of the Spirit of America Collection (2018-19)
Franklin鈥檚 Apprentices
听听听听听听听听听听听听 Peter and Anne Valentine
听听听听听听听听听听听 Jeffrey Rubin
听听听听听听听听听听听 Alan and Maxine Bueller
听听听听听听听听听听听 Arthur Winston (renewed 2019-22)
听听听听听听听听听听听 Jack Spiegelman
听听听听听听听听听听听 Isadora Freedman
听听听听听听听听听听听 Howard and Carol Wulfson (renewed 2019-22)
听听听听听听听听听听听 Marshall Sigel
听 听 听 听 听 听 Anthony Carmona
听 听 听 听 听 听 Sidney Turner (renewed 2019-22)
Adams鈥檚 Delegates
听听听听听听听听听听听听 Ronald Gots
听听听听听听听听听听听 Michael and Marlene Goss
听 听 听 听 听 听 Walker and Millicent Duvall
Jefferson鈥檚 Cabinet
Washington鈥檚 Inner Circle
听 听 听 听 听 听 Howard and Judith Weiner (renewed 2019-22)
听听听听听听听听听听听 Herbert and Sheila Weiner听 (renewed 2019-22)
Joining the听 Associates 听is an easy, 2-step process:
STEP 1. Make your donation 听at听 听 to the Howard and Judith Weiner Spirit of America Advancement Fund.
听or
听If you prefer to听 pay by check, please make it out to the FAU Foundation and write HUM 745 on the memo line. Please also include a short note stating that you would like this contribution to go into 鈥淗UM 745, the Howard and Judith Weiner Spirit of America Advancement Fund.鈥� This should be sent directly to:
听听听听听听听听听听听 FAU Foundation Inc.
听听听听听听听听听听听 777 Glades Road, ADM 295
听听听听听听听听听听听 Boca Raton, FL 33431
STEP 2. Contact 听Dr. Jason Sharples at听 jsharples@fau.edu 听 or (561) 297-4928 to get your name on the mailing list.