Four years ago, the Brandeis University National Women's Committee (BUNWC) donated their 1 millionth book to the Brandeis Libraries. Since the inception of the University in 1948, BUNWC has provided Brandies with over $73 million to update and improve its libraries.This academic year's commitment is $3 million. And on Sept. 30, more than $778,000 had already been raised with no signs of slowing down.

In addition to donating books to the libraries, BUNWC upgrades computer technology, preserves and repairs damaged books, provides annual subscriptions to journals that faculty and students require to learn and conduct research and maintains an endowed fund that compliments their annual fundraising.

Also, the Library Scholar Program provides salaries for more than 100 Brandies students who work part-time in the libraries.

Residing in Phoenix, Ariz., Carol Kern, President of the Brandeis University National Women's Committee spends one week per month working at Brandeis. She facilitates fundraising events, maintains a strong partnership with the University, and connects the committee with 92 chapters nationwide. The national headquarters is located on campus, occupied by the committee's only paid employees -- just 17 people.

BUNWC is the largest "friends-of-a-library" group in the United States, with over 44,000 members who raise funds for Brandeis Libraries. Most members have not attended or visited the Brandeis campus. Kern attributed the interest in joining BUNWC to Brandeis being a non-sectarian university, founded by the American Jewish Communities.

Three times a year, the 44,000 members receive an edition of Imprint, the original publication of the National Headquaters. Imprint keeps members informed about the committee and current events at Brandeis. "Our members like to know what's happening with the students. One of the most meaningful parts of what we do is knowing what the students are doing and learning," Kern said.

Kern said BUNWC volunteers make the organization unique and able to function: "We try our very best to engage people in our mission. It is really a phenomenon that no other University in the country has -- just Brandeis. People believe in the (committee's) mission to fundraise."

When Kern is not taking care of her family at home, she is busy recruiting members to chapters and organizing a yearly book and author event in her hometown. She started this initiative 13 years ago, and since then, the event has grown to raise an annual $40 to $60 thousand. While each chapter holds different fundraising events -- from book and author events to coffee and tea parties -- there is also major donor solicitation.

"We have an excellent development department," Kern said. "Many of our donors have been active members for years and believe strongly in the philosophy of the University and support it financially through major gifts."

Recently, BUNWC has been trying to sell books over the internet. The web-cites, Brandeisbooks.com, has approximately 600 titles, and continues to grow. "Barnes and Noble has even bought books from us. It's really very exciting," Kern said.

Since BUNWC has raised substantial funds, their mission has expanded. Now there are endowed scholarship funds from several chapters -- Los Angeles, Phoenix and North Shore Ill. BUNWC believes that for the University to maintain its level of excellence, it must continue to attract eligible students who could not otherwise afford to attend.

This year, BUNWC scholarships went to Vanessa Anik '05, Andrea Bosquez-Porter, Heller Graduate School, and Olga Oksman '04.

Members are encouraged to fundraise through University Outreach, a program which brings Brandeis professors to nationwide chapters to give lectures. Kern said its purpose is to stir passion for learning.

After the program's inception in 1973, it continues to spawn interest and attract new members. In fact, eight years ago men wanted to join their wives in attending the lectures. Now there are over 14,000 male members in BUNWC.

Director of Programming Beth Bernstein, is in charge of University Outreach. "University Outreach is our way of getting a connection to the University so our chapters can experience the Brandeis faculty and see what our students are learning," she said. "It gives members a sense of pride for affiliation to bring a Brandeis professor into their community. It's very important to them and they look forward to it each year."

Faculty members visit as many chapters as possible. During academic breaks, many professors visit Florida, Texas, and the west coast. When chapters request a visit from a professor, BUNWC does its best to accommodate.

Prof. Engerman (HIST) recently traveled to Florida to give a lecture entitled: The Nightmare of the Past: How Soviet History Made Today's Russia. Engerman said, "[University Outreach] is a big event. Members are all excited to see me, to hear about Brandeis and to learn; I'd be happy to do it again. My part is pretty small.

"What the library is is in large part because of the Brandeis National Women's Committee. As a teacher being able to count on the strength of the Brandeis library, as well as a scholar doing my own research, I am so grateful for the committee. Almost every book has (their) nameplate."

Faculty are paid for University Outreach, depending on the extent of visits. But, as Berstein said, "it's not big bucks for what they do. They go above and beyond the call of duty, finding time to do this in between teaching and caring for their families. We understand this and we pay them a small amount. But, they do this because it's Brandeis and we are entirely grateful."

In addition to University Outreach, there are study group courses created by Brandeis faculty exclusively for BUNWC chapters. According to Bernstein, thousands of people now join to learn. Study groups began in 1956 when Professor Fuchs wrote the first two syllabi -- Contemporary Problems in American Education and Contemporary Problems in American Foreign Policy.

Brandeis Professors now have created over 80 syllabi for members to use and learn from; there is everything from Shakespeare, Woman's Studies, Topics of Jewish Interest, Contemporary Issues, Religion, The Arts and Popular Culture and Access Files.

"What we love most is helping the students get the best education they can through our support of the libraries and resource materials," Kern said. "The one thing that is constant is that we believe in the values of this University. Regardless of our programs, this will remain constant.