Building the Book Grant

Mary Moule ’91 still remembers the frustration. Like many students receiving financial aid, she borrowed textbooks for her courses each semester from Williams’ 1914 Library. The lines were long, the selection was limited, and each book carried a stamp announcing her status as an aided student. Some students had to choose their courses based on the available books. The biggest challenge, Mary says, was not being able to make notes in the margins of the borrowed texts.

Now, through Alumni Fund and Parents Fund gifts, Mary and thousands of others are supporting Williams’ new book grant program, which during the 2018-19 academic year alone covered the cost of more than 17,000 textbooks for aided students.

Today, with a swipe of their ID cards, students can purchase textbooks and supplies at the Williams Bookstore, and the entire cost is covered. No more long lines, no stamps, no restrictions—and students can write in the margins as much as they’d like.