Refreshed, collaborative study spaces and new, innovative services are coming to Trent University’s iconic Bata Library, thanks to a generous gift of $1 million from longtime supporters of Trent University, David and Joan Moore, announced at an event today in celebration of Philanthropy Day at Trent.

“David and Joan have been friends and supporters of the University for more than 30 years,” said Dr. Leo Groarke, president and vice-chancellor at Trent. “We are profoundly grateful for their generosity and commitment to helping make Trent University a state of the art place of discovery and learning. This gift is the first investment in a project that will ensure that the Bata Library continues to serve our students and faculty for many years to come.”

David and Joan Moore’s transformational gift marks another milestone in Trent University’s $50 million fundraising campaign, Unleash the Potential, the University’s most ambitious philanthropy campaign to date, which aims to enrich the unique student experience at the University. The gift announcement follows on the heels of another $1 million gift from Trent alumnus, lawyer and Degrassi executive producer Stephen Stohn ’66 in support of the new Student Centre at the University. With the addition of the Moore’s $1 million gift, the campaign has now reached over 85% of its ambitious goal.

Speaking on their decision to support the library at Trent, Mr. Moore, an honorary member of Trent’s Board of Governors, said: “We chose the library because a university library is central to the learning and teaching process. We were convinced that by imaginative planning and repurposing, this wonderful facility, Bata Library could better reflect the student needs of collaborative space and state of the art computing power. What really excites me is looking at the library differently and seeing its potential. The Bata Library of the future will be less of a space to store books, read and be silent, and more of a place for innovation, inspiration and collaboration.”

A strategic plan for Bata Library, developed and finalized in 2014, includes four strategic directions: supporting teaching and learning, creating spaces for collaboration and learning, enabling research and scholarship and building partnerships. Building on the plan, the next step in the multi-million dollar project is a space renewal plan. 

“The vision includes many innovations, such as project rooms for collaborative work, small group study pods, a discovery centre for student research and innovation, a facility for the digital preservation of special collections and resources, an active learning classroom, and more,” explains Robert Clarke, University Librarian. “The library is more than a collection of books. Trent University and its library are defined by world-class research and education – 21^st century research, teaching and learning require new spaces, services and resources.”   

Mr. Moore is past commissioner of the Ontario Securities Commission and the retired vice-president and director from McLeod, Young, Weir (now Scotia McLeod) in Toronto. He joined the Board of Governors at Trent University in 1982 and led the University to one of the most significant campaign successes in its history as chair of the For Tomorrow Campaign in 1989. In 1993 Trent honoured Mr. Moore with an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. In 2011, he and Mrs. Moore donated $200,000 towards the construction of the Trent Athletics Centre. The Moore Family Cardio Loft is named in their honour. Mr. and Mrs. Moore also established the Moore Family Award at Trent University in 2004, an endowment that provides financial assistance to undergraduate students at Trent.

Mrs. Moore graduated from University of Toronto with a B.A. majoring in English. While at university she was on the intercollegiate diving team. Mrs. Moore has four children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Trent’s $50 Million Campaign is focused on three strategic priorities: to ensure students benefit from outstanding student experiences, to support ongoing teaching excellence, and to invest in world-class research. For more about this ambitious campaign, please visit trentu.ca/give