The positions are formally known as the Littauer Judaica Student Assistantships. Ten students make up the first group funded by the grant. Of some 8,600 students variously employed throughout the University, more than 1,000 work in the University Library. With over 350 Judaica Book Fund endowments, Harvard maintains the most comprehensive Judaica acquisitions program of any university research library. At the same time, all other Judaica libraries have been forced to curtail their acquisitions programs because of financial constraints, and the situation is likely to get worse.
Similar considerations surround cataloging.
Coming in the midst of the current University Campaign, it is a most timely message, and we hope it will be very helpful to the Library in encouraging other donors to do likewise. Amid today's widespread financial cutbacks, Berlin pointed out, grants such as the Littauer gift allow students to support themselves while performing intellectually challenging tasks. The work is not mechanical or rote. All of it requires a great deal of thought and attention. Over the years, we've had some very impressive students who have done absolutely superb work.