Bequests and Gifts-in-Kind
The University of Toronto Libraries founded the PJRC in 1994 thanks to the generous financial support of Petro Jacyk, a Toronto businessman and philanthropist, and his Foundation. This was one of several of Mr. Jacyk's permanent contributions to the University of Toronto Libraries. He funded the Petro Jacyk Collection of Ukrainian Serials (1848-1918) in 1982, and created an endowment to support the acquisition of Ukrainian publications in 1994. The PJRC’s mission broadens his interests in Ukrainian culture, education, and scholarship, by supporting research on all the countries of East-Central Europe, Russia, and Eurasia.
The Slavic- and East European-language collections at the University of Toronto Libraries have benefited from the philanthropy of other benefactors who set up the following endowed or expendable funds:
- Seweryn Windyk Library Fund (1975)
- Szechnyi-Canadian Library Book Fund (1982)
- Hungarian Library Materials Fund (1991)
- Petro Jacyk Ukraine Serials Fund (1994)
- Central and East European Resource Centre Reference Material (1994)
- The Josef F. Scheybal Czech Collection (1996)
- John Zdunic Fund (2003)
- Petro Jacyk Educational Foundation Fund (2008)
- John and Mary Yaremko Foundation (2008)
- Joseph and Antonia Medwecki Polish Fund (2009)
- Alexandra and Bohdan Bulchak Fund (2014)
- Memorial Fund in honour of Elvi Aer (2022)
- Petlice Books Fund (2023)
The development of the library collections could not have taken place over the past century without the hundreds of generous gifts of library materials from individual and institutional donors. The PJRC gratefully recognizes all those people and organizations who have helped build the premier Slavic and East European library collection in Canada.
For more on how you can support the continuing development of the library’s collections please contact the University of Toronto Library’s Office of Advancement at 416-978-7644 or the University's Office of Gift Planning at 416 978 1221 (Toll free: 1 800 463 6048). If you wish to donate books or periodicals of scholarly value, please contact the Slavic Resources Coordinator.