Tsaile, AZ ‚ Navajo artist R.C. Gorman has donated his personal library collection to Dine College, the oldest and largest tribally controlled college. The collection includes significant items, including noteworthy works on Navajo history, language, and culture.

The signing of a memorandum of agreement with Dine College President Cassandra Manuelito-Kerkvliet was held at Gorman's home in Taos, N.M. earlier this month.

As a member of the Navajo Nation, Gorman wanted the gift to honor the memory of his late parents, Adelle Katherine Brown and Carl Gorman.

"I am extremely honored and proud to pay homage to my late parents." Said Gorman about the donation.

"Gorman's gift represents the largest gift received by Dine College from an individual Navajo since the college's inception in 1968. In response, Dine College will establish the R.C. Gorman Library Collection.

"We are honored that Mr. Gorman recognizes Dine College, the higher education institution of the Navajo, as befitting of such a considerable gift which will inspire our Navajo students to achieve their personal, academic, and artistic endeavors no matter what career or field of study they are pursuing." Said Manuelito-Kerkvliet.

"The mere size of Mr. Gorman's private library collection will augment the holdings of the college's libraries," she said, "which will benefit Dine College students, researchers, and the communities of the Navajo Nation."

Gorman's collection encompasses materials from numerous literary and artistic genres. The collection is especially notable for the invaluable works on Navajo culture, including hand-annotated editions of classic texts and what is believed to be the earliest Navajo Christian hymns, translated by one of Gorman's grandmothers.

The collection also includes numerous books on historic and contemporary arts and artists, including artists ranging from Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, and Van Gogh to Carl Gorman, a noted Navajo artist in his own right. College officials believe the books will enhance Dine College's fine arts curriculum and inform and inspire future generations of Navajo artists.

In addition, Gorman will be entrusting to Dine College his father's Congressional Gold Medal of Honor. The library will house a special showcase for the medal, which was awarded in honor of Carl Gorman's service during World War II as one of the original 29 Navajo Cod Talkers.

Ferlin Clark, a former vice-president for development at Dine College, helped facilitate the agreement between Gorman and the college.

"I hope others will follow Mr. Gorman's example and look to Dine College as their first choice of investment... " said Clark.

The R.C. Gorman Library Collection will be installed on the second floor of the college's main library. Cameron Daines, project manager of construction, helped plan and design the new library addition. Construction on the project is underway, with a target completion date in late July.