Big Orange Give, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s annual day of giving, will take place Wednesday, November 18. This year, the Libraries’ goal is $30,000. Gifts made to the Libraries’ Annual Fund will be used to ensure the Libraries can continue to meet the needs of UT students in this year’s hybrid in-person/virtual learning environment.

To encourage support, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology William M. Bass is issuing a challenge to the Vol Community: If individual donors give $20,000 to UT Libraries, he will generously contribute the final $10,000 to meet the goal.

Last year, library lovers showed their Vol Spirit by giving an unprecedented $38,773. Much of these funds went to support “Rising from the Ashes,” an oral history project documenting the 2016 Gatlinburg wildfires.

The campaign will be driven primarily through the Big Orange Give campaign website and UT Libraries’ social media channels. Follow the along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates throughout the day.

Those wishing to participate in the Big Orange Give may give online on November 18. The campus-wide goal is to raise $2.5 million in just 24 hours, with the support and enthusiasm of all Tennessee Volunteers. Additionally, if you would like to become a Big Orange Give Ambassador and advocate on behalf of UT on November 18, you can sign up here. As an Ambassador, you’ll receive an Ambassador Toolkit with everything you need to garner support for your favorite area of campus.

All gifts are 100 percent tax deductible and many employers match gifts. For more information on the campaign, visit bigorangegive.utk.edu.