Fresno State Athletics
Hitting the Books
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Jan. 27, 2000
FRESNO, Calif. - Jerry Tarkanian made a big decision when he accepted the job as Fresno State's men's basketball coach in 1995. Many believed he was done coaching since leaving UNLV in 1992 after 31 years of instruction at the college level. But Tarkanian wanted to give back to the school he graduated from in 1955, and resurrect a Bulldog basketball program that had experienced only two winning seasons in the previous 10 years.
While Tarkanian may not feel that he has gotten the Bulldogs to the next plateau, Fresno State has had four consecutive 20-win seasons since his arrival. He has lured talented athletes from Michigan, Illinois, North Carolina, New York and even Italy. Basically, Tark is the chief reason the Central Valley is excited about basketball again.
Last year, Tarkanian contributed to Fresno State outside of his basketball responsibilities. The university's Madden Library received a generous gift from Tarkanian and his wife Lois, also a graduate of Fresno State. The couple made a donation of $100,000 to establish the Jerry and Lois Tarkanian Book Fund that is used to purchase needed books for the library. This year the Tarkanian family made another unselfish contribution, donating $5,000 to launch a fund raising program called Baskets for Books. This program will help insure that the Tarkanian Book Fund is never drained.
"Lois an I wanted to give something special to the University," Tarkanian said. "I personally wanted to contribute in other ways than just athletically."
Tarkanian believes a library is the center of any university. The information and resources it provides is essential to the education of the students and the rest of the community. The Madden Library is unique in that it is the only university-level research library in a 400-mile area. Fresno State has aimed to serve the role as a regional resource in the Central Valley, and the Madden Library yields the resources this area needs.In recent years, the library's book budget has been under considerable financial constraint. Because of the rising costs of new academic books and the increasing necessity to provide electronic resources, the Madden Library was very thankful for the Tarkanian's kindness. Now the library will be able to replenish its shelves with new books and continue to add needed resources.
"The library is central to this university," Tarkanian said. "Being able to donate to a very important part of [Fresno State] and to the community as a whole has been a rewarding experience."
The establishment of the Baskets for Books program allows the basketball team and the community to directly contribute to the Madden Library. Individual and corporate sponsors are now pledging a certain dollar amount each time the `Dogs score. For every basket the team converts these sponsors are contributing to the book fund. At the end of the season those donations will be combined and distributed to the Tarkanian Book Fund in the Madden Library so that needed books can be purchased.
Sponsors will be rewarded with positive publicity and promotion throughout the region for such a tremendous involvement with the library. Some benefits may include public announcements at Fresno State basketball games and during radio broadcasts of contests throughout the season. In the season finale at Selland Arena, a check for the total amount of Baskets for Books contributions will be presented at halftime to the Madden Library.
The Library in turn will recognize the sponsors with custom designed bookplates for books purchased with dollars earned through basket points. The sponsors will receive recognition on the Library's online catalog and on the donor Web page. The entire fund raising process is beneficial to everyone in the Valley.
The Madden Library will benefit by receiving books that have been sorely lacked. The basketball program benefits by supporting the library that ultimately serves all community members. The sponsors benefit by receiving positive publicity and promotion for their support of academics at Fresno State. It all started with the Tarkanians and now the entire region can participate in helping the Madden Library become elite.
"I think this program will allow the library to access resources and obtain material it may not have been able to receive in the past," Tarkanian said.
Tarkanian was able to show support and exhibit leadership towards Fresno State and in the community, starting a program that may linger beyond his years. While he has contributed to the Bulldog basketball program, and to college basketball as a whole, this offering may be most significant beyond all others.