This fund was established in 2001 for the purpose of supporting the purchase of materials in Irish literature in Special and Area Studies Collections in the George A. Smathers Libraries.

Stanley L. West was born on January 15, 1912 in Los Angeles, CA. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII. Stanley earned a bachelor’s degree the University of California at Berkeley, a master’s degree from Columbia University and a juris doctor from the University of Florida in 1938. He was a librarian emeritus at the University of Florida and the former director of the library system at the University of Hawaii. He later was counsel in the Gainesville law firm of Salter, West, Doughtie and Feiber.

Stanley and his wife, Caroline, had two children: Courtney W. and David A. West. Caroline preceded him in death and Stanley passed away on April 5, 2001 at age 89.