Devoted supporters of SMU Libraries – and the arts
As the SMU community honors the service of Dr. and Mrs. Turner, SMU Libraries recognizes their dedicated support as the Libraries’ longest-standing consecutive donors. In his first year on the Hilltop, Dr. Turner and his wife, Gail, established the R. Gerald & Gail O. Turner Library Fund in 1995 to support library acquisitions. The following year, he created the Gail Turner Hamon Library Fund to honor his wife and her interest in the arts. For decades, the fund has supported collection development for the Jake L. and Nancy Hamon Arts Library, enhancing collections through the acquisition of noteworthy titles relevant to the study and scholarship of Hamon patrons.
A new display in the Hamon Library Reading Room features a small sampling of the books purchased with funds from the Gail Turner Hamon Library Fund, including rare books, valuable facsimiles, and distinctive archival materials that would be otherwise unaffordable. These materials serve specialized research needs and provide unique resources that distinguish the Hamon Arts Library from other institutions. Designated subject librarians and curators oversee the selection process, ensuring purchases align with the library’s mission and community needs. Often faculty inform the acquisition process to ensure all materials meet and excel expectations and align with trends of scholarly inquiry in the field.
Pages worth preserving
Notable acquisitions have been made using funds from the endowment, providing resources for research and study for patrons of Hamon Arts Library. Items acquired include works highlighting the role of women in the arts, such as David Greven’s Representations of Femininity in American Genre Cinema: The Woman’s Film, Film Noir, and Modern Horror (2011). Another notable acquisition is Berceuse by Lazare Lévy (1882–1964), marking the first work by this esteemed pianist and pedagogue to join our collection. A renowned figure at the Paris Conservatoire, Lévy was a pivotal advocate for modern music, performing early works by composers such as Darius Milhaud and Isaac Albéniz. Notably, he mentored a young John Cage, encouraging his engagement with the music of Stravinsky and Hindemith. This acquisition enriches holdings in 20th-century performance and pedagogy.
A significant acquisition at Hamon Arts Library is Ocios de Don Juan Agustín Ceán Bermúdez sobre bellas artes (1870), a tribute made in memory of Dr. Mark A. Roglán, the Linda P. and William A. Custard Director of the Meadows Museum from 2006 to 2021. Acquired with support from the Gail Turner Hamon Library Endowment, this foundational text in Spanish art history reflects Dr. Roglán’s scholarly passion and expertise. Dr. Adam Jasienski, professor of Art History, remarked, “It is hard to overestimate Ceán’s importance to the evolution of Spanish art history, and considering Dr. Mark Roglán’s expertise in the nineteenth century and his passion for the art of earlier periods, I think this is a really fitting tribute to his memory.”
Finally, The New Josquin Edition is a landmark thirty-volume set dedicated to the works of early Renaissance composer Josquin des Prez. Known for his innovation in polyphony and profound musical expression, Josquin’s music represents a cornerstone of musical heritage. This comprehensive edition features new scholarship and methodologies in source studies, as well as manuscript sources and concordances for all known works by Josquin, a volume of facsimiles, critical commentary, and compositions transcribed into modern musical notation. Christopher Anderson, professor in the Perkins School of Theology Master of Sacred Music degree program, states that, “The new edition gives the graduate church music students (and also the undergrads in the early music history sequence) access to premiere scholarship and editing techniques for the foremost composer of the Renaissance. We use Josquin for exercises in transcription, so access to the new edition and its critical report will be invaluable.”
A lasting contribution
Hamon Arts Library joins SMU Libraries in thanking Dr. Turner and Mrs. Gail Turner for their remarkable generosity. The endowment has had, and will continue to have, a significant impact on the library’s ability to provide exceptional resources to all patrons.
For more on the Turners’ thirty-year partnership with SMU Libraries, read the Spring 2025 issue of the SMU Libraries Newsletter.