A Reader’s Legacy: Volunteer Leaves Bequest for MFA’s Research Library

The joys of Natalie Greenberg’s life were books and friends. After retiring from a career in publishing, she chose to devote her time as a volunteer at two libraries: the Public Library of Brookline, where she lived, and the MFA’s William Morris Hunt Memorial Library. She started as a volunteer at the MFA on her first day as a retiree in 1993 and stayed for 20 years.

The MFA library encompasses more than 400,000 items including artists’ books and pamphlets, auction and collection catalogues, and rare works. Its holdings reflect the encyclopedic nature of the MFA’s collection, covering global culture from prehistory to the present with materials in many languages. The library facilitates research by MFA staff for exhibitions, publications, conservation treatment, and provenance, the history of ownership of a work of art. The library also extends its service to the local and international scholarly community by electronically providing access to its holdings and answering reference inquiries.

As a volunteer, Natalie processed library materials and entered records to make more resources available online. The library staff appreciated her interesting stories, quirky sense of style, and unflagging dedication. Her past skills as an editor were evident in her keen eye for typos, and the piles in her cart often seemed bigger than she was!

When Natalie sadly passed away in 2020, we were grateful to learn that she had generously decided to support the MFA library in her will, among other charitable organizations that meant much to her.

“Natalie generously gave us her time, expertise, and always interesting lunch conversation. She was truly part of our library family. With her bequest, the MFA will be part of her legacy for many years to come.”
—Lee-Anne Famolare, project cataloguer

Her gift came at a momentous time. After eighteen years at Horticultural Hall, a few blocks down Huntington Avenue, the William Morris Hunt Memorial Library returned to inside the MFA building. Moving the massive collection to new facilities was a monumental feat completed with the help of many staff and volunteers. A new reading room, located directly off the galleries, is opening soon to college students, scholars, collectors, and other researchers to increase awareness of the MFA’s incredible holdings, provide greater access for MFA staff and the public, and foster collaboration. We are deeply thankful that Natalie helped us make the library’s resources even more accessible to fellow readers with both her time and her philanthropy.