Paul S. Russell, AM '62 [hon.], John Homans Distinguished Professor of Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, and his wife, Allene Russell.

The $26 million capital campaign for the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS) has been successfully completed thanks in large part to the leadership and generosity of Paul S. Russell, AM '62 (hon.), John Homans Distinguished Professor of Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, and his wife, Allene Russell.

Russell has been a full professor at HMS since 1962 and is former head of surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he also headed the transplantation unit he founded in 1969, when organ transplantation was in its earliest stages. Not only did Russell make a generous commitment to the campaign, he was also responsible for convening a Countway Campaign Committee more than two years ago to spearhead the fundraising effort. Library renovations began last February.

"Paul has committed his time, energy, and personal resources to the Countway because he understands the intellectual resource it is," said Joseph B. Martin, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. "The entire Harvard medical community is grateful to Paul for this commitment, which will allow us to make sure Countway's value to the community is sustained and enhanced as we move into the era of the digital library."

The Countway Library was created in 1965 when the Harvard Medical Library and the Boston Medical Library merged. It is one of the largest medical libraries in the world (along with the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland, and the Wellcome Library of Medicine in London) and is renowned for its medical history collection.

"It has been clear for some time that we needed to make a serious effort to get the library to where it should be, so we decided to mount a major fund drive," said Russell, who also chairs the Countway's Joint Library Committee. "A number of people and interested parties have helped make the campaign a success, including Harvard Medical School."

Russell has long been a supporter of the library. He attributed his concern to his interest as a professor, his passion for learning, and a desire to preserve the history and heritage of Boston and New England medicine.

"Countway is a real jewel in the crown of Harvard, and I wanted to make sure it continues to shine," he said. "It is a great repository ‹ the sole repository ‹ of the history of Boston and New England medicine, and the holdings in rare and special collections are breathtaking. Following the renovation, Countway will be more up to date and more useful. I couldn't help being involved."

Judith Messerle, Countway Librarian for the Harvard and Boston Medical Libraries, described Russell as a "wonderful guide" and "visionary" for Countway Library.

"Dr. Russell has been there at every turn," Messerle said. "The campaign got off to a slow start, and he helped get it moving by finding good chairpeople and by taking the library's case to the faculty council and to the deans. He did what needed to be done to bring visibility to the campaign and to raise money toward the goal. It is amazing that a busy faculty member who has a practice and who conducts research has this kind of passion for the library."

As part of the renovation, rare books and special collections will be housed together in a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment. Medical papers, journals, and other research materials will be cataloged and organized in a way that will make them easier to find, and a new section of the library will house computer terminals to provide quick on-site access to electronic resources. By moving the Central Administration offices to the fifth floor, prime space on the ground floor will be available for library use. In addition, a reading room will be created to provide immediate access to the most recent medical information.

"In the end, we will be equipped to move into the 21st century," Messerle said.

Library users include students, faculty, residents, and researchers ‹ those looking for a recent article or a quiet place to think. The library holds more than 630,000 volumes and subscribes to more than 3,500 current journal titles. It serves HMS, Harvard's School of Public Health, the Dental School, the Boston Medical Library, and the Massachusetts Medical Society. Approximately 1,000 people visit each day.

"The Countway Library has proven to be a great cultural center for people in the Longwood [Medical School] area," Russell said. "We look forward to enhancing it."