As an avid supporter of NSU’s Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center, Peter Woolf was thrilled to be among the first to help update one of the library’s 23 study rooms. The renovated rooms, frequently used by students and patrons, include new furnishings and modern technology that allow users to share and work collaboratively.
Woolf and his wife, Fran, established the Library Study Room Endowed Fund to support the refurbishment and maintenance of the study space now named after them. “I know it’s a very popular room,” said Woolf, an NSU alumnus. “I feel good about that. I’m glad to see students using it. These rooms provide a different way of studying. The world is changing, technology is changing, and the library is adapting to that. We need to move with that, otherwise we become defunct.”
Born in Britain, Woolf graduated from the University of Leeds in 1971. He worked as a stockbroker and financial analyst in London before moving to the United States in 1976. In 1977, he joined Price Waterhouse (now PricewaterhouseCoopers). There, he became a partner and specialized in tax issues for international corporations, working at the accounting firm for almost 30 years.
Woolf’s connection to NSU dates to his days as a graduate student in 1977. “I’ve seen NSU grow and grow. It’s just phenomenal. I walk around the campus and see all these young people strolling around and that’s wonderful. It’s an innovative university. It’s a beautiful campus. It has everything that a student could want. Once you’re on campus, you feel that,” he said.
Through a unique partnership with Broward County, the Alvin Sherman Library is accessible to all county residents. Its state-of-the-art building is at the center of NSU’s Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus.
“Some people might say that we don’t need libraries anymore, now that we have computers, but that’s not true,” Woolf said. “It’s great to be involved with an outstanding library. People who haven’t been through it don’t realize just how amazing it is. We have to get the message out.”
(originally published November 2019)