Henry J. Bruman ’35

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If Henry Bruman had been a better chemist, UCLA would have been one geography professor poorer and might never have gained its nationally renowned map library. As it happened, however, Bruman, a chemistry major, developed an affinity for geography and, encouraged by his UCLA professors, pursued graduate studies in geography at UC Berkeley. Despite his geographer’s fascination for other lands and places, Henry has always focused his energies close to home at UCLA. Arguably, his greatest contribution is the role he played in establishing the UCLA Map Library and shaping it into the nation’s largest university-based cartographic collection. Fittingly, in 1987 it was renamed the Henry J. Bruman Map Library.

Henry remains highly committed to the entire UCLA library system – so much so that in 1980 he established the Henry J. Bruman Educational Foundation to ensure ongoing support for UCLA libraries. The Foundation has given more than $1 million in endowment funds to provide for new book purchases, cataloging, binding and auxiliary services.

Bruman has said that his philanthropy is merely a way of repaying the University for the opportunities it provided him. In the final analysis, however, it’s impossible to gauge whether it’s UCLA or Henry who ultimately benefitted more.