Stone family gift to the library

We are delighted that Biz and Livia Stone have pledged $1M towards the renovation of the College’s Victorian library. Biz has been visiting Exeter for over a decade and regularly gives talks to students and alumni on the subject of entrepreneurship. He is highly experienced in this field, having started and invested in several companies including, most famously, Twitter. Until the recent reorganisation of the Oxford Foundry he played a leading role on its board.

Exeter’s Rector, Sir Rick Trainor commented: ‘This very generous gift from Biz and Livia Stone will make a major positive impact on the project to restore and modernise Exeter’s Turl Street Library.  During his many visits to Exeter Biz has shown great interest in the interests and needs of the College’s students.  The Stone Family Gift is, therefore, extremely appropriate because the Library project is focused on students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, with their strong appreciation of library contents, facilities, and services.’

Exeter has a rich literary tradition and its Library has inspired many writers, such as JRR Tolkien, Martin Amis, Alan Bennett and Philip Pullman. Biz and Livvy are excited to be involved in the project to restore this beautiful and historic building whilst adapting it sensitively for modern users with the strong appetite for information technology in which Biz has been a leading figure. They are hopeful that it will go on to inspire many future generations of Exeter students.

Rector Rick Trainor with Biz Stone in San Francisco.