The Hamon Arts Library at the SMU campus celebrates its 100th year of university library collections. (Christopher Saul / The Daily Campus)

The Hamon Arts Library at SMU has recently been given two new gifts that greatly expand its housed collections.

The library has attained personal materials from the estate of philanthropist and arts patron Nancy Hamon.

The gift also includes $1 million to endow, preserve and exhibit the collection.

Among the donated materials are photograph albums, diaries, records, memorabilia, personal correspondence with seven U.S. presidents and other prominent leaders and items related to her husband’s career in the oil business.

Film historian and collector Jeff Gordon contributed to the museum through the donation of his movie archives, which are valued at $1.5 million.

The newly acquired Gordon collection includes hundreds of original movie posters, over 1,000 film-related advertisements, over 15,000 35-millimeter slides of movie memorabilia, several thousand original movie photos, a 16-millimeter film collection with over 200 features, over 20 Warner Brothers cartoons, 100 television programs and a number of Elvis Presley materials.

The collection primarily features movies dating from the 1930s to the 1970s.

“These two new collections will greatly enrich and broaden the holdings of the Hamon Arts Library,” Gillian M. McCombs, dean and director of SMU’s Central University Libraries said.

“The Gordon gift will significantly increase our ability to support teaching and research in American film. And the Hamon Collection will draw researchers interested in Dallas history and the cultural history of the Southwest,” McCombs said.

This year, SMU is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the University’s library collections, “The Year of the Library,” as part of its Second Century Celebration.

Commemoration efforts involve recognition of new commitments to update and expand the campus libraries as well as the new gifts.

The new Gordon and Hamon collections contribute to the Second Century Campaign goals of investments for library facilities, endowments for acquisitions and library staff positions and the expansion of special collections.

Although SMU has not yet received his complete archives, Gordon is currating a new exhibition to offer the public a sneak peak at his collection.

The public has the opportunity to preview the upcoming collection through the exhibition, “Linda Darnell from Dallas to Hollywood: Selections from the Jeff Gordon Collection.”

Included in the Linda Darnell exhibition are posters, photographs and materials from scrapbooks of Darnell.

Born in Dallas, Linda Darnell grew up in Oak Cliff and eventually became a major movie star in the 1940s.

The exhibition will be open from Feb. 3 through May 17 in the Hawn Gallery of the Hamon Arts Library.

On Friday, Feb. 8, the Hamon Arts Library will host a preview reception at 6 p.m. in the Hawn Gallery, followed by a lecture by Jeff Gordon at 7 p.m. in the O’Donnell Lecture Hall at the Owens Arts Center.

Gordon graduated from New York University with degrees in film production and cinema studies.

He is the author of “Foxy Lady: The Authorized Biography of Lynn Bari” and has written for different entertainment publications.

The lecture is free and open to the public.

To attend, R.S.V.P. online at www.smu.edu/friends or call 214-768-3225.