Newport News, Va., September 19, 2007 - CNU President Paul S. Trible and Timothy J. Sullivan, President and CEO of The Mariners' Museum announced today that the Museum's nationally renowned Library will be housed in the new Christopher Newport University Trible Library, creating a joint public/private partnership between the two institutions.

“CNU and The Mariners' Museum will soon possess a library that is civic in its proportions, elegant in its architecture, 21st Century in its technology and holds in combination a collection of more than 300,000 volumes, including a world-class collection of rare books, manuscripts, maps and photographs that chronicles six centuries of history,” said CNU President Paul S. Trible. “The establishment of The Mariners' Museum Library at Christopher Newport University represents a powerful validation of the hard work and achievement of so many that has made CNU an outstanding liberal arts university. It also represents a remarkable opportunity for us - in concert with our friends at The Mariners' Museum - to enrich the work of our institutions and our service to mankind.”

“We announce today, not a marriage but an engagement, that will unite one of America's great rising universities and this nation's most distinguished maritime museum and library,” said Timothy J. Sullivan, President and CEO of The Mariners' Museum.

“We have a chance, working with our colleagues, the opportunity to build a partnership which will make the world of education and culture wonder at the dimension of our achievements,” said Sullivan, “This is a great day - not just for our two institutions, but for the world wide community of scholarship and learning. We have cause to celebrate!”