Radcliffe's Schlesinger Library, in the midst of a major fundraising drive, has received a half-million-dollar pledge from a private New York foundation.

The Kresge Foundation will make the $500,000 "challenge" grant if Radcliffe can raise the rest of its $3.4 million goal, Kresge officials said this week. The money will be used for the expansion and renovation of the library, the nation's foremost facility for research on women and women's history.

The college has already raised more than $1.2 million for the project, said Radcliffe spokesman Aida K. Press. The $1.2 million includes a $750,000 check sent by the Pew Memorial Trust in September.

After the $2.9 million is raised, but before Kresge will send the money, Radcliffe must finalize contract plans for renovations to the library.

The library renovation will double the Schlesinger's current size, taking over the building's other two floors, which have housed the Bunting Institute, a post-doctoral fellowship program. Other planned improvements include new reading rooms, more stacks, conference rooms, computers and a new security system.

The Schlesinger Library has experienced a boom in scholarly visits to the facility in the last decade. In 1969-70, the library recorded 247 research visits; now roughly 5000 scholars visit the building in Radcliffe Yard every year.

Patricia King, director of the library, attributed the rapid growth in visits to the explosion of research and teaching in women's history. She said this boom stems from sparked interest in social history and the research agenda of the modern women's movement.

The Krege Foundation earlier this year also gave $500,000 to Widener Library for its renovation project.