No longer have room for old books? Why not donate them to the library?

The Toronto Public Library accepts donations of used books, with drop boxes located at two convenient locations. The books are then sold at the library's bookstores: Book Ends and Book Ends South; run entirely by Friends of Toronto Public Library volunteers. All of the proceeds from both bookstores go towards supporting literacy programs.

Drop boxes are located inside the Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge Street) or inside North York Central Library (5120 Yonge Street) and are accessible during library hours.

For additional information on how to donate your books, please call 416-393-7123.

Have new (or almost new), rare, historical or sgnificant books or materials? Why not make them available to all of Toronto and beyond?

The Toronto Public Library welcomes gifts of materials from individuals or groups. Where possible the Library will attempt to add the materials into our collections as per our materials selections policy. The same criteria and guidelines that apply to the selection of all library materials are used to evaluate gifts. It is understood that gifts are freely given without conditions attached, unless specifically negotiated beforehand.

If the Library is unable to add the donated items into the collections, the materials will then be sold at branch book sales or given to the Friends of Toronto Public Library to sell at their bookstore and sales. All proceeds of these sales benefit the Library. All materials not sold or deemed unfit for sale will be given to other charities or recycled.

Gifts of rare, historical and/or significant material for the Library's Special Collections follow the Donations of Gifts-In-Kind to Special Collections Policy.
 

Tax receipts are issued by the Toronto Public Library Foundation only for items that meet the selection guidelines and are accepted into the collection.

For information on gifts of material to the Library please call 416-393-7076
 

Did you know that your could direct your United Way donation to the Toronto Public Library Foundation? Simply indicate on your United Way donation form that all or a portion of your gift be directed to the Toronto Public Library Foundation and fill out the “Designate to a non-united way agency”.

You will need to fill in the correct name of the charity and the charitable number. The Toronto Public Library Foundation’s charitable number is 886554476RR0001.

Every year the Foundation receives more than $25,000 in gifts through the United Way and directs them to priority Library programs.
 

Bequests

Bequests and planned gifts are a vital source of funding for the Toronto Public Library Foundation, assuring our ability to support our library programs for future generations. Your contribution will touch thousands of lives for many years to come.

There are a variety of ways to make a charitable planned gift to the Library. The simplest one is to make one through your will or living trust by naming the Toronto Public Library Foundation in your will as a beneficiary.

Whatever way you decide to use estate planning to support the Toronto Public Library, we advise you to consult a professional advisor such as an attorney, estate planner or accountant on how best to leave an appropriate legacy.

If you would like to discuss a bequest or other gift intention, the Toronto Public Library Foundation staff would be happy to review your needs and interests.

Please contact Liza Fernandes, Manager Individual Giving by phone at 416-397-5924 or via email at lfernandes@torontopubliclibrary.ca

Memorial Funds

The Peter Bassnett Memorial Fund for Staff Development

To support this Fund, click here.

Endowments

The Toronto Public Library Foundation currently has over $4 million in endowed funds under investment. These funds help to permanently secure the future of some of the Library’s key programs and services.

An endowed gift means that the principal will be invested in perpetuity and that only the interest will be used each year to support the chosen area of interest. In this way, funding is guaranteed each and every year thereby providing a stable base of support for programs that otherwise might be at risk of not continuing year to year.

By choosing to create or support an existing endowment with Toronto Public Library Foundation, you can have the satisfaction of knowing your gift will touch users of Toronto Public Library for generations to come.

You may choose to support an existing endowment fund or to set up a named endowment in your own or another’s name.

Adding to an Existing Endowment Fund

You may make a gift, at any level, to support one of the Foundation’s existing Endowment Funds including the following:

General Endowment Fund supporting the priority needs of the Foundation and the Library.

The Rita Cox Endowment Fund supporting Black and Caribbean Heritage Collections at the Toronto Public Library.  To support this Fund, click here.

The June Callwood Endowment Fund supporting the annual June Callwood Social Justice Lecture. To support this Fund, click here.

The Pauline Hinch Endowment Fund supporting Staff Development. To support this Fund, click here.

The Rose and Milton Kirsh Endowment Fund supporting the Toronto Public Library.  To support this Fund, click here.

The Muller Scholastic Endowment Fund supporting the Canadian Children's Literature Festival.  To support this Fund, click here.  For more information on the Festival to be held Saturday August 28, 2010, click here.

Sophie’s Studio supporting early children’s literacy collections and programs at the Toronto Public Library.

Sophie's Story

2006 marked the loss of a devoted supporter of Toronto Public Library, Sophia Lucyk.  Through her generous bequest to the Foundation, Lucyk wished to be remembered by enhancements to programs and services that support preschool reading and writing readiness.  In 2007, an endowment, in the name of Sophie's Studio, was established to support innovative early literacy programs and services at the library in perpetuity, programs like the Library's Ready for Reading early literacy program.   Sophie's Studio will also be supporting a portion of each new KidsStops that are introduced into library branches, the first two of which are located at the S. Walter Stewart branch and the Dufferin/St. Clair branch.  KidsStops are literacy-rich, interactive centres, located within library branches, where kids and their parents or care-givers can play, learn and have fun together in an environment that helps kids develop reading readiness skills.

Click here if you'd like to support an existing Endowment Fund.

More information about other existing endowed funds is available upon request. Please contact Liza Fernandes, Manager Individual Giving, by phone at 416-397-5924 or via email at lfernandes@torontopubliclibrary.ca

Establishing a New Endowment Fund

You may choose to establish a new endowment fund in your name or in the name of someone important to you. A new fund may be established with a minimum initial investment of $10,000.

Toronto Public Library Foundation encourages donors to consider one or more of the following four areas of interest for their endowed gifts:

• General Endowment – no specific area of interest is indicated by the donor, allowing the Foundation to direct the annual income to the greatest areas of need and priority projects in any given year
• Collections – the donor indicates that the annual income be directed to supporting one or more aspect of the Library’s acquisition of materials such as circulating and reference books, CDs, talking books, and special collections
• Programs & Services – the donor indicates that the annual income be directed to supporting one or more of the Library’s programs and services such as Children and Youth literacy programs or Mobile Library Services
• Community Spaces and Places – the donor indicates that the annual income be directed to supporting one or more of the Library’s branches or capital needs, such as specialized equipment for the visually impaired or study centres for youth

Once an endowment is established, you, your family, friends or other donors with an interest in the endowed cause may make additional donations, of any value, to the endowment fund, at any time.

You may also choose to set up a bequest in your will to add to your endowed fund.

For more information, please contact Liza Fernandes, Manager Individual Giving by phone at 416-397-5924 or via email at lfernandes@torontopubliclibrary.ca

Gifts of Life Insurance

Giving a gift of life insurance is another way to donate at a relatively low cost. Paying modest life insurance premiums today enables you to provide a significant gift to the Foundation in the future.

You may already own a life insurance policy that has now outlived its purpose. If your children are grown and you have accumulated enough assets, you may not require the life insurance policy you took out for a younger family. You now have an excellent opportunity to make a significant gift.
 

By simply naming the Toronto Public Library Foundation the owner and beneficiary of your policy, you will receive an immediate tax receipt for the cash surrender value. The Foundation can either cash in the policy and put your gift to work immediately, or hold the policy until the full death benefit is paid out.

Each year's premium payment that you make, after naming the Foundation at the beneficiary, represents a tax deductible donation, making it easier for you to make a sizeable gift without depleting the assets of your estate. Alternatively, you may choose to have your estate claim the benefits of your gift of Insurance.

For information please contact Liza Fernandes, Manager Individual Giving, by phone at 416-397-5924 or via email at lfernandes@torontopubliclibrary.ca

Contact us today for more information at (416) 393-7123 or write to us at:

Toronto Public Library Foundation
789 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON M4W 2G8

At the Toronto Public Library

For more information on volunteer opportunities with the library and various library programs, please visit the Toronto Public Library’s website.

At the Toronto Public Library Foundation

If you are interested in supporting the Toronto Public Library Foundation as a volunteer, please call 416-393-7123 to find out about our current opportunities.

With Friends of the Library

Friends of the Library volunteers promote Toronto Public Library, raise funds for library services and support special collections.

To find out how you can help, or if you're interested in volunteering at Book Ends or Book Ends South,  please email friendssouthchapter@torontopubliclibrary.ca or friendsnorthchapter@torontopubliclibrary.ca or click here.

Do you like to plan parties? Mobilize people for a good cause? Pool your resources and introduce allies to the library you love? If so, consider hosting a third-party event on the Toronto Public Library Foundation's behalf.

Use your creativity to develop a literary or community event that raises revenue and interest in the library.

There are a myriad of creative ways to host a third party event, including:

• Literary dinners/luncheons/BBQs/brunches
• Book clubs
• Book Sales, Bake Sales, Garage Sales, Swap meets
• Read, run, walk, bike, or bowl events
• Corporate Product or Service Sale

Use your imagination, your resources, and your networks to bring community together in support of your Library.

Please call to let us know if you are planning an event on our behalf and how we can help support it.  Contact Mitzi Reinsilber, Development Associate at 416.393.7227 or email mreinsilber@torontopubliclibrary.ca

Book Bags: $3.00

You can now purchase two contemporary versions of dynamic Toronto Public Library/Toronto Public Library Foundation book bags in support of the Foundation.
The Foundation offers both an adult’s and a kid’s style design for $3.00 each.  Proceeds from the sales of these bags help the Foundation support the vital work of the Toronto Public Library.  They make excellent book bags, tote bags, grocery bags and gift bags!