Donate to the Chelmsford Library

More Than a Century of Giving

For more than 100 years, library philanthropy has been a tradition in the town of Chelmsford. It began in 1893, when a group of private citizens banded together and generously donated a collection of 1,846 volumes which became Chelmsford’s first “free public library”.

It continued with the donation of a parcel of land from Mr. J. Adams Bartlett for the site of a new library building. Captain C.E.A. Bartlett undertook the cost of grading the land and Mr. Amos Francis Adams stepped forward with $30,000 to finance the construction of the new library. In 1895, the Amos Adams Library opened its doors. The philanthropy continued in 1947 when Stewart MacKay, another generous donor, bequeathed his home to the town to be converted to a branch library for North Chelmsford. Over the years, townspeople have supported the library by donating books, gifts of stock, memorial and gift funds. In 2000, the community raised in excess of $500,000 to aid in the cost of the construction and furnishing of an expanded Chelmsford Public Library.

Donation Options

Gifts to the Library Endowment Fund

A gift to the Library Endowment Fund can be a lasting expression of your appreciation for the library. Private support helps the Library achieve what public funding cannot. The Endowment Fund was established in 1989 to raise and preserve funds for future library needs.

Gifts to the Marjorie Scoboria Greenway Fund

A gift to the Greenway funds will put the library many steps closer to our ultimate goal of creating a beautiful and inviting outdoor space for all resident. Please click Read more about the project and specific giving options, or you can donate to the general Marjorie Scoboria Greenway Fund [pdf].

Named/Memorial Book Fund

Often, when something monumental occurs in our lives, we want to mark the occasion in some way. Purchasing a book or establishing a book fund to honor an achievement or in memory of a loved one is an appropriate way to mark an accomplishment of import or to celebrate a life. Let us help you make an appropriate selection.

Working with one of our subject specialists, you can choose the perfect book or subject area that will reflect the interests of the one you honor. Donations of this type are made to the Chelmsford Public Library Book Fund and are spent within the calendar year that they are given.

Bequests

Gifts by bequest remain the most commonly practiced and easiest way to provide for those institutions that are important to you. Over the years, many patrons and supporters have remembered the Library as they prepare or revise their wills.

A bequest to the Chelmsford Public Library creates a legacy for generations of your family. We can refer you to experts who can provide sample wording for wills and simple advice upon request.

Gifts of Appreciated Assets

Through gifts of publicly traded securities such as stocks, bonds, or mutual fund shares, you have the advantage of seeing your donation at work helping the Library. Gifts of highly appreciated stock or securities provide you with a charitable tax deduction, avoidance of capital gains tax, and the satisfaction of helping the Library. You can also receive similar benefits from gifts of appreciated real estate.

Corporate Giving

Over the years, area corporations have supported the Library in a multitude of ways. The children’s book collection, the reference collection and the MacKay Branch Library book budget have all been enhanced through the generous donations of local corporations.

We have also been the recipient of several donations through Employee Matching Gifts programs. Check with your employer to see if they have such a program in place.

Donations of Books or other Materials

Books, DVDs, CDs, Audiobooks, and other items are evaluated by library staff and volunteers to determine if they are appropriate to add to the library’s collection. If not, the items are included in the Friends book sale to raise money for the library. Read more about the book sale and donation guidelines.

Become a Friend of the Library

Our Friends group is one of the largest and most active in the state. Joining the Friends offers many benefits, and the dues and other donations collected by the Friends helps fund the Library’s museum passes, programming, and other resources. And remember to shop at the Friends’ Annual Book Sale every September – all the money raised by the Friends goes to support the Library.