There are many ways to support the library and its mission. Please take a moment to review this information. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Library Director.
Commemorative Gifts - Memorial, Honorary
You can donate funds to purchase materials in memory of a person who has died, in celebration of a birth, in observance of a milestone (e.g., graduation, wedding anniversary, etc.), or any other such occasion. When possible, we will place a Book Plate acknowledging the gift inside the donation. Suggested wording examples:
"Given in Memory of John Smith, 1930-2005, by Susan Smith.”
"Given to celebrate the birth of Isabella Johanna, born October 10, 2008.”
"In honor of Tom Jones’ 50th birthday, from his wife.”
"Happy Anniversary, Dick and Jane, July 1, 2007.”
The library will have final approval of wording on all gifts. We welcome suggestions of a topic or title that would suit the honored person, subject to the library’s Collection Development Policy. The gift will be subject to the same deselection schedule as other books in our collection.
Direct Donations
You can make direct donations to the library by donating online. This will take you to a Town donation portal. Your contribution goes through the Town of Northborough Treasurer's Office, who then route the money to the general interest fund. Funds in this account are spent at the discretion of the Library Director with approval from the Library Board of Trustees.
Donate Equipment or Furnishings
Contact the Library Director if you wish to donate new equipment or furnishings. The library reserves the right to refuse items not currently needed. Monetary donations toward purchases of new equipment or furnishings are always welcome.
Donate Materials
If you have used books, DVDs, music CDs, etc. that you would like to donate to the Library for the Friends of the Library's book sales, you can bring those items to the Library any time during library hours on Wednesdays (9:30am-8:30pm). Please only bring in donations on Wednesdays as that is when our volunteer who sorts and moves all of these items is in the building. Due to space constraints, please limit the amount of donations you bring in at any one time to no more than 3 bags or boxes per household.
We accept donations of most items as long as they are in good condition with a few exceptions:
- textbooks more than five years old
- encyclopedias
- Readers Digest condensed books
- magazines
- VHS or cassette tapes
- Vinyl LPs
- Books MUST be in good condition-no musty, damaged, or chewed upon books
If you have questions about donating any used books or media items, please contact the Friends of the Library by email at friendsnorthboroughlibrary@gmail.com.
Major Gifts - Bequests and Named Funds
If you would like to have a lasting impact on the library and its ability to offer materials, programs, and services that otherwise cannot be funded with the library’s regular budget, consider a major donation. Such donations are usually given with the intent of investing the principal and spending only the interest. Our Trustees oversee a small endowment, which consists of general trust funds and named funds. Trustees reserve the right to add small donations to the general interest fund rather than keep them as separate accounts.
Here are some ways of establishing a named fund:
- Donate a lump sum (for example, $10,000)
- Leave money in your will (a set amount or percentage of the estate)
- Start a fund with the written intent to add to it over your lifetime or in your will
- Name a trustee (often a law firm) to oversee a fund with distributions to the library
You may designate how you would prefer your funds to be used. The Library Director would be happy to discuss ideas with you. The Board of Library Trustees reserve the right to refuse funds that are overly restrictive or do not serve the library’s mission.