How to Donate to the Brighton District Library

In addition to your tax dollars, there are many ways that you may show your support of the Brighton District Library:

• donate to the Brighton District Library Endowment Fund
  
• donate to the General Library fund
  
• donate to the Library Enhancement Fund
  
• purchase books as a memorial
  
• buy an engraved brick for the Commemorative Pathway
  
• buy from Todd's Services and mention the library
  
• donate your gently used books
  
• volunteer your time

All monetary gifts are eligible for a Michigan Income Tax Credit of 50%! A Michigan Income Tax Credit of 50% is available for contributions to the Brighton District Library or the library's endowment fund at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. This tax credit is in addition to the Federal income tax deduction for charitable contributions. The following table illustrates the benefit of this special opportunity:

*Examples based on a Federal income rate of 33%.

The Brighton District Library Endowment Fund

You can enjoy being a philanthropist during your lifetime by making gifts of cash, appreciated stock or real estate, and receive a significant tax deduction. Because the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity, all gifts enjoy special tax benefits. You can create a charitable legacy and reduce your estate taxes by making a provision for the Brighton District Library Fund in your will or estate plan. It's also possible to name the Brighton District Library Fund as the beneficiary of a corporate gift, life insurance policy or qualified retirement plan. You may designate the Brighton District Library Fund of the Community Foundation for Livingston County to receive the assets of an existing private foundation or trust. If you wish to contribute to the Endowment Fund, checks must be made payable to the "Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan" and arrive at the library no later than December 26 of each calendar year. Please contact Nancy B. Johnson at (810) 229-6571, ext. 203 or e-mail at nbjohnson@brightonlibrary.info further information.

General Library Donation

Contributions to the General Fund support our mission to provide the broad range of library services and materials necessary to meet the educational, informational, recreational and cultural needs of our community. Donations to this fund are used to enhance our collections, support programs for every age, up-grade our computers and technical equipment and much more. Gifts to this fund are an investment in our future and the future of your community.

Library Enhancement Fund

The Library Enhancement Fund was established by the Board of Trustees for contributions to special art and cultural projects and purchases. Private donations designated for this purpose are used to sponsor programs, exhibits, speakers and acquisitions of permanent public art for the library. For example, contributions to this fund were used to purchase a bronze casting, Coming of Age , sculpted by local resident Rosalind Fredericks Rymal and featured in the current display in the Reading Room. Please contact Diana Dart at (810) 229-6571, ext. 210 or e-mail at ddart@brightonlibrary.info for further information.

Purchase a Memorial-Honorary Book/Gift

You may donate money towards the purchase of a book or books to be added to the library collection. If you so desire, you may designate the purchase as a memorial to a loved one. Each book will have a bookplate with the appropriate designation. Please contact Diana Dart at (810) 229-6571, ext. 210 or e-mail at ddart@brightonlibrary.info for further information. Feel free to print and fill out the memorial application and mail in your application or fill out our online form and purchase with a credit card transaction.

Commemorative Brick in the Children's Garden

This memorial brick path is an addition to the Brighton District Library's Children's Garden. This garden has been made possible by many collaborative efforts and is appreciated by all in the community. Current highlights are its perennial garden, a butterfly garden, a ten-foot willow twig dinosaur and McGregor's vegetable garden. Buying an engraved brick will create an ongoing expression of love, appreciation, or pride with a permanent remembrance in the Children's Garden. Bricks can accommodate 3 lines, 12 characters per line. Please count spaces, numbers, letters, and other characters. Minimum donation is $50 per brick. Print our application and mail or bring it in. If you have further questions, please contact Diana Dart at (810) 229-6571, ext. 210 or e-mail at ddart@brightonlibrary.info for further information.

Children's Garden Fundraiser

The library has already received over $800 from Todd's Services' 3% Give Back to the Community Program! Our goal is to raise $4,700 to fund an automated sprinkler system to keep our beautiful Children's Garden healthy. This is how the program works: When Todd's Services, Inc. provides landscaping materials or services, the company donates 3% of the job (up to $600) to the library! All a customer needs to do is mention the Community Give Back Program.

Donate Books

You may donate gently used books and materials to the library. Donations are accepted on Monday & Wednesday only due to the fact we're running out of room. The Library will sort through these books, some are added to our collection, some are sold at the Friends of the Library book sales. Please donate only books in appropriate condition for resale or inclusion in the collection. You can donate by bringing your books to the library. If you wish to receive tax credit for your donation, please ask at the check-out desk for a receipt. NOTE: The library does not accept Reader's Digest Condensed, National Geographic magazines, encyclopedia sets before 1995 or moldy, smelly, water damaged books.

Volunteer your time

You may also volunteer your time to the library or to the Friends of the Brighton District Library. You may do this on a regular, ongoing basis or just once.