Make a Donation Now

You can make a secure online donation now:

You can also:

Donate by phone: Give us a call at 416-393-7123 and we can process your credit card donation
Donate by mail: You can download and print the form below and send by mail with your credit card donation or cheque payable Toronto Public Library Foundation
Donate in your local branch: You can make a cash, cheque (made payable to Toronto Public Library Foundation) or credit card donation at your local branch.

Call:	416-393-7123
Mail:	Toronto Public Library Foundation 789 Yonge Street Toronto, ON M4W 2G8

First-time Donor Super Credit

Did you know that the recent Federal Government Budget has introduced a First-Time Donor Super Credit (FDSC)? What does this mean?

It means that any individual who has not claimed a charitable donation tax credit since 2007, can claim (only once) charitable donations in the 2013 year or in subsequent years ending December 31, 2017 and will be eligible to receive an additional 25% tax credit (for donations up to $1,000).

What does this really mean?
It means that you could make a $200 donation to the Toronto Public Library and the real cost to you would only be $120 once you factor in tax credits.

A $1,000 donation to the Toronto Public Library would have a real cost of $488 after your factor in tax credits.

Always wanted to make that special gift to the Toronto Public Library but never thought you could, now you might be able to. Call 416-397-5924 to find out more.

The Tax Act provides that an individual who makes a gift to a qualified donee can claim a non-refundable tax credit calculated as follows:

15% for the first $200 of total charitable donations made in the year; and
29% for all donations in the year in excess of $200

The FDSC will supplement the standard tax credit with an additional 25% tax credit for a first-time donor on up to $1,000 of donations. Under the new rules, the combined federal tax credit available in respect of the first $1,000 given by a first-time donor (anyone who hasn’t claimed charitable donations on their or their spouse's tax returns since 2007) will be as follows:

40% for donations of $200 or less; and
54% for all donations over $200 but not exceeding a total of $1,000

Only donations of money qualify and not gifts of property.

Spring Appeal

As a reader, a physician, and a parent, I’ve spent a lot of time in a lot of libraries. Ever since I was a young reader, I’ve loved bringing home a stack of library books, and losing myself in them… I love our Library, and I know you do, too!
– Dr. Vincent Lam

**Why Do You Love and Support the Library?**

Tell us why and you could win a signed copy, courtesy of Vincent Lam, of his latest book: The Headmaster’s Wager.

Show us how much….with a donation towards our spring campaign.

A donation to the Foundation helps Toronto’s Library maintain a vital role in Toronto:

Your Library helps children who are learning to read, students who are struggling to keep up at school, and parents who are eager to raise literate, successful children…
Your Library enables people who are looking for work, training for a new career, or settling into a new neighbourhood, city or country…
Your Library also helps entrepreneurs who are trying to start small businesses… as well as people who are looking to further their knowledge or just looking to escape into a good book!

And with a donation of $300 or more (or a monthly gift of $25 or more), before May 1st, we will automatically send, courtesy of Dr. Vincent Lam, a signed, hardcover copy of his new book, The Headmaster’s Wager.

Click here to read Dr. Lam’s letter of support.

Click here to read our recent mail appeal.

To enter the contest to win a copy of The Headmaster’s Wager, email Mitzi Reinsilber before May 1st telling us why you love and support your Library. Winning entry will be chosen by May 31st.

Click here to read testimonials from others who also think Toronto’s Library is awesome.

Making a contribution is easy and convenient. You can do so:

Online
By phone: Call us at (416) 393-7123 with your credit card donation
By mail: Send us a cheque (payable to the Toronto Public Library Foundation) to TPL Foundation, 789 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4W 2G8
In Branch: Pick up a brochure form or make a donation at your local Library branch

Tribute Giving: A Storied Gift

Give the Gift of the Library

To celebrate birthdays, weddings, holidays and all the special events in your life , or in memory of a loved one - you can make a donation in tribute to the imporant people in your life.

With a minimum $10 gift in support of Toronto's Library, you can send an eCARD or have us MAIL a card to your chosen recipient letting them know that a donation was made in their, or their family members' name.

You can choose from a broad range of images from the Library's Special Collections and we'll send a beautiful card to the recipient with a mesasge from you inside.

Click here for more information and to view the card selection.

You can also commemorate your own special event and asks celebrants to donate to the Library in lieu of gifts. You can create a Giving Page through CanadaHelps (which commemorates your birthday, engagement, wedding, anniversary, baby shower, retirement and more by directing guests to the Foundation through your personalized giving page.

Please note: If requested by honouree, and unless instructed otherwise by donor, we will pass a donor's contact information (without donation amount) on for the purpose of personal thank yous.

Help Build Collections

Collections are the cornerstone of the Library.

We’re appealing to Torontonians to demonstrate your belief in public libraries and in the power of books to open up worlds by making a donation to our special Collections Campaign.

Toronto is a city of readers and learners who seek information in many formats, in a variety of languages and about a number of topics. To meet their needs, Toronto’s Library offers an abundance of materials in a multitude of formats and languages including books, CDs, DVDs, ebooks, and audiobooks.

Torontonians are using their library more than ever. In 2011, circulation of library materials reached its highest level ever: 33 million items were borrowed last year alone, up one million from the year before! That makes Toronto’s Library the busiest urban public library system in the world!

However, this also means we are challenged more than ever before to keep up with demand. To do this, we need your help.

Click here to read a recent letter from Vickery Bowles, the Director of Collections Management & City-Wide Services at the Toronto Public Library. It explains how important your donation can be and how it helps individual Torontonians and the Library as a whole.

You can do so much with a single donation to our Collections campaign.

Imagine - a book purchased with your donation might be the one that:

Inspires a child to become a lifelong learner
Brings the joy of reading to teens and young adults
Provides a newcomer with the resources to settle in Canada, the tools to learn a new language and the ability to enjoy reading in their home language
Allows a house-bound person a sense of freedom through the pages of a book
Enables a learning disabled individual to learn at their own speed and thrive in their learning process

Please join the campaign to help fill the shelves with books and collections that are as varied and vital as the people who read them.

You can support the campaign and the Foundation, any time, in a number of easy ways:

Click here to Donate Online (Designate your donation to "Collections")
Call us at (416) 393-7123 with your credit card donation
Send us a cheque (payable to the Toronto Public Library Foundation) to TPL Foundation, 789 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4W 2G8
Pick up a brochure from or make a donation at your local Library branch

To be added to our mailing list, please contact Mitzi Reinsilber.

Become a Monthly Donor

Join our community of sustaining supporters by becoming a monthly donor. The benefits are great:

Provides ongoing support, contributing to a stable base of funding
Reduces administrative costs and time
Is easy and convenient, doesn’t require envelopes or trips to the mailbox
You will be kept up-to-date on Library Foundation news and invited to special events

Simply fill out the attached form, indicating the amount you wish to contribute per month and whether you’d like to do so through your chequing account (attach VOID cheque) or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express). We deduct the donations on the first of each month and send you your charitable tax receipt for the cumulative amount each year.

You can increase, decrease or cease your donations by contacting us two weeks in advance by:

Phone: (416) 393-7123
Mail: Toronto Public Library Foundation, 789 Yonge St. Toronto, ON M4W 2G8
Fax: (416) 397-5999

For further infomration about your right ot canel a PAD agreement, as well as recourse rights, visit your financial institution or the website www.cdnpay.ca

Gifts of Securites

The donation of appreciated stocks, bonds and mutual funds is the most tax-effective way to make a gift during your lifetime or as part of a legacy gift.

For your gift of cash or appreciated securities, bonds or mutual funds you will receive a tax receipt that creates a tax credit. However, the extra tax incentive available for gifts of appreciated publicly listed securities makes stocks the least expensive way to give. Donors receive a tax credit for their gift and have the additional tax incentive of paying no capital gains tax.

The donation of qualifying shares purchased/received through employee stock options would be treated in a similar manner as a gift of publicly listed securities. These donations are therefore eligible for reduced capital gains inclusion rates providing the shares are donated within 30 days after their acquisition and in the year they were acquired.

The Literary Circle

Patrons of our Literary Circle represent a very special group of donors who demonstrate their commitment to Toronto's Library by making a yearly contribution in support of the Toronto Public Library Foundation. Donors giving between $1,000 and $25,000 during the year are automatically enrolled in the Literary Circle program in recognition of their generosity and love for Toronto's Library.

Our Literary Circle patrons enjoy:

Access to exclusive participation events including author receptions and behind-the-scene tours
Invitation to an annual Recognition event
A special library card identifying you as a Literary Circle patron
Copies of Absolutely Vital, the Foundation's newsletter
Name listing in Toronto Public Library publications and on the Foundation's Donor Wall

Our Literary Circle patrons provide a vital level of support to the Toronto Public Library Foundation, enabling us to achieve more and better things for the 18 million users that visit Toronto Public Library and its 98 branches each year.

Literary Circle membership is for people who love their Library! For information on how you can make a difference at Toronto Public Library by joining our Literary Circle, please contact John Farrell, Manager, Major Gifts, at (416) 397-5977.

Matching gifts

Matching gifts are a great way to double your donation and increase its impact. Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match any charitable contributions made by their employees. Inquire as to whether your company participates in a matching gift program. If so, request a matching gift form from your employer, and send it with your gift. We will do the rest.

Designated Donations

You can direct your donation (minimum $100) to whichever library collection, program or branch that is closest to your heart, or you can make a general donation and the Foundation will allocate the funds towards the Library’s greatest need.

Here are some of the programs and services that benefit from your support:

Leading to Reading	Home Library Service
	Adult Literacy Services

Simply indicate where you want to direct your gift on the donation form in the space provided.

American Foundation for TPL

Do you live in the United States but appreciate the Toronto Public Library?

Perhaps you are a frequent user of the Toronto Reference Library when you travel to Toronto, or appreciate access to the Library’s special collections or online digital collections or perhaps a loved one lives in Toronto and is an avid user of the Library.

Whatever the reason you appreciate the Library, you’ll be happy to know that the American Foundation for Toronto Public Library supports the collections and programs of the Toronto Public Library.

The American Foundation for Toronto Public Library is a 501 (c) (3) organization. This means that a gift, cash or in-kind, to the American Foundation for Toronto Public Library can be claimed on your tax return.

Check out our website.

Our Donors

The Toronto Public Library Foundation extends a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who supported the Library by making a donation between Jan 1st and Mar 31st, 2013, including:

Reserve List Circle ($25,000 - $99,999)

Daniel brothers in honour of their mother, Norine Rose

Conservator's Circle ($10,000 - $24,999)

Murray Frum & Family

Avid Reader’s Circle ($2,500 - $4,999)

Cindy & Bob Blakely

Reader’s Circle ($1,000 - $4,999)

Gamal Abdel-Shehid & Anjula Gogia
Conrad Black
Paulette Bourgeois
Marcella & Michael Bungay Stanier
Margaret Calame
Paul Carney & Mary Frances Ellison
Barbara Church
Brenda Clark
Rita Cox
Arlene Dickinson
Jane Dobell
Ronald Dyck
Emelita Ervin & Chloe Kotsonas
Gavin Ezekowitz
John R. Farrell
Michael Flux
Julie Flynn-Still
Rick Goldsmith
Stella Guenther
Amanda Lang
J. Malkin & E. Jacobson
Judith Megow-Rose
Barbara L. Michasiw
Heather Mummery
Andre Nowakowski & Katherine Gurney
Lloyd Robertson
Heather Rumball
Steven Smith
Sonja Smits & Seaton McLean
Walter Stewart
David Strom
Karen Walsh & David Roffey

Click here for a list of our corporate and foundation sponsors and supporters.