Donate to the Library
Donate to support our mission of connecting people, ideas, and information. Your gift will transform lives and strengthen our community.
Money
Support our mission by becoming a friend of the Boulder Library Foundation. The Foundation values tax-deductible cash donations in any amount. These funds support programs and services not included in the library budget. All donors receive Foundation email updates on Library activities and events—and free access to books for life!
Memorial or Tribute Gift
Make a contribution in honor or in memory of a loved one is a great way to celebrate a library lover. Contact the Boulder Library Foundation or email [email protected] for more information.
Used Books or Other Materials
The library welcomes donations of gently used hardcover and paperback books and media (DVDs, CDs, audiobooks). We cannot accept donations of cassette tapes, VHS tapes, mass market paperback books more than 5-years old, or magazines more than 1-year-old. For the full list of accepted items, see the Donated Books Guidelines.
Please bring your donations to the Main Library and place them inside the donations room on the right, inside the Arapahoe entrance (see the photo). If you are donating a few items, slide them into the donations slot in the wall. If you are donating bags or boxes of materials, enter the Donations Room and place them on the cart in the room.
The library may sell donated items at the Paper & Spine Used Bookstore, book sales, and through third-party sources. Donated materials the library cannot sell are recycled. The money raised through sales funds the volunteer program, special projects, and/or the purchase of library materials. Donated materials are not added to the library collection.
Materials for Boulder’s History Collections
The Carnegie Library for Local History appreciates donations of unique materials relating to Boulder County history. Find out more in our Donations and Collections Policy for the Carnegie Library.
A Book That You Wrote
Donated items, including self-published, are not added to the circulating collection. We purchase self-published books with unique local content that meet the Collection Development Policy.
More information please review our Guidelines for Authors and Publishers.
Donate Your Time – Volunteer
The Library benefits tremendously from the support and dedication of our volunteers. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available. These volunteer roles including work in the BLDG 61 Makerspace, BoulderReads and the Carnegie Library for Local History.