FAQs

Why make a gift to the Providence Public Library.

Why should I invest in the Providence Public Library?
The Providence Public Library is the one local institution that has the broadest reach and can perform the greatest public good. It is the People's University---free and accessible to all. It holds over 800,000 items that are available to all one million residents of Rhode Island, free of charge. A gift to the Providence Public Library is a gift of knowledge.

Isn't the Providence Public Library a city department?
Despite its name, Providence Public Library is a private library governed by a 29-person board of trustees representing a cross section of Rhode Islanders who volunteer their time and share their expertise to set policies and oversee their implementation at Providence Public Library.

Does the City of Providence give you any money?
Yes, the City has level funded us at $3 million per year for the last several years. Providence Public Library is chartered to serve as the public library for the City of Providence. We serve the city with innovative and effective programs, as recognized by our being awarded the National Award for Library Service in 2001. However, our support from the city lags behind cities with comparable populations. While these other cities spend an average of $43 per person, Providence allots only $26 for each city resident. The money provided by the City of Providence is used specifically to keep the branches staffed and opened.

How do you raise the additional money needed to offer your award-winning programs and services?
We receive additional money from:

The State of Rhode Island gives us (as well as all public libraries in the state) money through the grant in aid program which provides a 25% match against local library spending. In Fiscal Year 2004, the state grant in aid was $1,393,000.

Providence Public Library has been designated as the service provider for the Statewide Reference Resource Center (SRRC) and we receive $880,110 to support this service annually

Past donors have left us a legacy so that we also have an endowment, a sum of money donated to the organization over its 129-year history by many generous individuals or groups. The Library receives annual interest income from the endowment's investments. This income is used to cover expenses of administrative salaries and to subsidize programs that carry out our mission.

We raise money through federal appropriations, family and corporate foundations and individual donors. Approximately $1 million in private funds is raised through this effort for annual operating support. In addition, private funds are raised for our rebuilding campaign.

How can I be sure my gift is making a difference?
Our goal is to respect the intent of our donors' philanthropy. Therefore, we want you to see your gift in action and we would be happy to arrange for you to visit any program or library, to have a conversation with any staff member or program participant, and/or to peruse any public financial reports. We want you to be confident in the investment you have made in the Providence Public Library. We want you to be proud that you are working in partnership with us and, within the parameters of our gift acceptance and fiscal policies, we will do whatever is necessary to make that happen.

For many of our programs, we have outcome evaluation measures in place that were developed in cooperation with the Anneberg Institute at Brown University. These quantitative and qualitative measures reflect the success of our programs.

Can you provide me with some ways my gift might be used?
Philanthropy is a two way street. In accepting any gift, the Library's goal is to respect the intent of the donor. From the donor's viewpoint, by choosing to make an investment in the Providence Public Library, your actions reflect that you have a high level of confidence in our management team, staff and trustees to use your unrestricted gifts for the greatest good of the organization and for priorities that are consistent with Providence Public Library's mission, and that your restricted gifts will be used for the specific purposes you have designated.

What is the difference between a restricted and unrestricted gift?
Your gift can be unrestricted which means that you transfer to management, staff and trustees the decision-making power to use your gift for those purposes that they deem will meet the greatest Providence Public Library need. Unrestricted gifts typically go toward general operating support. Your unrestricted gift could support such items as salaries for library staff as well as other expenses such as roof repairs that management deems a priority.

Your gift can be restricted which means you can restrict your gift to support Buildings- a particular branch or building campaign Programs-see funding a program link Books-see book funds under endowment

What if I want to make a bequest or explore the benefits of a charitable gift annuity or some other type of planned gift?
We have planned giving advisors available to discuss your specific situation and explore various vehicles such as charitable gift annuities that provide a stream of income to you for life and give you a significant tax deduction.

If you choose to make a bequest, please notify us at 455-8125 so that we can include you in our Lyra Brown Nickerson Society

Sample bequest wording (which you should discuss with your financial or legal advisor) is listed on our Planned Giving page.

I have some further questions. Whom should I call?
For further information, please call Nancy Ponte, Development Manager, at (401) 455-8003 or at nponte@provlib.org.

Thank you for your interest in the Providence Public Library!