The Springfield Library Foundation

The Springfield Library Foundation was formed in 2005 and is incorporated as a 501(c)3 tax exempt, not-for-profit corporation organized and operated exclusively for the benefit of the Springfield City Library.

The Foundation has two primary purposes:

1. To responsibly steward and manage endowed and other funds entrusted to the Foundation’s care by donors going back more than a century ago.
2. To encourage philanthropy and raise new funds, both restricted and unrestricted, in support of the Library’s programs, materials, services and facilities.

Fulfilling these two purposes enriches the lives of every library patron, and ensures that Springfield’s Library system remains vibrant and responsive to community needs. Philanthropy provides us with the means to work closely with City Library leadership to support vital programs and services and to pilot new initiatives.

Since its founding, the Foundation has provided more than $7 million to the City Library and now provides nearly one third of the Library’s annual materials budget. In addition, the Foundation has supported various facility improvements throughout the system, including $2 million for construction of the East Forest Park Branch Library through the Promise Realized Campaign. Awards from the Foundation’s Rose Smith funds now support more than two dozen music programs annually, and we have underwritten Sunday hours at the Central Library, data plans for 100 Wi-Fi hotspots, reference services, as well as strategic planning and staff development initiatives. It is thanks to donors like you and others who have named the Foundation as a beneficiary of their estates that such ongoing support from the Foundation is possible.

The largest individual fund at the Foundation is the Annie Curran Endowment, devoted to the Mason Square Branch Library. Every year, the Branch hosts a Community Festival in Ms. Curran’s honor, and “Annie’s Reading Porch,” a play structure for children, is a popular fixture in the branch’s children’s area.

The Library Foundation has two, part-time staff and a nineteen-member volunteer board of directors.

For further information, please contact Library Foundation Executive Director, Matt Blumenfeld at 413-263-6828 ext. 251, or by email at MBlumenfeld@springfieldlibrary.org. You may also contact the Foundation’s Development Coordinator, Violette Giammarino at VGiammarino@springfieldlibrary.org.

The Foundation’s office is located at the Central Library on State Street and our secure mailing address is:

Springfield Library Foundation
PO Box 28
East Longmeadow, MA 01028

Create a Legacy of Philanthropy

Planned Giving at the Springfield Library Foundation

The Springfield Library Foundation is now the steward of more than forty-five named funds, with some going back more than a century. Recent bequests, such as those given by Mary Brogan, a Springfield Private Investigator, Virginia Donigian, and Nonny Burack, have created permanent funds to support reference services, books & materials, programs for low- and moderate-income residents, and even the new East Forest Park Branch. These funds have a positive impact on library patrons every year, enriching the lives of thousands of library patrons.

The Foundation’s Legacy Society accepts a variety of planned gifts. These include outright bequests, gifts of whole life insurance & real property, Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), IRAs and other retirement assets. If you would like to discuss one of these options please contact Library Foundation Executive Director, Matt Blumenfeld at 413-263-6828 ext. 251, or by email at MBlumenfeld@springfieldlibrary.org for a candid, confidential discussion.

Bequests
You may choose to make an outright bequest to the Springfield Library Foundation in your will. We would be delighted to speak with you about your bequest intentions so that your bequest can accomplish the purpose you wish. Bequests may be unrestricted or directed to a specific purpose. You may choose to give a specific amount or a percentage of the balance remaining in your estate (sample language below).

Unrestricted bequest
“I give (a specific dollar amount/a specific asset, or percentage of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate) to the Springfield Library Foundation, a charitable, tax-exempt organization located in Springfield, MA, for its general purposes.”

Bequest for a specific purpose
“I give (a specific dollar amount/a specific asset, or percentage of the rest, residue,and remainder of my estate) to the Springfield Library Foundation, a charitable, tax-exempt organization located in in Springfield, MA, to be used for the following purpose: (state thepurpose).”

NOTE: If you wish to restrict your bequest, please schedule a time to speak with the Foundation’s Executive Director, so that we may ensure that your gift can be used effectively.

Life Insurance
Donors may choose to use a life insurance policy to make a gift to the Springfield Library Foundation. Making a gift of life insurance allows you to transfer ownership of a paid-up whole life insurance policy or you can make Springfield Library Foundation the beneficiary of an existing policy in place. Transferring ownership can produce an immediate income tax charitable deduction for the value of the policy and future income tax deductions if you continue to pay premiums on the policy.

Real Property
Using real estate to make a gift allows you to turn an asset into support for Springfield Library Foundation, while receiving a charitable income tax deduction, and potentially avoid capital gains taxes.

Gifts of Retained Life Estate
A retained life estate allows you to make a gift of a personal residence or other real property to Springfield Library Foundation, receive a tax deduction for a portion of your gift, and continue to use your property while you are still alive.

Donor Advised Funds (DAFs)
DAFs combine tax benefits with the flexibility to give to your favorite causes, when you are ready. You may name Springfield Library Foundation as a beneficiary of your donor advised fund. Designate the Bowery Residents Committee to receive all or a portion of the balance of your fund through your fund administrator (you can also make a grant to us at any time from your donor advised fund). The balance in your fund passes to Springfield Library Foundation when the fund terminates.

IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD)
A QCD — sometimes called a “charitable rollover” — is a contribution from your IRA directly to Springfield Library Foundation. You can make a QCD if you are at least age 70½ at the time of your gift. Unlike other distributions from your retirement accounts, you pay no income tax on a Qualified Charitable Distribution, although there is no charitable deduction for your contribution. However, your QCD contribution counts toward your Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) from your IRA without creating taxable income for you, thereby lowering your adjusted gross income.

Retirement Account assets
An alternative to a charitable bequest is to designate Springfield Library Foundation as the beneficiary of your retirement account assets. This gift is simple because there is no need to modify your will or living trust. All you need to do is complete a beneficiary designation form with your plan administrator.

A gift of retirement assets has the added advantage of being a tax-wise way to make an estate gift. This is because your retirement assets, if left to individuals, will be subject to income tax when they receive distributions and, for most non-spouses, those distributions must take place within 10 years, potentially pushing your beneficiaries into higher income tax brackets. If you give your retirement assets to a tax-exempt organization, 100 percent of the retirement assets will be available for its charitable purposes. This may provide you with a tax-efficient estate strategy by leaving the more heavily taxed retirement assets to the Foundation and providing other types of assets—cash, securities, real estate to your heirs.

Note: Directing retirement assets to both charitable and noncharitable beneficiaries can accelerate the income tax. Always consult with your advisors before naming the beneficiaries of your retirement assets.

For further information, please contact Library Foundation Executive Director, Matt Blumenfeld at 413-263-6828 ext. 251, or by email at MBlumenfeld@springfieldlibrary.org . You may also contact the Foundation’s Development Coordinator, Violette Giammarino at VGiammarino@springfieldlibrary.org.

The Foundation’s office is located at the Central Library on State Street and our secure mailing address is:
Springfield Library Foundation
PO Box 28
East Longmeadow, MA 01028

In September of 2017, the Library Foundation launched the Promise Realized Capital Campaign, which successfully raised $2 million in support of a $9.4 million project to build a new East Forest Park Branch Library. More than 500 donors large and small contributed generously to the campaign and we are grateful to all of our donors and volunteers. You have made a huge difference for generations of library patrons.

While the campaign is now closed, you may read more about the incredible project on the Promise Realized Capital Campaign page.

If you would like to make a payment to an existing pledge online, please visit our donate page.

For further information, please contact Library Foundation Executive Director, Matt Blumenfeld at 413-263-6828 ext. 251, or by email at MBlumenfeld@springfieldlibrary.org. You may also contact the Foundation’s Development Coordinator, Violette Giammarino at VGiammarino@springfieldlibrary.org.

The Foundation’s office is located at the Central Library on State Street and our secure mailing address is:

Springfield Library Foundation
PO Box 28
East Longmeadow, MA 01028

The Springfield Library Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors, all of whom serve without compensation. The By-Laws determine the makeup of the Board of Directors and the rules of governance.

Patrick Markey, President
Stephen Cary, Vice President & Chairman of Library Commission
Hector Toledo, Treasurer
Dave Maynard, 2nd Vice President
Molly Fogarty, Clerk & Director of the Springfield City Library
John R. Dailey
Helen Caulton-Harris
Mary Ann G. Maloney
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno
Ben Swan Jr.
Jim Puhala
Mary Downey Costello
Zaida Govan
Cheryl Coakley-Rivera
Keshawn Dodds
Crystal Senter-Brown
Cathy Buono
Stephen Buoniconti
Juan LaTorre

Barbara J. Garvey, Emeritus
Charles V. Ryan, Emeritus Deceased