Supporting the Auburn University Libraries

Thank you for considering a gift to the Auburn Libraries! You may designate your gift or pledge to your area of interest or to the Library’s area of greatest need.

CREDIT CARD

Quickly and easily make a gift of any size online using Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express™, or DISCOVER® cards.

GIVE NOW

If you prefer to process your gift by telephone, please contact Shali Zhang by email at slz0002@auburn.edu to talk about making a gift or to ask any questions you might have.

CHECK

A check is a common way to provide a gift to The Auburn Libraries. Please make your check payable to “Auburn University Foundation.” Also, please note your preferred designation on the memo line of your check, and if possible, complete and return our gift card with your donation.

Checks should be mailed to Auburn University Foundation and mailed to Auburn Libraries at 317 S. College St., Auburn, AL 36849.

ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER (EFT)

EFTs, or monthly bank drafts, are a convenient way to support the Auburn Libraries. Specify your gift amount and designation according to your wishes. To request the form necessary to begin an EFT or make an inquiry, please contact Shali Zhang by email at slz0002@auburn.edu.

STOCK GIFTS

By donating common stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other appreciated securities, donors may also receive tax benefits that include avoiding long-term capital gains tax and obtaining deductions for their annual income tax filing. In most cases, donors can maximize their contribution through gifts of stock by transferring these appreciated securities to the Auburn University Foundation directly, rather than liquidating them first and donating the proceeds of that sale to the foundation.

MATCHING GIFTS

Your employer may double or even triple your gift to Auburn University. Your employer’s Human Resources department can provide details and a matching gift form.

If you have any questions or are interested in making a gift to the Auburn Libraries, please contact Shali Zhang by email at slz0002@auburn.edu.

Collections

In addition to books and other physical information resources, the Auburn University Libraries allocates well over 90% of our materials budget to provide online access to databases, e-journals, eBooks, and streaming media that are required to support research and learning in all disciplines. Like most other costs in our economy, these annual subscription fees are subject to inflationary increases each year. Your gift to the Libraries will enable us to fulfill the land-grant mission of Auburn University in the State of Alabama and beyond, helping future generations to acquire “the knowledge to work wisely” as per the Auburn Creed.

Innovation & Research

From basic utilities such as Wi-Fi and internet to more advanced services including research resources, digitization of collections and state-of-the-art data and maker spaces, our Libraries are the foundation of education and innovation. Gifts from alumni and friends make all of this possible.

Special Collections

Philanthropy ensures the Libraries continue to curate and grow many of its most renowned assets, providing a valuable and enduring resource.

Student Worker Scholarships

A new Auburn Libraries scholarship program will reward hard-working student employees and give them the resources they need to reach their academic goals. Philanthropic support will make this a reality.

Students' Greatest Need

The library provides for the many needs of Auburn students – from coffee and quiet study spaces, to project and paper resources, computers, and the whiteboards and markers. Your unrestricted support will empower the university to continue offering cutting-edge learning and collaborative environments for our students.

Give Now

If you have any questions or are interested in making a gift to the Auburn Libraries, please contact Shali Zhang by email at slz0002@auburn.edu.

Endowments

Endowments are vitally important to Auburn University Libraries because they provide permanent, self-sustaining sources of funding that create stability, flexibility, and opportunity for years to come. Because they are invested and only the generated interest income is used to support Auburn, endowments grow and provide funding for their designated purpose in perpetuity. They are an effective way to establish a lasting legacy to benefit Auburn beyond your lifetime. In addition, this type of funding provides the opportunity for an endowment to bear your name or to honor or memorialize someone of your choosing.

Endowments are created with a minimum philanthropic investment of $25,000 — either as an outright gift paid over time or through a planned gift. Once established, an endowment is held permanently and is managed and invested by the Auburn University Foundation. Its principal continues to grow and produce income in perpetuity for a designated purpose.

Major Giving

Major Gifts are crucial to the growth and success of the Auburn University Libraries, and this type of investment secures future funding for the education of our students, the academic excellence of our faculty, and the strength of our programs. A pledge for $10,000 or more – either as an outright gift paid over time or as a planned gift – With a broad range of resources for every patron, Auburn University Libraries meet the needs of students, faculty members, alumni and friends. Private support ensures the unique collections, technology and academic aids found in the Libraries continue to grow and enrich the lives of the Auburn Family.

If you are interested in making a planned gift, please contact Shali Zhang by email at slz0002@auburn.edu.

As a noted author and the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in history from Auburn University, Leah Rawls Atkins knows Auburn has reached great heights because of the dedication of talented faculty members, as well as students who commit themselves to achieving their best. Atkins also believes that endowment funding helps the university become an even greater institution for future generations. For that reason, she created the Dr. Leah Rawls Atkins Endowed Fund for Excellence to benefit the Auburn University Libraries. This endowment enriches and supports the libraries’ collection in the subject area of history, allowing the libraries to provide distinguished books, periodicals, journals, and online databases to Auburn’s students and faculty members.

“Today, with more endowments to support excellence everywhere in the university, we have the opportunity to leave a legacy and enable Auburn to soar to new heights.” — LEAH RAWLS ATKINS ’58

If you have any questions or are interested in making a gift to the Auburn Libraries, please contact Shali Zhang by email at slz0002@auburn.edu.

The Auburn University Libraries welcome gifts in kind. Due to the high costs of managing the gift process, the Libraries will only accept donations that are relevant to our current needs.  

The Auburn University Libraries accepts gifts that: 

• Support the Auburn University’s current and evolving collection interests and principles.
• Sustain the research needs of Auburn University’s staff and researchers.
• Augment collections of depth.
• Enhance the unique and noteworthy holdings of Auburn University Libraries’ special collections.

We do not accept the following:

• Outdated media formats (LPs, VHS, and cassette tapes, for example).
• Damaged books (moldy, brittle paper, torn pages, water damage).
• Titles already owned by the Libraries.
• Single issues of periodicals or broken runs of bound periodicals, unless they fill gaps in our current collection.

Gifts are accepted with the understanding that the library may add them to the collection at its discretion or dispose of them if they do not meet the standards for selection. As a general rule, gift materials will be added to the collection based on the same criteria as purchased material. The library reserves the right to determine the retention, location, cataloging treatment, and other considerations related to the use or disposition of all gifts. The library assumes no responsibility for appraisal of gift items, nor can the library accept items under restricted conditions.

Steps to donate a Gift in Kind

1. Contact the Specialist

For donations of books and research material, please contact Liza Weisbrod at weisbel@auburn.edu or by phone at 334-844-0954.

For rare books and Auburn-related materials, please contact Greg Schmidt at schmigr@auburn.edu or by phone at 334-844-1736.

For donations of archives, manuscripts, and personal papers, please contact Tommy Brown at brownt6@auburn.edu or by phone at 334-844-1733.

2. Sign and Return the Deed of Gift

If you wish to receive an acknowledgment letter for tax purposes, please sign the Deed of Gift document  and return it to the Libraries at your convenience. You can return it by email at slz0002@auburn.edu or by mail at RBD Library, 231 Mell St., Auburn, AL 36849.

Please know that If you wish to receive a tax deduction of $5000 or more, donor must secure a formal appraisal and provide the AU Libraries with a copy.

For more information, please contact Shali Zhang by email at slz0002@auburn.edu or by phone at 334-740-1856.