You don't have to donate. Hertfordshire Libraries are a universal and free service to the community. Your decision to donate is an entirely voluntary one.
We ask that you donate only as much as you feel comfortable with. You may want to consider either a one-off payment or more frequently.
What will the money raised from donations be spent on?
Donations will be used entirely to maintain and enhance the services we offer to the community. There are no deductions or fees and they will not be used to pay salaries.
Here are some examples of what individual donations may equate to:
- £2 will contribute to a place at one of our many children’s activities
- £5 will buy a top-quality paperback
- £10 will support our digital inclusion activities to address social inequality.
I already pay my Council Tax. Doesn’t this cover the cost of running the service?
Council Tax doesn't cover all of the running costs of the library service.
Hertfordshire Libraries (like many other library services) raises £1 out of every £11 in order to support the development and sustainability of services.
Donations are one of a number of revenue streams to help us achieve this.
What other ways of raising income are you considering?
Hertfordshire Libraries has a number of income generating services. These include:
- photocopier charges
- meeting room hire
- display space hire
- charging for stalls / pop-up shops
- reading group subscriptions.
COVID-19 has impacted these services, highlighting further the importance of donations.
Will my donation go directly to my local library or to Hertfordshire Libraries?
100% of each donation goes directly to Hertfordshire Libraries and will be directed to where it is most needed. We think it is only right that funds are prioritised to where the need is greatest.
Can I Gift Aid my donation?
Unfortunately this is not possible at the moment.
Can I donate books?
Due to significant staff time for processing and limited shelf space, the following guidelines apply to book donations:
- We cannot guarantee that donated items will be added to stock as they are subject to the same guidelines as all library items.
- Donations not added to stock may be sold or disposed of sustainably. Any proceeds will be used to improve our services.
- Books should be less than 5 years old and in nearly new condition.
- We cannot guarantee that an item will stay at a particular library.
- We are unable to inform donors of the outcome of donations.
- We cannot return unwanted donations to the donor.
We reserve the right not to accept donations.