How you can support your library

Thank you for your support! As an independent non-profit, the library is able to keep its doors open due to the support of many in the community, including the City of Brownwood, Brown County and City of Early. We would not be able to do all the we are doing without your help! Here are a few ways you can support your library:

Donate to the Library. As a 501(3), your donation is tax-deductible to the extent the law allows.

Donate to the Library's Endowment fund. This was set up in the 60s by residents dedicated to seeing the library into the future. Our endowment is invested with Community Foundation of Abilene and will be a huge part of seeing the library succeed and thrive in the future.

Visit, check out books, use the computers. The more you visit and use our resources, the more we can show our community leaders and donors how important the library is to the community.

Talk it up. Tell your friends about the resources available at the library. Invite them to library programs. It's amazing the people who come to the library the first time and marvel how they wish they'd known about the library years ago! If they don't know we're here and what we offer, they won't use it and we won't grow.

Tell your representatives. If the library is providing a valuable service to you, let your community leaders know. Local mayors, city managers, judges, chamber representatives and more want to know that the community's funds are appreciated.

Donate a memorial. We can purchase new books in memory of a loved one. Memorials can be small ($20 for one book) or large. We will place a bookplate in the book in honor of your loved one.

Purchase used books. We no longer have the storage space for a large annual book sale. However, we have a collection of books for sale at both the main library and the genealogy library. Some are by donation, other cost $1 or less. Not only will this support the library, it will allow us to get more books for sale out on the shelves.

Join the Friends of the Library. Our Friends of the Library group is relaunching and eager for charter members. The Friends of the Library is a support group that raises money and volunteers in support of the library.

Donate items the library can use. The library has a wish list through Amazon. Everything from basic supplies to books to DVDs to supplies for programs. Anything on that wish list would be a huge help!

Lead a program. The library is seeking to expand its programs for both kids and adults. If you have an interest or hobby you would like to share, do it with the Brownwood Library! Someone who enjoys knitting might lead a weekly or monthly knitting group. Perhaps someone else might do a regular conversational English class for English-language learners. Maybe you'd like to teach a class on couponing, cake decorating, antique tractors or homeschooling for beginners. If you have an interest, come talk to us at the library!

Use Amazon Smile when you purchase items through Amazon. When you choose Brownwood Library as your non-profit, we will receive .05% of all your purchases on Amazon, at no extra cost to you! First, follow the link to our Amazon Smile page. This will set you up to select the Brownwood Library as the charity of your choice. For all future Amazon orders, just be sure you go to https://smile.amazon.com/ every time you shop at Amazon.

Volunteer. The library is still developing a volunteer program. Often it depends on your interests and skills. Some of the ways we can use volunteers include: Putting up books and straightening shelves; Inputting information into the computer so patrons can better research local history; Creating flannel boards for storytime; Listing and shipping items for sale online; Creating book lists. If there is an area that interests you, let us know and we'll see how we can use it in the library! Or...

Volunteer at the Genealogy Library. The Genealogy Library is heavily supported by the Pecan Valley Genealogical Society. Patrons who come to the library to research their family or local history have a vast well of knowledge and support in these great folks.  If this is an area that interests you, they would love to talk to you about volunteering!

Donate your gently used books and DVDs. These are often added to the collection or sold in our book sale. We love books, but we can't keep them all forever. The following books don't sell in our book sale and we can't accept donations of these:
  - Really old and ratty books
  - Encyclopedias
  - Reader's Digest Condensed Editions

We also accept business donations. We love to see local businesses and non-profits grow and flourish! While we cannot directly advertise for businesses, we are happy to let the community know when a business supports the library. We've had dozens of businesses support our kids for the Summer Reading Club. Whether they donate money or restaurant coupons for the kids or something else, it makes the reading program special! Other businesses have helped the library in special projects, such as painting or repair work. Please contact the library if you are interested in sponsoring a program or project.