Planned Giving

Since 1895 The New York Public Library has been providing free and open access and opportunities to all. When you designate the Library in your estate plans, you leave a legacy for future generations. There are many ways to leave a legacy. You can include the Library in your will or trust, designate the Library as a beneficiary of your financial or retirement accounts, or establish a charitable gift annuity with guaranteed payments for life. Your legacy entitles you to exclusive benefits.

• Make a gift from your will or living trust
• Arrange for a gift that guarantees lifetime payments
• Designate the Library as a beneficiary of an account or policy

The Bigelow Society, the Langston Hughes Legacy Society, and the Encore Legacy Society, are honorary societies that recognize the generosity of individuals who have named the New York Public Library, the Schomburg Center, or the Library for the Performing Arts in their will or trust, or have designated them as a beneficiary of an investment account or insurance policy. The Library expresses its gratitude to members by inviting them to special Library events and by listing their names in donor publications. The support of our members ensures that future generations will enjoy free access to knowledge and opportunity while bringing communities together for open discussion, thought, and civic engagement.

We are pleased to offer a new service to our supporters: access to Giving Docs, an independent, third-party online estate planning tool that allows you to create or update your will free of charge during your lifetime. Giving Docs is simple, secure and free. Please visit givingdocs.com/nypl and start planning your legacy.

Have questions or need additional assistance? Contact us!