Donate & Support

As a donor, you’re providing opportunities that HCLS would not otherwise be able to offer. Whether you are an individual supporting community initiatives or a local business making a philanthropic difference in Howard County – there’s a donor engagement level that’s right for you.

Online: Make a friends donation

Phone: 410.313.7799

Email: [email protected]

Mail: Print this membership form and mail with your check to Friends & Foundation of HCLS at 9411 Frederick Road, Ellicott City, MD 21042

Show your support of the Enchanted Garden:

Purchase engraved pavers
Show your support of this outdoor classroom venue. Permeable pavers adorn the patio area in the garden and recognize your role in sustaining this beautiful and innovative teaching garden.

• Etch your name into the history of this breathtaking garden
• Memorialize a meaningful person in your life
• Commemorate a special occasion

Purchase a paving stone for $250 online or print PDF form and mail to:
Howard County Library System / Attn: Enchanted Garden / 9411 Frederick Road /Ellicott City, MD 21042

Commemorative giving
You may wish to recognize and remember friends and loved ones in this beautiful garden setting. A limited number of opportunities exist for funding memorial and other garden elements. HCLS encourages memorial donations in any amount to the garden maintenance fund.

A small plaque honoring the person being remembered and/or the donor will be installed on or near certain memorial features.

• Artistic elements and themed garden planting areas (i.e. pond area, heron sculpture fountain, conifer garden, sensory garden)
• Memorial benches and other garden furniture
• Adopt-A-Tree (funding the care and maintenance of a tree already existing in the garden)

Whether given as a memorial, in recognition of a happy occasion, or as an expression of honor and esteem, a tribute gift to Howard County Library System is a satisfying way to remember someone special. To make a Tribute Gift, establish a Tribute Fund.

Dr. Sydney L. Cousin Memorial Fund:
Contributions to this fund support educational initiatives and classes across Howard County Library System.
Kathleen S. Glascock Tribute Fund for Children/Youth Literacy & Education: The Glascock Tribute Fund advances literacy for children and youth in Howard County. Contributions to this fund support Battle of the Books, HCLS Spelling Bee, and Summer Reading.
Gene Klein HCLS Project Literacy Fund: HCLS Project Literacy teaches adults reading, writing and basic math skills. More than 7,850 students representing 43 countries have participated in Project Literacy since 1987. 142 have received their high school diplomas and 141 have become US Citizens. Contributions to this fund are used for the high school diploma program and honor a former tutor, Gene Klein.
George W. Veditz (ASL) Fund: Howard County Library System is one of a select number of libraries in the country with a collection of American Sign Language (ASL) materials. To support the collection, the Library established The George W. Veditz Memorial Fund in honor of Veditz, a famous deaf Maryland resident who promoted ASL in the early 1900s. The Fund is used to strengthen and broaden Library ASL resources. The collection is housed at the Central Branch, but may be requested from any branch.

To contribute to a tribute fund, note your chosen fund in the form’s comments section.

Have you considered leaving a gift from your estate? A legacy gift from your will or designating Friends & Foundation of HCLS as the beneficiary of an account is a wonderful way to support the library with a lasting impact. Making a gift this way may reduce the amount of your estate taxation. For more information please consult your tax or financial advisor for more details.
Learn more: Planned Giving

Friends Endowment Fund
The Friends & Foundation of Howard County Library System have an endowment fund established with The Community Foundation of Howard County. To designate a gift to the Endowment Fund, please contact the Columbia Foundation at 410.730.7840. Gifts to the Friends & Foundation of HCLS Endowment Fund are eligible for Friends & Foundation of HCLS membership, benefits, and recognition in the same manner as standard, non-endowment gifts to the Friends & Foundation of HCLS.

The Presidential Circle recognizes Howard County Library System’s most esteemed and leading supporters who donate more than $10,000 annually. Presidential Circle donors may choose to designate and customize the allocation of their funds.

We thank these generous donors!

• Dr. Lillian Bauder
• Yolanda and Francis Bruno Family Fund
• Educational Systems Federal Credit Union
• Friends & Foundation of HCLS
• Howard County Public School System
• Howard Community College
• Howard Hughes Corporation
• M&T Charitable Foundation

If you have questions, contact: Rita Hamlet at [email protected]