The Society is named for Andrew Carnegie whose incredible legacy of libraries included the Carnegie Library in San Diego, the first west of the Mississippi.

The Foundation's participation in Endow San Diego opens up planned giving options to donors.

Carnegie Society members Paula Taylor and Bernie Kulchin.

The Carnegie Planned Giving Society honors those who have provided a lasting legacy for tomorrow’s generations by including the San Diego Public Library Foundation in their estate plans. The Society is named for Andrew Carnegie who underwrote more than 2,000 libraries worldwide, including the San Diego Free Public Library, one of the first west of the Mississippi.

Please consider including the San Diego Public Library in your will, trust or other planned giving vehicle. The San Diego Public Library Foundation participates in the San Diego Foundation’s Endow San Diego Nonprofit Partnership Program. This allows the Library and Foundation to offer donors planned giving resources such as charitable gift annuities and pooled income funds.

For more information, call 619-239-6638 or e-mail office@supportmylibrary.org.

From a charter membership of 13 in 2005, there are now 52 Carnegie Society families.  It is important for Library staff to know the donor’s intent for three reasons. First, staff can ensure a donor’s giving intentions are fulfilled. Second, the Library can recognize and honor the donor during his or her lifetime. Third, their action provides inspiration to other library supporters.

Planned Giving Information

For more information on supporting your library through planned gifts and to sign up for a weekly ENewsletter with helpful planned giving information, visit here.

A Closer Look...

Paula Taylor and Bernie Kulchin: A Belief in Libraries

Childhood experiences with reading often are cornerstones of a lifelong passion for literacy and learning. Such was the case for both Paula Taylor and Bernie Kulchin.

Like many young girls, Paula loved to read the Nancy Drew mystery series. She and her friends in upstate New York enjoyed competing with each other to see who could read the most books. The town library was small, but still awe-inspiring for Paula. For Bernie, the importance of a good education was stressed in the home. His mother was a voracious reader--a love passed along to Bernie.

They have been generous library donors for ten years. “Books and reading give us so much pleasure. We want everyone to experience the joy of a good read.” Additionally, both Paula and Bernie are ardent supporters of the proposed new Central library. Bernie noted he has seen San Diego grow into a major city. "But there is still a big gap in that we do not have an adequate central library,” he said.

When it came time for estate planning, their desire to provide benefits to future generations led Bernie and Paula to include the Library. “Books and reading give us so much pleasure. We want everyone to experience the joy of a good read,” Bernie said.

Carnegie Society Members