It’s now winter and 2022 is almost over. Families and friends throughout the U.S. and the world come together for special holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

This Thanksgiving, I found myself grateful for being able to take an active leadership role for the American Philatelic Research Library, the largest stamp library in the United States and perhaps the world. I remain convinced that APRL is a true gem in the hobby, and we must do all we can to strengthen it. This holds true for both the physical building and on-site holdings as well as the growing digital collection. Having a strong library helps ensure current and future philatelists and postal historians have resources available to enjoy and excel in the hobby.

This is also the season when tax experts recommend tying up loose ends to prepare for filing taxes in the new year. So here, I describe some giving opportunities to bolster the APRL. 

Charitable tax deductions for a specific tax year

We know that you likely have many not-for-profit organizations contacting you for year-end donations. We hope you will consider the APRL among them. There are a number of ways you can send in a contribution. One way is to log into the MyAPS section of the stamps.org website and donate there; you do not have to mail a check as you can make a payment using PayPal, Visa or Mastercard. Of course, the APRL welcomes donations via paper check if you like. 

If you itemize on your taxes, you can likely deduct a charitable donation to the APRL. Those of you faced with making a required minimum distribution from your retirement accounts, please consider donating to the library, which is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. If you have an accountant or tax advisor, we recommend you consult with them in making such plans. The irs.gov website also provides guidance.

Vooys Fellows

We thank those hobbyists who have already pledged or completed pledges of $5,000 to become Vooys Fellows. As a reminder, the Vooys Fellows program is named for Daniel Vooys, the library’s founder in its second iteration in the late 1960s. The funds are invested and used for the library’s long-term sustainability. There are currently 56 fellows who have completed their pledges and another seven in progress. Wouldn’t it be great to reach 100? Please know you can contribute over time – donors have up to five years to fulfill the pledge. 

Vooys Fellow privileges include: 

• A vote for Founder/Patron/Vooys Fellow representative on APRL Board of Trustees; 
• An opportunity to run for Founder/Patron/Vooys Fellow representative on the APRL Board of Trustees; 
• A lifetime subscription to the Philatelic Literature Review; 
• A personal Vooys Fellow plaque; 
• Your name on a Vooys Fellow plaque in the APRL; 
• To learn more, visit stamps.org, and search Vooys.

Memorial or honorary contributions

This past August, the outgoing APRL Board of Trustees and the Director of Information Services Scott Tiffney pooled their funds to honor outgoing Board President Ken Grant by supporting the library’s cinderella book and journal collection and requesting it be named in his honor. The Board is grateful for Grant’s decades of service to APS and APRL.

Is there a notable collector who is/was active in your local club? Does the club wish to honor him or her? Collecting funds in honor or memory of this individual is a great way to recognize the person’s contributions to the hobby and to support the library. Depending on the amount collected, opportunities exist to name a shelf, a study carrel or other library elements in the person’s honor.  

The 2023 Stamp Soiree will be held at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2023 opportunities

Every year at the Great American Stamp Show, there is a Tiffany Talk and Stamp Soiree. If you have not yet had a chance to attend, I highly recommend it. The talk is usually quite stimulating and is followed by a reception where you get to connect with fellow donors, collectors and exhibitors. There is an opportunity to donate at the reception itself. 

Separately, the Stamp Soiree is often held at a special venue such as a historical museum. It’s a formal dinner where donors have an opportunity to buy an individual seat or an entire table and the proceeds go to support an aspect of the APS or APRL. In past years, APRL has been a designated recipient of the funds raised, including a specific effort toward enhancing the digital library. 

In 2023, the Great American Stamp Show runs Aug. 10-13 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Soiree will be held on that Thursday night at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; the planned cause is the Capital Fund, which supports building maintenance of the American Philatelic Center. Stay tuned for more details in The American Philatelist and on the stamps.org website. I hope to see you there!

Also a reminder about the Mighty Buck Campaign, which usually kicks off in the springtime. The funds raised here go to support office needs of the APS and APRL, including computers and scanners. For those of you with limited funds, this may be a perfect chance for you to show your support. Donations start at $12, just a dollar per month.

There is a lot of flexibility in making donations – while these are some of the more formal options, if you wake up one morning and decide you would like to support APRL’s future, there is nothing to stop you!

Estate plans

Another opportunity for giving is to add the APRL into your estate plans. The greater APRL community is grateful for whatever you can provide. Unrestricted gifts give the staff the greatest flexibility in addressing library needs when they arise, but you also have an opportunity to make a gift based on your interests.

Examples include designating funds toward a specific affinity in the hobby, such as a certain country’s philately and postal history or a collecting area such as revenue stamps or postal markings (these are just examples). Your bequest can help support the library in continuing to build a specific collection or in ensuring past journals become available in the Robert A. Mason Digital Library.

I hope this column has given you some food for thought with regards to your end-of-the-year charitable giving opportunities and that you will strongly consider supporting the APRL. If making such a pledge sounds appealing, please contact APS Executive Director and Library Administrator Scott English (scott@stamps.org). He will be glad to discuss the opportunities with you.