FAQs

Conservation appeal

Help us save the stories that shaped history

Donate now

 

Any questions?

Find the answer in the FAQs below or contact us directly at supporters@bl.uk or +44 (0)20 7412 7301.

Are you a charity?

Yes. We have full exempt charitable status, but we don’t have a charity number from the Charity Commission. DCMS acts as our principal regulator for charity law purposes.

A gift to us still attracts the same tax benefits as to any other charity. We can claim Gift Aid on all qualifying donations and individual supporters can claim tax relief.

Can I add Gift Aid to my donation?

Yes, as long as you’re a UK tax payer and will pay more Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax in the current tax year that the amount of Gift Aid claimed on your donations. By adding Gift Aid, you’ll be boosting your donation by an extra 25p for every £1, making your gift stretch even further.

We’ll ask if you’d like to complete a Gift Aid Declaration when you donate through our website or you can request a form by contacting us at supporters@bl.uk or +44 (0)20 7412 7301.

How does match funding work?

Thanks to a number of generous match funders, we’ve secured a pot of £10,000 to match donations given to our conservation work. All you have to do is donate to our conservation appeal and, unless we’ve already reached our target of £10,000 and there's no matched funding available, your donation will automatically be matched, doubling any gift you make.

If we do exceed our target before you donate, your gift won’t be matched but will still make a vital contribution to our conservation work.

Why do you need my help?

As a charity, donations help us do so much more. Last year alone, your support helped us treat over 9,000 historic works in our conservation studio, from the archive of feminist publisher Carmen Callil to the Lindisfarne Gospels.

To find out more about the impact that donations have on our work, look at last year’s report on Opening up a world of ideas: The impact of our supporters and partners 2022-23.

Can I support a different project?

Absolutely! From adopting a book to naming a seat, helping us digitise more of our collection to launching exhibitions that inspire: there are so many incredible ways to support us. Get in touch to discuss your thoughts at supporters@bl.uk or +44 (0)20 7412 7205.
​