HOME / ABOUT / DONATE
The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library has been able to pursue its mission for over 126 years, and to undergo tremendous growth over the past three decades, thanks to the generosity of its donors. There are many ways you can help ensure the Athenaeum's future and maintain the high quality of its offerings. You may designate your tax-deductible contribution for a certain use, such as library collections, exhibitions, chamber music, jazz, new music, or education. Or you may wish to take advantage of one of our naming opportunities, or purchase a commemorative brick in our courtyard. Businesses and foundations are also welcome to become involved with the Athenaeum through support of the organization in general, or of specific programming. The Athenaeum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and all donations are tax-deductible.
How to Donate
Click on the Make a Donation button or call us today at (858) 454-5872 or send your tax-deductible contribution to Christie Mitchell, Executive Director at the library, located at 1008 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037. Please make checks payable to the Athenaeum, EIN 95-1916045.
Explore special naming and memorial opportunities, donations in honor of a loved one, or program sponsorships.
Thank you for being a part of the Athenaeum family.
Ways to Make a Gift to The Library Association of La Jolla DBA Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
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Donors may direct their gifts to support certain programs, for example, Collections, Exhibitions, Chamber Music, or Jazz; or for new programs; or to be used at the discretion of the Executive Director for general operations. For additional information on the various opportunities, please contact the Executive Director.
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The purpose of this document is to describe several ways to make a gift to the Athenaeum as a charitable contribution that may have various advantages for the donor, particularly with regard to income tax deductions. Generally, gifts to the Athenaeum are deductible from income tax to the full extent of the law, although there are a few exceptions.
Ways to give include making a Qualified Charitable Distribution from an IRA account, a transfer of appreciated stock, a cash gift by check or credit card, a distribution from a Donor Advised Fund, and various types of deferred gifts. Please consult your financial advisor or tax accountant to see how one or more of the following mechanisms may be beneficial for you.
Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) If a person has an IRA account and is over 70 ½, a gift directly to a charity under the QCD rules may have certain advantages for the donor. The amount distributed counts toward the Required Minimum Distribution (required beginning at age 72), but it is not counted as income for tax purposes. Thus the donor may avoid being in a higher income tax bracket or a phaseout of other tax deductions. However, the gift is not deductible from income tax as a charitable contribution. An individual may make QCDs of up to a total of $100,000 each tax year.
Transfer of Appreciated Stock Giving publicly traded stock, rather than selling it and donating the proceeds, means that the donor does not have to pay capital gains tax on the stock. In most cases, capital gains tax rates currently are about 15% of the gain. Importantly, the full market value of the donated stock is tax-deductible as a charitable contribution. Contact the Executive Director for specific stock transfer instructions.
Check or Credit Card A cash gift by check or credit card is generally tax-deductible, less the value of goods or services received, if any. Many donors add the credit card processing fee to their gift to give the maximum benefit for the Athenaeum.
Donor Advised Fund Recommend a grant from your Donor Advised Fund to the Athenaeum, either on a one-time or continuing basis.
Car, Land, Property Donation The Athenaeum partners directly with CARS to accept vehicle, land or property donations as a fully charitable tax donation. The Athenaeum can accept donations ranging from road ready to luxury vehicles that are immensely impactful to the organization.
Pledge The Athenaeum counts an irrevocable pledge to give as income at the time the pledge is made, as required by current accounting rules. Recording the income may help the Athenaeum with regard to certain grant requests, for example. However, the donor can only deduct the amounts as a charitable contribution as they are paid.
Deferred Giving There are quite a number of ways to support the Athenaeum through a deferred or planned gift. They include beneficiary provisions in a will, trust, retirement plan, or life insurance policy, as well as a variety of life income arrangements. Consult your advisors for the particular methods that are most applicable in your circumstances. Please notify the Athenaeum’s Executive Director if such arrangements have been made so they may be properly acknowledged.
Other Assets Other assets, such as units of a limited partnership, non-publicly traded corporate stock, or life insurance policies, may be contributed to the Athenaeum. For further information, consult the Executive Director and your tax advisor.
The Library Association of La Jolla does not give legal, financial, or tax advice. Please consult your own advisors in connection with contribution and financial planning matters.
Patrons
We gratefully acknowledge the following annual donors who support the library through membership and other donations at the level of $250 and above, between May 1, 2025 and May 31, 2026.
$20,000–$99,999
Judith Bachner & Eric Lasley
Clarence & Barbara Borns Revocable Trust, Laura Borns, Trustee
Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation,
Douglas Dawson, Trustee
City of San Diego Commission for Arts & Culture
Max Elliott
Sally & Einar Gall
Garna Muller
Bob & Catherine Palmer
Irwin & Maryanne Pfister
Prebys Foundation
Dr. Seuss Foundation
Vail Memorial Fund, Meredith Brown, Trustee
$10,000–$19,999
Charles & Ruth Billingsley Foundation
Ginny† & Bob Black
Ann Craig
Karen Fox
Lawrence Gartner
Alicia & Fred Hallett
Ingrid Hibben
Margaret Jackson
Joan† & Irwin Jacobs
Sharon Labovitz
Charles Laughlin
Louis Lupin & Gail Myers
Betsy Mitchell
Estate of Joan Nelson
ResMed Foundation
Patricia Rinaker
San Diego County
Fritz & Nora Sargent
Jack & Patti Schwellenbach
David & Marcia Sleet, Sleet Music Performance Fund
Keith & Polly Steiner
Margie & John H. Warner, Jr.
Andrea & Victor Wild
$5,000–$9,999
Kathe & Mark Albrecht
Suzanne Conlon
Brent Covey & Carolyn Oliver
Kathleen Denno
Linda & Wallace Dieckmann
Karen Dow
French Fund
Celia Henely
Anne Hubbard & Lee Puffer
Marilee & Peter Kovacs
Nancy Linke Patton & Rip Patton
Greg Mitchell
Dogan & Laura Perese
Ursula Pfeffer
Cynthia Walk & Charles Wolfinger
$3,500–$4,999
Bob & Karen Bowden
Robert Caplan & Carol Randolph
Renée Comeau & Terry Gulden
Edward & Martha Dennis
Zdenka Fronek & Walter Olsen
Carol & George Lattimer
$2,500–$3,499
Anonymous
Robert & Toni Bader Charitable Foundation Inc.
Jeff Blackburn & Anne Fleischli Blackburn
Cathy & Michael Casteel
Randall Clark & Tom Maddox
Meredith Dreiss
Daniel DuBois & Christie Mitchell
Helane & Jan Fronek
Harry Hixson, Jr. & Teresa Hixson
Vanina Joulin-Batejat
Diane & John Kane
Angel & Fred Kleinbub
Patricia & Stephen Lending
Joseph & Nancy Manno
Barbara & Donald Niemann
Dorothy Piacentini
Dannie Sue & John Reis
Betsy† & M. Lea Rudee†
Mariko Sawa & Ulf Sundberg
Dale & Mark Steele
Annasue & John Wilson
$2,000–$2,499
Ralph Ayala
Barry Bielinski & Seonaid McArthur
Mary Bush
Virginia Gordon & Robert Hooper
Gary & Martha Jacobson
Kimberly Johnson
Gloria Kondrup & Justin Rattner
Ann & Gerry Lipschitz
Erik and Kim Tyrrell-Knott
Jack & Laura Peluso
Andrea & Joseph Schmidt
Elizabeth & Joseph Taft Foundation
Richard VandeNoord
Nicole White
$1,500–$1,999
Buck & Penny Abell
Daniel & June Allen
Kris Anderson & John Iammarino
Anonymous
Barbara Arledge
Sally Ashburn
Dan & Jennifer Atkinson
Jordan & Masha Block
Benjamin Brand & Shara Williams
Zonia Button
Joyce & Paul Dostart
Ed & Edith Drcar
Diane & Elliot Feuerstein
Barbara Freeman
Georges & Germaine Fusenot Charity Foundation, Nellie High-Iredale, Trustee
Stacy Jacobs
Charles & Maureen King
Bill Lo
Melane & Philip Lurie
Arlene & Louis Navias
William Norcross
Claudia Prescott
Peggy & Peter Preuss
San Diego Foundation
Gitte & Theo Theodossi
Marie Vickers
Abby & Ray Weiss
Marty & Olivia Winkler
$1,250–$1,499
Weston Anson
Gayle Barsamian & David Clapp
Jack Brown & Jan Chatten-Brown
$1,000–$1,249
Silvia Berchtold
Linda Blair
Betsy Blakely & Judith Morgan
Susan Barbey Booth
Deborah Bothun
Gordon Brodfuehrer
Reydeen Brooks & Steven Prestrelski
California Bank & Trust
Carmen Cuenca & Michael Krichman
Carol & Joseph Danks
Michele Goodman & Eric Wan
John & Laura Killmer
Kaveh Kohani & Abbaseh Samimi
Miriam Krippl
Karen Ladner & Todd Stone
Luisa & Paul Larson Living Trust
Michael & Susan Lieberman
Sheridan Lorenz
Cecil Lytle
Gerry & Linda McAllister
Debra McGinty-Poteet & Larry Poteet
Holly McGrath
Hans & Ursula Moede
Mary Lou Orphey
Jeanette Stevens
Steven Strauss & Lise Wilson
G.E. & R.D. Wallace Foundation Janet Wallace, Trustee
Mary Walshok
Penelope & John West
$500–$999
John Alexander
Donald & Janet Allison
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Leila Armstrong
John & Linda Ball
Jeff Barnouw
Suzanne Bates
Mary Beebe & Charles Reilly
Grace Bell & Will Parsons
Kevin Bertrand & Marie Keledijan
Eric Blau & Julie Gollin
Julie Bothell & Cory Kelly
Manuela Broccolini & Terrence Pirtle
Diane Brockington
Nancy & Rich Carroll
Giovanna Casola & Scott Stewart
Irene Chandler
Patricia Chien
Cheryl Crittenden & Ricardo Hernández
Family of Charles Crocker Fund
Bronle Crosby
Hugh Davies & Faye Hunter
Pamela Dekema
John Dineen & Jennifer Nelson
David & Denise Elyanow
Hafez & Shahnaz Erfani
Gail & John Ermer
Laurence Fechter & Tom Stansbury
Gary Ferdman & Myriam Miedzian
Michael & Susanna Flaster
Anne Fletcher
Sonali Fonseca
David Francis & Karen Gordon Francis
Janine & Marvin Free
Richard Fridshal & Candace Gietzen
John & Mary Gallo
Gary & Joan Gand
Joseph Glaser & Josephine Von Herzen
Diana & François Goedhuys
Shari Golden
Cindy & Tom Goodman
Carolyn Greenslate
Carrie & Jim Greenstein
Grunow Construction, Inc.
Chris & Eloisa Haudenschild
Anna Haudenschild Meier and Philip Meier
Louise & Warren Heenan
Dr. & Mrs. Ronald Heller
Peter Herman
Denise Hickey & Christopher Soares
Diana Hill
Roderick Innes
Michael Jacobs
Russell Johnson & Kiyomi Powers
Christopher Kearns & Leslie Kroupa
Daniel & Mary Kelley
Bill & Tricia Kellogg
Charles Kennel & Ellen Lehman
Louise Keogh & Robert Sarnoff
Josephine Kiernan
Duane & Lynn Knize
Anahid & Shant Koumriqian
Kathleen Kovacs & Art Sellgren
Dexter† & Carolynn La Pierre
Richard Lappo
Kristine Larson & George Rosborough
Veronica Leff
Marina Lev
Jeff & Nancy Levinson
Richard Lin & Melanie Webster
Diana Lombrozo
Karina Lombrozo
Jean Lowe & Kim MacConnel
Robin Briscoe Luby
Tri Luu
Patricia Mahtani & Walt Savitch
Brenda & Mark Mann
Douglas & Monica Matthews
Eve Mayall
Ed & Tanya McCaffery
Mary Jo McCall
Jacqui McNally
Joanne Meredith
Paul & Susan Mitchell
Alex Moseley
Joyce Nash
Carla & William Nolan
Debbie & Neal Nordstrom
Elvi Olesen
Gregory Pardue
Chanel Penley
Charles & Julie Pinney
Alan & Brigit Pitcairn
Carmen & Jim Plank
Brett Pollak
Edward & Nancy Quinn
Rick Rand
James Anthony Rasmussen
Vivien Ressler
Cele Renaudin
Jacqueline & Jean-Luc Robert
Patricia Rutledge
Dorette Sarachik
Marilies Schoepflin
Carole & Christopher Scott
Ellen Warner Scott
Andy & Mimi Sells
Patricia Shank
Tom Shapiro
Harry Sherr & Cynthia Strauss
Bruce & Jane Silva
Randall† & Florence Smith
Annemarie & Leland Sprinkle
Sara Stevens
Anthony & Ione Stiegler
Julia & Kenneth Stone
Joshua Sweetkind-Singer
Mina Taylor
Grace Valencia
Sandee Van Orshoven
Gianangelo Vergani
James & Lucia Warner
Eric Weisman & Susan Chortek Weisman
Ann & Philip White
David & Deborah Woods
Barry & Janet Young
Tanya Young & Dr. Michael McManus
Ann Zahner
Christy & Howard Zatkin
Barbara & Michel Zelnick
$250–$499
Judith Adler
Rumyr “Ardee” Antonio
Ali Arsanjani & Maryam Daftari
Cathy Baron
Martin & Sherry Bloom
Antoinette Bodeau & Sara Matta
Carol Buckley
Tom Carroll & Joyce Schneider
Thomas Cerruti
Alain Cohen & Denise Warren
Barbara & Walter Doren
Daniel & Margaret Dudas
Vincy Dunmire
Ray DuVall
MC Eastman & Holland Smith
Steve Eilenberg & Marie Tartar
Marti & Ron Erickson
Linda Fisler
Kathleen Fredman
Buzz & Peg Gitelson
Katia Graham
James Greenway
Carol Harter & Bill Smith
John Henze
G.M. Hetherington
John & Marsha Hildebrand
David Hodgens & Linda Olson
Laurence Hren
Ariane Hudson
Kristi Jaska & Pete Nolan
Roland & Susan Kluver
Sharon Lee
William Lewis
Brooke Loomis
Beth Manke & Omar Miller
Alexia & Ray Markarian
Jeffrey & Patricia Maysent
Lynda Maze
Lesya Mckenzie
Douglas & Susan McLeod
Esther Nahama
Brigitte & Richard Obetz
Delilah Perea
Joan & Martin Plaehn
Brian & Paula Powers
Liane Reed
Brad Reinard
Nani Richards
Randy Robbins & Helena Stage
Anne & Paul Roberts
Deborah Rotz
Karen & Norman Sade
Katherine Schwab
Tammy Shwinegruber
Gerry Scribner
Inna Serebryakova
Jo Ann Sherwood & Gerald Shmavonian
Bruce Shirer
Anne & Ronald Simon
Leslie Simon
Murray Sinclaire, Jr. & Robin Sinclaire
Jim & Mimi Stake
Stephanie Stolarz-Fantino
Sid Stutz† & Paula McColl
Dane Swango, Jr.
Barb & Sam Takahashi
Judith & Lee Talner
Claudia Tornsaufer
Allen Tyler
Dr. & Mrs. Keith Wahl
Isabelle Wasserman
David & Susan Weston
Richard Wildman, Jr.
Bonnie Wright
In Memory of:
In Memory of Jacob & Shirley Dekema
Pamela Dekema
In Memory of Mary Ellen Fleischli
Ann Zahner
In Memory of Albert Fredman
Kathleen Fredman
In Memory of Carol Gartner
Lawrence Gartner
In Memory of LVK Memorial Award
Alexia & Ray Markarian
In Memory of Connie Mullin Branscomb
Dan & Jennifer Atkinson
In Memory of Judith Parzen
Debra Grannick
Tanja Knott
Mitchell Siegler
Kristina Waltz
In Memory of Betsy & M. Lea Rudee
Robert Caplan & Carol Randolph
In Memory of Jeffrey Sleet
Sleet Music Performance Fund
In Memory of Joseph Taft
Elizabeth & Joseph Taft Foundation
In Memory of Bard Wellcome & Carolyn Yorston-Wellcome
Nancy Linke Patton & Rip Patton
Yvonne Vaucher & Brian Wagner
In Honor of:
In Honor of Carol Buckley
Ginger and Robert Wallace, Janet Wallace Trustee
In Honor of Bob Caplan's 90th Birthday
Irwin Jacobs
In Honor of Louis Lupin & Gail Myers
Anthony & Ione Stiegler
In Honor of Elvi Olesen
Joshua Sweetkind-Singer
In Honor of Carolyn Oliver
James Greenway
In Honor of Al & Sibyl Rubottom
Betsy Mitchell
In Honor of Fritz & Nora Sargent
Blake, Dave & Martha Rex
In Honor of Erika Torri
Betsy Rudee† & M. Lea Rudee†
In Honor of Maura Walters
Carol Buckley
How to Donate
Click on the Make a Donation button or call us today at (858) 454-5872 or send your tax-deductible contribution to Christie Mitchell, Executive Director at the library, located at 1008 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037. Please make checks payable to the Athenaeum, EIN 95-1916045.
Explore special naming and memorial opportunities, donations in honor of a loved one, or program sponsorships.
How to Join
To become a member of the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library call us today at (858) 454-5872 or join or renew securely online—OR—PRINT THE MEMBERSHIP FORM and mail it to 1008 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037. Please make all checks payable to The Athenaeum.
Thank you for being a part of the Athenaeum family.
Naming Opportunities
HOME / ABOUT / DONATE / NAMING OPPORTUNITIES
Support the Athenaeum
Thanks to the generosity of its donors, the Athenaeum has been able to pursue its mission for over 122 years and has undergone tremendous growth over the past three decades. We would like to ask you to consider supporting the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in La Jolla and the Athenaeum Art Center in Logan Heights. Your contribution makes a lasting positive impact on the community by ensuring the Athenaeum's future and the high quality of its offerings.
Explore special naming and memorial opportunities, donations in honor of a loved one, or program sponsorships. Additional ways to contribute are listed below. Please contact Manager of Administration Jocelyn Saucedo Larson at jsaucedo@ljathenaeum.org or at (858) 454-5872 to discuss these opportunities with Executive Director Christie Mitchell. Thank you for being a part of the Athenaeum family.
NAMING OPPORTUNITIES
Leave a legacy by naming a space in the library.
$25,000 — Name the DVD Collection Space
$10,000 — Name a Book Stack
$5,000 — Name a Brick in the Courtyard
$1,000 — Name a new Stacking Chair for the Music Room
*If your favorite part of the library is not listed, please inquire.
PROGRAM SPONSORSHIP
$10,000 — Sponsor a Chamber Concert
$10,000 — Sponsor a Jazz Concert
$10,000 — Support Programming at the Athenaeum Art Center
$8,000 — Sponsor an Exhibition
$5,000 — Sponsor a one-time Lecture Series
$5,000 — Support our Youth Program at the Athenaeum Art Center
$5,000 — Support our Youth Program in La Jolla
$1,000 — Sponsor a Lecture
$700 — Sponsor an Acoustic Evenings Concert
$400 — Sponsor a Mini-Concert
$300 — Sponsor a Student for an Art Class
*If your favorite program is not listed, please inquire.
Employment Opportunities
HOME / ABOUT / EMPLOYMENT
There are no open positions at this time.
The Athenaeum is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to treating all applicants and employees fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience, without regard to sex, race, age, disability, religion, national origin, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.
Volunteer
HOME / ABOUT / VOLUNTEER
Volunteer opportunities include library and secretarial work, as well as helping with book sales, art receptions, concerts, lectures, and other special events.
If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out the online form below, or download and fill out the Volunteer Application Form, or stop by the Athenaeum at 1008 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037 during normal library hours to pick up an application. The Volunteer Application Form can be delivered to the front desk at the Athenaeum, or it can be emailed to the volunteer coordinator, Carol Buckley, at cbuckley@ljathenaeum.org.