WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The James V. Brown Library, 19 E. Fourth St., is the result of a bequest and a vision.

At the urging of his wife, Carile, James V. Brown left the money necessary to build and endow the James V. Brown Library, which opened in 1907. Since then, the Library has benefited from many gifts that have helped to ensure its future. 

James V. Brown was a wealthy man, but gifts from wills can be made by anyone, in any amount, and it is simple to do. You, too, can give a gift that will ensure the preservation of library services for your neighbors in Williamsport and beyond by including the James V. Brown Library in your estate plan.

August is National “Make a Will Month” and according to FreeWill, all adults should have a will; it’s a powerful document that lets you distribute your property and protect your loved ones after you pass away. One-third of all American adults have a will, and that number is growing every day. 

For instance, did you know that:

• You can make a gift using appreciated securities and realize larger tax savings than if you had used cash?
• You can make a gift that costs you nothing during your lifetime?
• You can make a gift that pays you income for life?
• You can preserve your estate for your children and deliver years of income to the Library for its mission?
• You can turn surplus life insurance coverage into a gift?

These are gifts that anyone can make, and will improve the life of our community for years into the future. Click here to learn more with the Library’s Planned Giving brochure.

With a will, you can also plan ahead for those who are in your care. But above all else, having a will creates peace of mind for you and the people you love.

Although the James V. Brown Library staff cannot provide legal advice, if you need help seeking resources, please contact the Help Desk. Here are some books to help get you started:

• Quick and Legal Will Book by Attorney Denis Clifford.
• Estate Planning for Dummies by Jordan S. Simon and Joseph Mashinski.
• Plan your estate by Attorney Denis Clifford.
• Estate planning 101: from avoiding probate and assessing assets to establishing directives and understanding taxes, your essential primer to estate planning by Vicki Cook and Amy Blacklock, founders of Women Who Money.
• The busy family’s guide to estate planning: 10 steps to peace of mind by Liza Weiman Hanks.

The James V. Brown Library is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. To place a hold, visit www.jvbrown.edu or call 570-326-0536 during the library’s operating hours. Walk-in passport services are available from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, and 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

The James V. Brown Library, 19 E. Fourth St., Williamsport, Pa., is the place to go to learn, connect and grow. Founded in June 1907, the library champions the love of reading, opens new doors to lifelong learning, provides a haven to those who seek and ensures the preservation of public library services for future generations. The library has more than 225,000 visitors in a year and circulates a half-million items annually. A member of the Lycoming County Library System, the James V. Brown Library participates in PA Forward, a statewide initiative to promote literacies in our communities to power a better future for everyone.