In 2011, Taylor Swift Donated 6,000 Books to a Struggling Pennsylvania Library. 15 Years Later, the Gesture Has Touched Thousands of People
Taylor SwiftCredit: Kevin Mazur/Getty; Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty
A $68,000 donation from Taylor Swift in 2011 supplied new books for young readers and teens across every Reading Public Library branch
Library assistant director Bronwen Gamble told a newspaper that Swift brought a “coolness factor” to reading
The singer is originally from Pennsylvania
Taylor Swift is well known for her songwriting skills, but the superstar paid forward her love of the written word when she once helped save a struggling public library by donating thousands of books.
Back in 2011, when Pennsylvania’s Reading Public Library was struggling, now 36-year-old Swift donated 6,000 books to the organization.
The Reading Eagle reported at the time that the brand-new books were geared specifically toward young readers and teens, and altogether worth $68,000. They were divided between all of the library’s branches, the outlet reported.
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Taylor SwiftCredit: Frazer Harrison/Getty
The books donated by Swift included a star on the spine and a sticker inside the cover, the outlet noted.
As the library’s assistant director Bronwen Gamble told the Eagle: “She adds the coolness factor to reading.”
Swift grew up on a Christmas tree farm in Reading/Wyomissing, Penn., before moving to Nashville at age 14.
Now a 14-time Grammy Award winner, the superstar has shattered records with streaming numbers, album sales and tours, like her Eras Tour.
She married Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on July 3, 2026, at Madison Square Garden.
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Swift is also a noted philanthropist and often makes donations to fans in need, including by helping them pay medical bills or to pay for their education.
Just ahead of their wedding weekend, Swift and Kelce donated a total of $26 million to more than a dozen local and national charities, including food banks and children’s hospitals.
Source: Entertainment