Grants, generally for between £200 and £20,000 are available to regional, national and specialist libraries, archives and museums across the UK for the acquisition of books, manuscripts and archives that they could not otherwise afford.
The Charity's objectives are “The purchase of books and manuscripts as gifts to the national libraries". The expression ‘national libraries’ is understood primarily to mean the British Museum and the national libraries of Scotland and Wales, but the Charity will also assist university, municipal and other libraries to secure printed books or manuscripts which have a special interest for them.
The Charity considers applications at Trustees' meetings in March, June and November.
Applications should be made by the 1 March, 1 June and 1 November annually.