A productive public-private partnership since 1873 advances the Library’s work. The Town of Concord allocates municipal funding for its operating budget, including staff, utilities, and books and materials. Dependent entirely on private philanthropic support from the community, the nonprofit Concord Free Public Library Corporation owns and oversees the buildings, grounds, and Special Collections and is responsible for their preservation, maintenance, and expansion. The Library Corporation also raises and manages the endowment and the Annual Fund — providing essential funding to augment the operating budget.