Purpose - The purpose of this essay is to provide suggestions for raising money for collections. Design/methodology/approach - The paper discusses and gives examples of strategies to raise awareness of giving opportunities to support library collections. Findings - This paper suggests that traditional fundraising for collections has become more difficult, and innovative appeals are required to attract donors. Originality/value - The value of this paper is in its presentation of examples and strategies for raising funds to support collection building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]