Become a Member

Connect with a vibrant community of scholars and enthusiasts devoted to promoting public understanding of Thoreau and his work in his time and in ours. Becoming a member helps fund the Thoreau Society and its mission to educate people about the life, works, and legacy of Henry David Thoreau, challenging all to live a deliberate, considered life. Membership includes a subscription to the Thoreau Society Bulletin and The Concord Saunterer: A Journal of Thoreau Studies.

JOIN THE THOREAU SOCIETY

Make a Donation

When you give to The Thoreau Society you’re helping promote the life, work, and legacy of Henry David Thoreau, supporting educational programs at Walden and beyond, and helping the Thoreau Society rapidly advance its mission and meet its financial and programming goals. Make your tax-deductible gift today!

DONATE

Attend an Event

The Thoreau Society Annual Gathering is the largest Thoreau event of the year and is open to members and the public. Nothing is more satisfying than to be in a place with others who share your interests. Our Annual Gatherings are inspirational conferences that are held each July.

ENJOY OUR EVENTS

Conduct an Event

Thoreau is NOT just in Concord, and neither are Thoreau Society members. Let us know if you’re organizing an event to celebrate Thoreau’s life and work. We’d be happy to help. Email us at info@thoreausociety.org.

Organizing an event in Massachusetts? Let us know if you’d like to host a member of our experienced Speakers Bureau.

Submit an Article

Submissions on the order of 400 to 1,000 words are invited for the website. We are looking for personal “takes” on Thoreau, overviews, and pithy summaries rather than detailed excursions supported with secondary sources. In-depth and scholarly submissions are also welcome at the Thoreau Society Bulletin (generally under 1500 words) and The Concord Saunterer (longer submissions welcome). Learn more about the Thoreau Society Bulletin and The Concord Saunterer. Submit your proposals to info@thoreausociety.org.

SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL

Volunteer

We have a small group of paid employees, and we are often in need of help from volunteers. Tasks range from stuffing envelopes for bulk mailings or staffing registration tables at our Annual Gathering.

If you are interested in working with the Society collections at the Walden Woods Project Library, the Library has defined some criteria for successful volunteering. These include individual responsibility and commitment, maturity, and attention to detail. Volunteers must be personally invested in working with us to provide good service in a professional manner. The Library is unable to provide a one-to-one mentoring relationship. Individuals must be able to work independently after initial training.

Some of the many volunteer opportunities available are:

Scanning historical documents or photographs
Proofreading electronic texts
Clerical work: photocopying, destapling, alphabetizing, arranging, filing
Shelf-reading
Indexing
Creating finding aids

If you are interested in volunteering for any of the above, or aren’t even sure for what duties, please email us at info@thoreausociety.org.