Library Collections: Gift Policy for General Library Collections

Gifts, whether of funds or materials, are a valuable potential source for collection enhancement, and are welcomed. Since significant staff time and other library resources are involved in properly evaluating and processing material gifts, and since no library dealing with finite space limitations and following an orderly and rational collection development policy can absorb all donated materials, the following guidelines have been established.

1. The gifts policy of Rasmuson library follows the general collection development parameters, criteria, and Conspectus.
2. The curators of the Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives recognize that donors of rare and unique materials have special needs and expectations. See APR gift policies for more information.
3. The library must always consider the best use of staff resources, physical space limitations, bibliographic access, and the most effective development of the collections. Since gift materials involve these factors and are therefore not free of cost, they cannot be added simply because they are gifts.
4. Gifts of funds for general library use or for particular items, collections, or memorials relevant to library needs are always appreciated. Funds so received will be acknowledged and used in accordance with accepted library procedures for collection development.
5. The library seeks to include materials from a broad spectrum of opinion as part of its obligation in the education process. It is recognized that some gift materials may be oriented to viewpoints which others may find offensive, and the library may attempt to balance such materials through gift solicitation or by purchase, subject to budget limitations and to its overall collection development policy.
6. The library can generally make no formal commitments concerning the shelving, housing, processing, or final disposition of gifts, unless specifically noted in writing to the donor. The library is obliged to process all materials, whether purchased or gift, in a cost-effective manner, which requires that routine and standard procedures be followed as closely as practicable. Gifts with conditions or restrictions are not acceptable unless such conditions or restrictions are considered advantageous by the library and accepted in writing. Such conditions as separate housing or shelving may well serve to restrict, rather than enhance, access by patrons.
7. If requested by the donor, gift materials accepted into the collections will be acknowledged. As a rule the acknowledgment will indicate only number and format of items donated. A title-by-title acknowledgment can be supplied if the donor prepares the title list or if the number of items is small enough to make this practical--normally, 10 or fewer titles. Value information cannot be provided by the library.
8. All gifts become the property of the library. If an item is not finally accepted into the collections, alternative disposition or location of the item(s) will be made at the discretion of the library. Materials may be sold at the ongoing library book sale and the proceeds deposited to the book fund.
9. The library cannot legally perform appraisals for purposes of tax deductions for donors.
10. To be accepted, gift materials must be in good condition and unmarked.
11. The Collection Development Officer will inform appropriate UAF administration of gifts totaling $5000 or more in value.
12. Gifts of non-owned, non-currently received annuals and other non-periodical serials are not accepted.
13. Gifts of non-owned, non-currently received periodicals are not accepted.
14. Gifts of analyzed serials will be considered as monographic gifts if not already set up as a serial and the item can be cataloged separately.
15. Unsolicited, unordered materials sent with invoices are treated as gifts.

Here is what will happen if you give materials to the Library

1. We will ask you to read these instructions and fill out and sign our collection development form (see the bottom of this page).
2. We cannot accept gifts with restrictions or conditions. If you place restrictions or conditions on our gift, you will have to speak to the Library’s Collection Development Officer. In rare instances, the Collection Development Officer may accept restricted or conditional gifts. If this occurs, you and the Collection Development Officer must sign a written agreement (not the form on the back) that specifically describes your restrictions or conditions and the Library’s acceptance of them.
3. One of our librarians will evaluate the materials you donate. If your gift is rare or unique, we may refer you to another department of the university that specializes in these materials. The librarian will evaluate the other materials in light of our collection development policies and guidelines. We cannot make a commitment to keep or use your materials. If the materials you give us do not meet our guidelines we will do one of the following things with your some or all of your donation:

1. We may place your donated materials in the Library Book Sale. We use the proceeds from these sales to benefit the Library.
2. We may sell your materials to a specialty book dealer or other dealer. Again we will use the proceeds for these sales to benefit the Library.
3. We may offer your gift to other institutions whose collections are more appropriate for your material.
4. We may give your materials to other departments or campuses in the university system
5. We may donate your material to the Literacy Council of Alaska to help support that agency’s programs
6. We may discard the materials, especially if they are in poor or soiled condition, part of the popular, mass market or are self-published.
7. Occasionally we will refuse a donation before our evaluation if the materials are in particularly poor condition or obviously unsuitable for our collection.