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Gift Materials Policy and Guidelines
GIFT MATERIALS POLICY
Purpose of Policy
The gift policy ensures that the library retains control of the content of Trexler Library’s collections and remains in compliance with federal law and regulations.
Policy Statement
The collections of Trexler Library at Muhlenberg College have been developed through both the judicious purchase of materials and the donation of many valuable and useful gifts. Trexler Library appreciates donations and promotes an active donor program. Contributions of books, periodicals, manuscripts, and other materials are accepted and selected for addition to the library’s collections according to the Gift Materials Selection Guidelines listed below. Because of the complexities of selecting and caring for gifts, donors are asked to give consideration to our need for flexibility in accepting contributions.
GIFT MATERIALS GUIDELINES
Purpose of Guidelines
This statement outlines responsibility for selection and the conditions under which gifts are accepted.
Guidelines
Transport of Gifts
As a general rule, the donor is responsible for packing and delivering items to the library, including any delivery costs.
Selection
A staff librarian is assigned responsibility for selecting items for addition to Trexler Library’s collections. The Director is responsible for reviewing any major gift proposal and establishing the conditions of its acceptance.
The responsibility of the Library to the College’s instructional and scholarly programs, and the requirements for bibliographic control, collection access, and storage prescribe the observance of the following conditions in accepting gifts:
- The Library’s collections include books, periodicals, maps, manuscripts, correspondence, sheet music, and other non-print media such as films, slides, CDs, DVDs, and tapes. Other formats will be accepted only by special arrangement.
- Upon receipt, gifts are owned by the Library and become part of the Library collection. The Library administration reserves the right to select materials, determine their retention, location, classification and descriptive cataloging, and other considerations related to their storage, use, or disposition. Selection of materials for retention will be governed by Trexler Library’s Collection Development Policy. Restrictive conditions are usually not accepted in order that gifts may be maximally usable.
- Gift items not appropriate for the Trexler Library collection may be sold, offered to other nonprofit organizations in the region, or otherwise disposed of as is appropriate for the particular material, unless the donor makes other arrangements. The Library is not responsible for returning material that is not selected for the collection.
Appraisal
Appraisal costs must be borne by the donor. The Internal Revenue Service considers a recipient library to be an interested party and disallows an evaluation made or paid for by the Library. Upon request, the Library will suggest appropriate persons or organizations to be consulted for professional appraisals, or refer the donor to published pricing guides, auction records and dealers’ catalogs where the donor can determine a valuation. In general, the Library follows the code on appraisals established by the American Booksellers Association.
Acknowledgements
Each donor who has filled out a Gift Receipt Form will receive a letter of acknowledgement that lists the number of items given to the Library collections. If requested on the gift form, a bookplate identifying the donor or memorial will be placed in each item. The Library does not provide each donor with a title-by-title listing of donated items, nor does the Library provide a list of items ultimately placed in the collection.
Questions
Please direct any questions about the Gift Materials Policy to Kelly Cannon at (484) 664-3602 or to the Library Director at (484) 664-3551.
Potential donors are encouraged to contact the Director’s Office at (484) 664-3551 to discuss your interests.