Book Donations
Gifts and Bequests
The Library’s policy on the receipt of gifts and bequests complies with the appropriate City Ordinance (11-1700).
Books or money may be donated to the Library as memorials. Recommendations for titles or subject matter are welcome. A card of acknowledgement will be sent to the donor, and the books will be marketed with a memorial identification.
Any other donations of money, books, or equipment accepted by the Librarian will be acknowledged by letter and, if so desired, a book plate inserted.
The appraising of a gift to the Library for income tax purposes is the responsibility of the donor since it is the donor who requires an appraisal, not the Library. I.R.S. regulations do not permit the Library to evaluate the materials for tax purposes.
The Library will give a receipt to the donor stating how many or what kinds of material have been donated.
Donation Guidelines
The Library welcomes your donation of books in good condition, published within the last 5-10 years. The materials will be evaluated for addition to the collection, subject to the Library’s Criteria for Selection, which includes the following factors:
- the author’s reputation and significance as a writer,
- the importance of the subject matter to the collection,
- availability of material in the system, in other libraries, or in print,
- timeliness or permanence of the book,
- authoritativeness,
- inclusion in standard bibliographies or indexes,
- price,
- format, including possibility of rebinding, as well as type and legibility,
- requests from citizens, and
- professional review publications.
Donated items not added to the collection may be added to the Friends of the Library book sale, recycled, or pitched.