FAU Libraries Gifts/Donations Policy

Gifts in kind can enrich the quality and range of the University Libraries' collections. Florida Atlantic University Libraries welcome and solicit such gifts when items support the teaching, research, and other collection needs of the University. Such materials are useful, enduring additions to its resources. These include books, manuscripts, sound recordings, and other objects.

While the Libraries value gifts in kind, there is a cost associated with the acceptance and processing of these materials. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the Libraries to be judicious when accepting and retaining gifted materials.

Ownership and Disposition of Gift Materials

Gifts to which the donor has attached conditions, such as those concerning retention, housing, or classification, will not be accepted for inclusion in the Libraries' collections. Upon receipt and acceptance of the donation, the FAU Libraries are considered owners of the materials and are solely responsible for determining the retention, location, cataloging treatment, and other considerations relating to the use or disposition of gift materials. Accordingly, the Libraries are under no obligation to discuss retention decisions with the donor or other parties.

In many cases, collection managers will not add materials to the holdings for a variety of reasons, which may include, but are not limited to: duplication of existing titles, poor physical condition of the gift, or materials that do not fall under the collection scope of the library (see the Library Collection Development Policy http://www.library.fau.edu/policies/cd_fau.htm) . Gifts not selected for the library may be sold or recycled for the benefit of the library.

Items not Sought by the FAU Libraries

The Libraries ask that you exclude the following materials from your donation:

• Dated textbooks (published more than three years ago) and workbooks
• Galley proofs and review copies
• Journals (including scholarly journals)
• VHS or Beta videotapes, audio cassettes
• General encyclopedias
• Mass-market paperbacks
• Popular magazines (i.e. National Geographic, Smithsonian, Architectural Digest, etc.)
• U.S. government publications
• Books which duplicate our holdings (see http://fau.catalog.fcla.edu/fa.jsp)
• Materials in poor condition, especially if they exhibit signs of mold or mildew
• Material that contains highlighting, underlining, or annotations (unless annotations are of significant scholarly value)
• Electronic materials requiring dated software
• Materials which might cause the library to be liable for copyright infringement (i.e., illegally copied audio and video recordings.)
• Subjects that include dated computer software, programs, and programming
• Sacred books

How to Donate

In most cases, it is the responsibility of the donor to arrange for delivery of books and other material to the FAU Libraries. Please contact one of the gift coordinators listed below to discuss the acceptance of your donation and delivery details.

Tax Considerations

For IRS reporting purposes, it is important to note that it is the responsibility of the donor to keep accurate records describing the individual items donated and the value attached to each item. The Libraries do not supply itemized lists of donations. Donors are encouraged to consult legal, accounting, or other professional advisors about the current IRS regulations governing non-cash charitable contributions. IRS Publication 561, Determining the Value of Donated Property (2007) http://www.irs.gov/publications , may be informative in determining whether to claim a tax deduction.

1. In cases where the value of the charitable deduction does not exceed $5,000, the donor is not required to obtain a qualified appraisal, but is still required to submit IRS Form 8283.
    

2. A gift valued at more than $5,000 must be appraised by a qualified appraiser as defined by the IRS (which excludes appraisal by the donee-Florida Atlantic Libraries) and the donor's tax return must include a copy of the official signed appraisal attached to IRS Form 8283, Non Cash Charitable Contributions.
    

3. The Libraries can recommend potential appraisers but the Libraries, by law, cannot pay for the appraisal.  Appraisals should be done before a gift is transferred, but must be done within 30 days before or after.

The Libraries will acknowledge all gifts or donations from identified donors in the form of a letter, noting the total number of donated items. The libraries will review requests on a case by case basis for bookplating materials which will be added to the collection.

The FAU Libraries house special and archival collections with specific gift policies and criteria. For potential donations to these areas, please refer to the following policies:

Donation of recordings to the Judaic, Jazz or 78 rpm collections in the Recorded Sound Archives, http://faujsa.fau.edu/jsa/send_records.php or contact SoundArchives@fau.edu (561-297-0080).

Special Collections, http://www.library.fau.edu/depts/cd/spcpol.htm.

Bowling Green State University Libraries, University Libraries Gift Policy. Retrieved, 8/18/09 from http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/library/assistance/page40243.html

SDSU Library, SDSU Library Gifts Policy. Retrieved 8/18/09, from http://infodome.sdsu.edu/about/giftpol.shtml

Wellesley College Library, Gifts Policy. Retrieved, 8/18/09 from http://www.wellesley.edu/Library/pol-gift.html

Click here for the PDF of this document.

Questions regarding public service policies should be directed to Dawn Smith, Assistant Dean, Public Services.

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