|
Acceptance of Gifts for the General Collections DRAFT (May 1998) Yale University Library welcomes gifts of books, periodicals, and other materials from faculty, alumni, and friends. Wherever possible gifts for the general circulating collections are accepted without special terms regarding their retention, processing, and disposition. Once donated and acknowledged appropriately, gifts become the property of Yale University. Gifts accepted for potential inclusion in the library’s collections are reviewed by appropriate collection development officers. Ordinarily, only some small portion of gifts received are added to the collections to fill gaps in the holdings or to replace worn copies. Gifts not accepted for the collections are disposed of according to accepted library procedures and IRS regulations.. (cf. "Disposition of Unneeded Library Materials", April 18, 1997, rev. September 1997, rev. May 1998) Tax Requirements [This section currently under review by the Associate General Counsel. Exact phrasing will be forthcoming.] Categories of Gifts Loose gifts. One or up to ten discrete items received by the library without solicitation and without special processing arrangements. Except in clearly documented cases, the library has no obligation to accept loose gifts into the collection. The library may process loose gifts immediately and may acknowledge such gifts before or after processing. Bulk gifts. Multiple items received from a single donor in a quantity sufficient to warrant handling as a group. Bulk gifts may or may not pertain to a single subject area. Bulk gifts may or may not be accepted as a group into the library’s general collections and will be acknowledged collectively. Special gifts. Multiple items received at once or over time with special processing conditions arranged between the donor and the library. Special gifts may or may not pertain to a single subject area and will be appraised for monetary value and only when arranged by the donor in advance of receipt. If a donor of a special gift collection requires an itemized list for all titles in a donation, the library may provide a list of titles added to the collection only after the entire gift has been received and processed. Special processing instructions such as these should be noted on the Gift/Deposit Authorization and Processing Form For Gift Collections. Responsibility for Acceptance The Associate University Librarian for Collection Development and Management is responsible for approving the acceptance of gifts for the general collections and may delegate this authority as appropriate. The acceptance of all gifts with special restrictions on processing or use must be approved in advance. Selectors, curators, and department heads may negotiate with potential donors for gifts to the general collections. It is the policy of the Yale University Library that any gift worth accepting is worth documenting. Library staff who accept gifts of library materials for potential inclusion in the collections must prepare a complete and accurate description of the collection and document the terms governing the acceptance, processing, or disposition of the materials. The attached form, "Gift/Deposit Authorization and Processing Form", outlines the minimum information needed. This information should be conveyed to processing units on this form, carrying the signature of the Associate University Librarian for Collection Development and Management. Acknowledging and Reporting Gifts Prompt acknowledgment of gifts to the library is an important courtesy to the donor. Unless specifically excepted, all gifts to the general library collections are acknowledged by the University Librarian. Gifts to school and department libraries are acknowledged by unit heads. The Chief Acquisitions Librarian is responsible for managing the acknowledgment process. Procedures for gift acknowledgment are outlined in the Acquisitions Department’s departmental procedures document, "Gifts to the Library General Collections : Guidelines for Processing" (April 1997, rev. Jan. 1997, rev. Oct. 1997, rev. May 1998) Loose gifts generally are accepted without acknowledgment. If a loose gift arrives with a personal letter or card, an acknowledgment form letter should be prepared promptly for the signature of the University Librarian. Donors of bulk gifts for the collection should be acknowledged promptly, although little effort should be expended on itemizing the collection prior to processing. If a selector requests an acknowledgment to a particular institution when no letter would ordinarily be sent, the selector should specify to whom the acknowledgment should be sent. If a donor of a special gift requires an itemized list for all the titles given in a particular shipment, the library may provide a list of titles of material added to Yale’s collections only after the entire gift has been received and processed. September 1997, rev. May 1998 last updated: May 2000
© 2006
Yale University Library Send comments to ann.okerson@yale.edu |
