Gift Policy for Books and Other Materials
The Library accepts gifts of materials in the following areas.
- Bestsellers published within the last 2 years
- Fiction and non-fiction published in the last 2 years
- Materials by local authors and/or of local interest
- Classic works of fiction
- Children’s hardcover books
- Unabridged CD audio books
- Music CDs (bestsellers, CDs released in the past year, CDs by local artists)
- DVDs (no previous rental copies)
- Video games for the Wii, Nintendo DS, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, or Xbox 360 (no previous rental copies or games rated Mature-M)
- Materials from presenters or performers at library programs
- Materials in languages other than English
The following materials cannot be accepted because of space limitations, cost of processing and selection criteria.
- Magazines and newspapers
- Textbooks and workbooks
- Fiction and Non-fiction older than 3 years, unless of local interest
- Spiral bound books or notebooks
- Condensed books, Readers’ Digest books, and book club editions
- Damaged, brittle and/or yellowed materials
- Audio cassettes
- Music CDs that are boxed sets, singles, or promotional copies
- LP or vinyl records
- Video (VHS) tapes
- Games (computer games or board games)
- Calendars
- Discarded materials from any other library system or from schools and previous rental copies
Bringing Donations to the Library
Contact your branch library to make arrangements to deliver donations. Do not leave donated materials at Library doors or outside when buildings are closed.
Donations are Tax Deductible
At the time of the donation, you can request a donor receipt stating the number of items accepted. Library staff cannot determine the value of the items or sign any IRS forms. You should consult tax literature, the IRS website or tax advisors for information on assigning monetary values for a charitable tax deduction.
For Materials the Library Does Not Accept
Ask your branch library about local Friends of the Library book sales.
Adding Gifts to the Library Collection
To be added to the Library’s collection, gifts must meet the same selection criteria as purchased materials and are subject to the following limitations:
- Donated materials become the unconditional property of the Library.
- Donated materials may or may not be added to the collection.
- The Library makes the final decision on the use or other disposition of gifts.
- The Library does not return any gift materials to the donor.
- The Library reserves the right to decide the conditions of display, housing, and access to the materials. The donor may request that materials be assigned to a particular branch, but the Library has the final authority.
