176.4 Gifts to the Library

176.4 Gifts to the Library

A. Background

The Furman University library welcomes and appreciates gifts of money, books, journals, manuscripts, and other items. Donated materials enrich and enhance the quality of the library's collections and contribute to the advancement of the library's primary mission, the support of the academic program of Furman University.

B. Policy

Monetary and in-kind gifts are an integral part of the library's development. Materials received are treated much as items which are bought, and consequently the same discretion is used in selecting titles for the collection. Gifts are given the same degree of care and handling as purchases. The library provides a gift policies brochure which can be forwarded to prospective donors.

C. Guidelines

1. Many donors elect to support the library with monetary donations. All monetary donations received by the library are forwarded to the University Development Office for processing. Alternatively, the donor may send such donations to the Development Office with the designation "For Library Materials" or "For Library Building".  Additional information on establishing library endowments may be obtained from the University Development Office.

2. All items donated become the property of Furman University Library.

3. Library personnel, sometimes with the assistance of faculty, decide on the disposition of each item. Certain items which are duplicates of those already in the library, which do not fit established collection policies, or which are in unusable condition may be given to other libraries, sold, or discarded. Those books that are added to the library will be integrated into the collection as appropriate.

4. The library also collects primary source materials such as personal papers, photographs, and other unpublished materials in certain restricted areas including, but not limited to, the Furman family, the University and its faculty and alumni, and South Carolina Baptists. The acceptance of such items by the library requires that the items be original documents, not photocopies, and that the University be given full title and intellectual rights to the documents.

5. The library regrets that it cannot pickup donations. If the donor wishes to deliver the books to the library, a call to the library establishing a mutually convenient time should be made.

6. The establishment of the gift's value for tax purposes is the responsibility of the donor. The library, by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations, cannot legally establish such values. Donors who have questions about tax deductions for gifts should consult their personal tax advisors.

7. All gifts will be acknowledged by a letter from the Director of Libraries, with a copy sent to the Development Office. The letter will give the number of items donated but will give no list of titles or values unless they are supplied by the donor. Bookplates will be made for each item added to the collection.

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