library policy #2: gift policy and procedures

The purpose of the Gift Policy and Procedures is to establish the proper mechanism and responsibilities for the acceptance, acknowledgment, maintenance of records, identification, housing, and disposition of gifts for the Addlestone Library and the Marine Resources Library.

The College of Charleston Libraries welcomes and solicits gifts which support the teaching, research, and general needs of the College. All gifts are accepted with the understanding that the College ( or in appropriate circumstances the College of Charleston Foundation) becomes the owner of the material and reserves the right to determine matters of retention, location, and disposition.

2.1 The Director of Libraries (for the College or the Foundation) has ultimate responsibility to accept or reject gift materials.

2.2 The decision to add or reject individual gift books is the responsibility of the Library Liaisons. All donations valued at $250 or more require the written approval of the Director of Libraries before they are retained. Gifts valued at less than $250 may be accepted by the Library Liaisons. The primary guidelines for selection decisions are subject expertise and the Collection Development Department. The Director of Libraries in certain cases may involve faculty in evaluating and negotiating the acceptance of gifts. Books which are in poor condition or heavily marked will normally be discarded by the Head of the Collection Development Department.

2.3 Every effort should be made to discourage acceptance of gift materials for the library by any person or agency of the College outside the library without prior agreement from the Director of Libraries. Policy #2

2.4 On occasion when gifts are received or left in the library without proper notification and acceptance by the director, the individual accepting the materials should forward to the director information on the source, need for acknowledgment, and location stored.

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3.1 The Head, Collection Development will coordinate the location and disposition of materials. All gift material will be processes by the Collection Development Department. Staff in the Collection Development Department will maintain review shelves for the library liaisons to review (accept or reject) gifts.

3.2 Gift materials of general interest are usually located in the regular collections of the Addlestone Library and are processed by the Collection Development Department.

3.3 Gifts of marine materials are usually located in the Marine Resources Library.

3.4 Gifts of rare books and manuscripts are located in the Special Collections Department. It is the responsibility of the Head, Collection Development and the Marine Resources Librarian to notify the Head, Special Collections whenever they receive potential material for Special Collections among gifts of general interest or marine material.

3.5 The library accepts only gift materials which adhere to its Collection Development Guidelines. Popular journals and duplicates to existing journals are not ordinarily accepted. (See Policy #17).

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4.1 The Director of Libraries acknowledges all gifts by means of letters to donors (Appendix #1). The responsibility for preparation of draft acknowledgment letters lies with the department or area where the gifts are to be processed (general collection-Collection Development Department; special collections-Special Collection Department, etc.). Gifts valued at $1,000 or less are acknowledged by letter only.

4.2 Gifts valued at more than $1,000 must have a "Certificate of Gift" which is signed by the donor and the appropriate representative of the Foundation. (See Appendix #2). Copies of "Certificate of Gift" will be kept in the Library and at the Foundation. The Assistant Director for Technical Services will coordinate this process.

4.3 The Head, Special Collections will acknowledge all gifts to that department by separate letter. The Marine Resources Librarian will acknowledge all gifts to that library by separate letter.

4.4 The President of the College will be informed of all gifts valued at over $500.

4.5 Each department is responsible for preparing a quarterly report for the Director of Libraries listing the number of items received. This report should be sent to the Foundation on or about September 30th, December 31st, March 31st, and June 30th.

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All monetary gifts should be directed to the College of Charleston Foundation and designated for the specific purpose of library materials purchases.

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The proper records, correspondence and documents conveying gifts to the library need to be maintained as part of the gift record. When asked for or necessary, a "Certificate of Gift" should be executed to record the deed of gift and transfer of title.

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The library usually does not give appraisals and generally subscribes to the following "Statement on Appraisal of Gifts" as developed by the Committee on Manuscript Collections of the Rare Book and Manuscript Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries. Exceptions to these policies can be made by the Director of Libraries when an important gift would not be awarded unless an appraisal is provided. (See Appendix #3).

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8.1 Gift materials are normally received in the basement receiving room of the Addlestone Library. It is the responsibility of the various areas or departments to integrate newly received gifts into processing areas in a timely fashion.

8.2 Only in unusual circumstances does the library arrange for the pick up of gift materials. Typically, this would occur if the collection is very large or valuable.

8.3 Donors of large collections should be informed that the library cannot box or pack up materials or provide boxes for shipments.

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Each department or area is responsible for maintaining a gifts processing manual which describes the steps in receiving, acknowledging , processing, or recording gifts.

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Sponsored: Gary Ross May 15, 1984
Approved: Administrative Group May 22, 1984
with provision for amendment when the Foundation
has completed its policy on Gift in Kind
Reviewed: Librarians May 31, 1984
Approved: Director June 7, 1984
Revised: Administrative Group October 9, 1986
Reviewed: Librarians October 9, 1986
Approved: Director November 24, 1986
Revised: Director February 19, 1991
Reviewed: Librarians February 21, 1991
Approved: Director February 21, 1991

Date

Name
Street Address
City, State, Zip

Dear

On behalf of a grateful College, I wish to thank you for your recent gift of books on Humanities. I assure you that they are a welcome addition to the Addlestone Library.

It is gifts such as yours which enable us to continue to develop a library of distinction as befits the College of Charleston.

Sincerely,

David J. Cohen

MARLENE AND NATHAN ADDLESTONE LIBRARY

DJC/dg

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CERTIFICATE OF GIFT

I, __________________________________________________________________________

hereby transfer and convey to the College Of Charleston Foundation the following:

Restrictions or Exceptions:

__________________________________
Signature

__________________________________
Date

The said gift above described is accepted by the College of Charleston Foundation this

_____ day of __________________.

The College of Charleston Foundation

By ______________________________

Its ______________________________

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STATEMENT ON APPRAISAL OF GIFTS

1. The appraisal of a gift to a library for tax purposes generally is the responsibility of the donor since it is the donor who benefits from the tax deduction. Generally, the cost of the appraisal should be borne by the donor.

2. The library should at all times protect the interests of its donors as best it can and should suggest the desirability of appraisals whenever such a suggestion would be in order.

3. To protect both its donors and itself, the library, as an interested party, ordinarily should not appraise gifts made to it. It is recognized, however, that on occasion the library may wish to appraise small gifts since many of them are not worth the time and expense an outside appraisal requires. Generally, however, the library will limit its assistance to the donor to: (a) providing him with information such as auction records and dealers' catalogs; (b) suggestions of appropriate professional appraisers who might be consulted; (c) administrative and processing services which would assist the appraiser in making an accurate evaluation.

4. The acceptance of a gift which has been appraised by a third, and disinterested party does not in any way imply an endorsement of the appraisal by the library.

5. An archivist, curator, or librarian, if he is conscious that as an expert he may have to prove his competence in court, may properly act as an independent appraiser of library materials. He should not in any way suggest that his appraisal is endorsed by his library (such as by the use of the library's letterhead), nor should he ordinarily act in this fashion (except when handling small gifts) if his institution is to receive the donation.

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