Collection Development - Giving

Drinko Library welcomes gifts that support the teaching, research, and general needs of the University community.  However, because donated materials must be handled in a manner consistent with established library procedures, the Libraries can not accept all potential gifts.  This document is designed to give prospective donors an overview of the gift process.

• hardback books complementing the curriculum
• quality paperbacks
• music compact discs
• scores
• sound recordings
• DVDs

Not all materials may be useful to the Libraries. These may include:

• videos
• newspapers
• journals
• material in poor condition (water-damaged, mildewed, missing or brittle pages, warped, etc.)
• outdated textbooks
• law books

The Libraries reserve the right to determine retention, location, and other considerations relating to use or disposition. The Library will review donated collections and keep those materials meeting the needs of University Libraries. In some instances, librarians can do an on-site review of your materials prior to boxing them up for delivery to the library. Contact the appropriate library unit to make arrangements for an on-site review.

Retention Criteria include:

• Relevance to the academic mission and programs of the University and the Libraries
• Appropriateness of content, currency, and format with regard to existing Library collections
• Potential usefulness
• Conditions of material and potential costs of maintenance

Accepted materials will be cataloged and placed in the appropriate Library collection for use by the University and community. Materials not accepted for the Library collections may be offered to other academic or public libraries, traded for materials the Library can use, sold by the Library Associates organization via book sale or online auction, or discarded.

The University will issue a formal acknowledgement of each gift received. If you desire, bookplates in your name or as memorials to another person will be placed in all books donated by you that are added to the Library's collections.

The Library cannot perform any appraisal or valuation of donated materials. Value appraisal for tax purposes is the responsibility of the donor, although we will provide assistance in locating an appraiser. We cannot provide inventories. However, if you provide an inventory with your donation, we can in the letter of acknowledgement confirm the number of volumes and make reference to your inventory.

The Library encourages monetary gifts to support the University Libraries.

Please note that the Marshall University librarians and staff cannot retrieve items from a private residence or location off campus. Please make arrangements to deliver boxed items at the Drinko or Morrow library receiving areas.

Contact Christine Lewis, Collection Development Librarian, to make drop-off arrangements for general collection items for the Drinko facility.

Christine Lewis
304-696-4356
3rd Floor, Drinko Library
Technical Services

For unpublished, unique or rare items, including photographs, contact Lisle Brown, Curator of Special Collections, concerning your gift:

Lisle Brown
304-696-2344
2nd floor, Morrow Library
Special Collections

Prospective donors with materials for the Music Library, Health Sciences Library, or Special Collections should contact those units directly.

Any monetary donation should originate with Library Business Manager Teresa Bolt.

Teresa Bolt
Business Manager
696-3120
313B Drinko Library