GIFT AND DONATIONS POLICY

PURPOSE
The Fox Lake Public Library encourages individuals, organizations, foundations, and businesses to support library services through gifts and memorials. This gift and donations policy adopted by the Fox Lake Public Library Board of Trustees ensures that all gifts are appropriate and/or needed.

A. Overview

Gifts of books and other library materials will be judged by the same criteria used in selection items for purchase by the Fox Lake Public Library. It is the library’s general policy to only accept materials without restriction on their use although requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Library Director, with input by the Board as deemed necessary. All donations when accepted become the property of the Fox Lake Public Library. Gifts will be retained as long as they serve the best interest of the library.
Consideration of how to handle unspecified gifts of money will be determined by the Library Board. Monetary gifts offered over $500 with specific restrictions require Library Board approval before such monetary gifts are accepted.
Gifts and bequests of real or personal property are accepted by the Library with the understanding that such gifts may be used at the discretion of the library, or disposed of for value, when deemed necessary or desirable. The Library reserves the to refuse gifts of books that are damp, contaminated with mold or mildew, or judge unacceptable by the staff.

The Fox Lake Public Library does not accept the following:

Magazines
Textbooks
Old Encyclopedia sets
Reader’s digest Condensed Books
Books older than seven years old
Items discarded from other libraries
Items with yellowed, loose, highlighted pages
Computers.

B. Equipment

Whether or not to accept equipment with a value greater then $500 will be made by the Library Director or the Library Board. Decisions will be based on need, space impact on time of staff and expense and frequency of maintenance.

C. Works of Art

The Library Board may request that artwork be accompanied by a current appraisal of value and/or evidence of artistic importance. A document transferrin ownership of the artwork to the Library will be required.

D. Furnishings

Furnishings will be accepted or not by the Library Board with input from the Library Director. The criteria to be used are need, space, impact on staff time, expense, and frequency of maintenance.

Passed: December 4, 2012