RAMPART LIBRARY DISTRICT DONATIONS

 Policy Statement

Rampart Library District encourages giving from private individuals, corporations and foundations in order to supplement normal library funds.  These gifts are used to enhance the services and materials provided to library patrons. The District has a number of different gift types and ways for patrons and donors to contribute.

DONATIONS TO THE COLLECTION

Policy Statement

Rampart Library District is pleased to accept donations of books and other materials including videos, DVDs, music CDs and audio books. Donations help stretch our budget dollars and add to the library’s resources. The following guidelines apply to donated materials.

Guidelines

1. Only “gently used” materials in good to excellent condition will be accepted.
Donated books should not be musty, moldy, dirty or in disrepair.
2. Donations become the property of the library.
3. The library reserves the right to decide what to do with a donation in regard to display and/or disposal. Items may be added to the collection, put in the Friends of the Library book sale, donated to another library or organization or disposed of at the Library’s discretion.
4. Donations will be evaluated by the Collection Development Committee for addition to the collection subject to the same criteria as purchased materials.
5. Receipts are available for tax purposes but library staff cannot place a value on
donated materials.
6. The library accepts donations during scheduled weekday business hours.
7. Since the library is actively used and all parts of the collection are subject to wear, mutilation or even theft, no guarantee can be made that a gift will remain a permanent part of the collection.
8. Items that cannot be accepted include catalogues , magazines (including National Geographic), videos with NC-17 or X ratings, encyclopedias, textbooks over 5 years old, items containing outdated information, Readers’ Digest condensed books and outdated media that cannot be used on current equipment (such as 78 and 45 records , 8 track tapes, cassette tapes and filmstrips), and non-book items .
9. Book plates acknowledging the donor cannot be put in donated materials. The Memorial/Gift book program is in place for formal recognition

MEMORIAL/GIFT BOOKS

Policy Statement

Rampart Library District welcomes monetary donations designated for purchase of materials in honor of or in memory of an individual, group, pet or special occasion.

Guidelines

  1. Memorial/gift book donations will generally be in the form of a monetary donation that will be used to purchase an item for the collection or to meet other library needs. However, under some circumstances, the Library will accept a new book as a memorial/ gift. Purchases will only be made after funds have been collected from the donor.
  2.  Donors may make suggestions for purchase or designate specific subject areas but the District reserves the right to make the final decision regarding any addition to the collection.
  3.  A book plate will be placed in memorial/gift items at the discretion of the donor.
  4. The library will notify anyone designated by the donor of the donation.
  5. All memorial /gift donations become the property of the Library District. The District reserves the right to make retention decisions about items that have outlived their usefulness to the collection or the District.

DONATIONS OF ARTWORK

Policy Statement

The purpose of the Rampart Library District is to meet the needs of its citizens for informational, educational and recreational materials in a form that can be used and understood. Within this context, the purpose of art in the library is:

  1. To provide citizens with an additional format of information that can be viewed in the library
  2. To enhance the library environment
  3. To offer a variety of mediums in the artwork that is presented
  4. To enrich the cultural awareness of the community

Guidelines

  1. Artwork offered as a donation to the Rampart Library District will be evaluated by an Advisory Committee.
  • This committee shall be appointed by the Director, with Board approval, and shall serve on an as needed basis.
  • The committee will make recommendations to the Director as regards acceptance or non-acceptance of works.
  • Committee members whose artwork is under consideration will excuse themselves from the committee.
  • Committee members may be requested to assist in the placement and display of accepted artwork.
  1. As with all library donations, final acceptance rests with the Board of Trustees of the Library District upon recommendation by the Advisory Committee.
  2. Authority to accept gifts that are valued at $1,000 or less shall be given to the Library Director.
  3. Items will be accepted when they meet the criteria consistent with the philosophy of the Board, Director, and the Committee.
  1. All art donations become the property of the Library District unless otherwise approved by the The District reserves the right to make retention decisions about items that have outlived their usefulness to the District. Any item accepted as part of the District’s permanent collection will be periodically reevaluated by the Advisory Committee to determine its suitability for continuation in the collection.
  2. Potential donors should consider the following:

a. Artwork should be aesthetically consistent with the library’s design and interior.

b. Artwork should complement and not overwhelm or detract from the Library.

c. Formal qualities, such as composition, the elements and principles of design, technical control, thematic elements, color usage, should be present in the work.

d. There is a distinction between personal taste and fine art.

e. The artwork should arrive at the library ready for hanging or display.

f. If the artwork requires special materials or labor for installation, the costs associated with those materials and labor will be the responsibility of the donor. Exceptions will be decided upon by the Board.

g. The donor may be asked to have the piece formally valued.

h. All submitted works of art are required to be entered into the Rampart Library District artwork inventory database.

i. Artwork without this information may be considered by the Advisory Committee only in very special cases.

7. Posters should follow the same guidelines as fine In general, posters will not be placed in as prominent places as original artwork.

8. Artwork may be rejected for a variety of reasons, including maintainability, durability, appropriateness, public safety or professionalism of the piece. A reason may or may not be given by the Committee and/or Board when rejecting a piece of artwork.

9. Artwork accepted on a temporary loan basis is addressed in the Exhibits and Displays Policy.

ADOPT A TILE

Policy Statement

The Adopt a Tile program in honor of a child allows the child to paint a tile that will be placed on a wall in the Children’s Activity Room.

Guidelines

  1. By paying a fee of $5 and making an appointment, a parent/guardian may bring a child to the library where the child will paint a tile for the wall in the children’s area.
  2. The intent is to keep the tiles on the wall in perpetuity but the library cannot guarantee that this will happen in case of unforeseen future circumstances.

MONETARY DONATIONS

Policy Statement

Monetary donations are always accepted and welcomed but the use of such funds is at the discretion of the District unless a pre-arranged designated purpose has been approved by the Board and/or Director. Purchases for approved designated purposes will only be made after funds have been collected from the donor to the District. The District will not make purchases with donor intent to reimburse.

DONATIONS OF ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

Policy Statement

Rampart Library District is pleased to accept donations of computer hardware and software.

Guidelines

  1. All donated hardware and software must be approved by the Technology Manager. It should be new and must meet District standards.
  2. The acceptance of equipment may be conditional upon the donor’s willingness to include the cost of peripheral equipment (e.g. patch cords, print servers, ether cards) or services (e.g. wiring, electrical outlet installations) required for the operation of the donated equipment.
  3. Sole operational responsibility for equipment and decisions regarding access and availability of the equipment rests with the library, unless otherwise stipulated.
  4. Any such donations become the sole property of the District and the use and eventual disposal of such equipment shall be at the sole discretion of the District.

DONATIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY GROUPS

Policy Statement

The Friends of the Library groups are a very important part of the Rampart Library District and play a significant role in fundraising. The District is extremely grateful for their support of library goals, programs and events as well as their monetary contributions. They enrich our library community by their presence and their efforts on behalf of the District.

Guidelines

  1. Friends groups may give unrestricted donations to the District to be used at the discretion of the Director and/or Board to purchase what is most needed for the library.
  2. If a group does not wish to make an unrestricted donation, the District will determine what is needed and make suggestions to the Friends groups for items they may purchase for the District.
  3. Donations of all purchased items, including those from the Friends groups, must be pre-approved by the Director and/or the Board according to the needs of the District. (Request for Funds/Reimbursement Form).

DONATIONS OF NOTEBOOKS, SCRAPBOOKS, HISTORY ITEMS FROM LOCAL GROUPS, CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS

Policy Statement

While the Rampart Library District may borrow materials from the public from time to time for the purpose of digitization; the district cannot accept permanent donations of notebooks, scrapbooks and history items from local groups, clubs and organizations. In the instance when a donation is being offered, the district will practice due diligence in suggesting an alternate when appropriate (examples: local historical society, museum, etc.).

Concerns about the Donations Policy must be presented in writing with specifics to the Library Director. Please provide your name and contact information. The Library District may amend or supplement this policy from time to time and reserves the right to do so.

Approved by the Rampart Library District Board of Trustees on October 21, 2006. Last reviewed and revised by the Rampart Library Board of Trustees on March 9, 2021.