Gift Book Processing Procedures

The Gift Librarian is responsible for the processing of all gift materials.  Procedures for handling gift materials are as follows:

1. Gifts may be accepted by staff members at the donor’s request.  The Donated Books/Materials Form must be filled out at the time the gift is received.  This form is available at Administration, Circulation and Shipping/Receiving.  A copy of the form is given to the donor.  The original of the form is sent to the Dean’s office, Executive Assistant.  A copy of the original is sent to the Gifts Librarian by the Executive Assistant as notification to review and process the gift.

2. The Gifts Librarian will maintain a register of all gifts received; including appropriate statistical data needed by Acquisitions and Administration.

3. The Gifts Librarian will review the gift for materials that are to be added to the general collection, or any special collection in the Libraries.

4. The Gifts Librarian will familiarize him/herself with unique holdings that may exist in Special Collections, Curriculum Materials Library, Juvenile Collection, Pell Special Collections, or Confucius Institute.

5. The Gifts Librarian, with the assistance of the Storekeeper, will unpack and locate gifts on designated shelving.

6. All gift material is to be staged in the Shipping/Receiving area for processing.  Specific shelves, labeled for gift materials, will be used for the gifts.  Additional shelves will be designated for materials to be recycled and materials to be sent to cataloging.

7. The initial sorting, review, and disposition of all gifts will be the responsibility of the Gifts Librarian.  If during this process the Gifts Librarian determines that there may be rare or unique subject related items, the Librarian may notify the subject selector or a Unit about the items.  When this is the case, it is up to the subject selector or Unit to review the gift and make recommendations to the Gifts Librarian. 

8. Gifts accepted to be added to the general collection will be sent to the Cataloging Unit for processing.  Gifts selected for specific units will be transferred to those Units for processing.

9. Books/Items not selected to be added to the Library holdings will be sent to the University Libraries’ approved recycling vendors, put in the Library book sale, or recycled through appropriate University recycling services.

10. The Storekeeper, with direction from the Gifts Librarian, will pack and make shipping arrangements with the approved vendors for the books/items NOT being added to the Library collections.

11. Some gifts may be made directly to specific Units (e.g. Special Collections, Media, CML, Pell). These Units must follow the Gifts Processing Procedures.  The Donated Gifts/Materials Form is still processed as above, #1.  The gift is evaluated directly by the Unit.  The ExecutiveAssistant will send a copy of the Form to the Gifts Librarian for recording.  The Unit will notify the Gifts Librarian and the Executive Assistant when the gift has been reviewed.

12. The Donated Book/Materials Form has a line to be completed by the Gifts Librarian/Unit when the gift has been reviewed.  Enter the date the review is completed and initial on the Gift Form, and return to the Executive Assistant.

April 1, 2010