UCSD Libraries accepts gifts to enhance our collection depth in particular subject areas and in support of current research and instruction needs. We apply the same criteria to selecting these often older materials for the collection as we do when ordering new materials. The Donation of Gifts to the University of California, San Diego Libraries policy is [will be] on the public website. Refer to the policy in communications with potential donors. As it states, we cannot provide a monetary appraisal of the gift collection value for tax or other purposes.
If a donor offers a collection that he or she has had appraised at a value of $5000 or more, this must be reviewed by the appropriate subject specialist in consultation with the AUL Collection Services. Acceptance of such gifts obliges us to keep the full collection in our possession for three years, so we will want to confirm that we will want to retain most, if not all, of it.
The subject specialist is responsible for reviewing gifts from departing or retiring faculty members. Faculty and members of the public who call the Information Desk instead of contacting the subject specialist directly are referred to the Acquisition Department Gifts & Receiving unit or their gifts email address. In these cases, the Gifts & Receiving unit will make the appropriate referral. Potential donors should be treated with courtesy and immediately be thanked for thinking of UCSD in this way, and they need to understand that their offer will be considered, but not necessarily retained, that once donated to us, we have the right to dispose of the gift as we see fit.
In most cases, the donor should provide transportation of their gift to the library. If circumstances require our assistance, the subject specialist may transport a small gift or schedule transportation assistance with Library Facilities staff, especially for a large gift. The subject specialist accepting a large gift will need to make advance arrangements with Acquisitions or Facilities for storing and staging the materials when they arrive.
All gifts become the property of the UC Regents, and as such, non–selected materials are sent to UCSD Surplus Sales. Should a subject specialist wish to send materials to another UC, she or he must work the Collection Coordinator to identify a staging area for the materials and a departmental account for boxing and shipping costs. Only very small numbers may be sent via TriCor to other campuses.
We need to assess the value of the potential gift in terms of both our time and our space limitations. We should determine whether it must be accepted complete, as is, or if we can select particular items for the UCSD collection. Ask the donor if a contents list is available. If the potential gift comes from a local source, we may ask to review the collection in person. If the decision is to not accept the gift, thank the potential donor for thinking of UCSD in this way and refer the donor to other libraries in the area. When considering a gift of over 200 items, consult with your Collection Coordinator.
Written acknowledgement for an accepted gift is provided at donor request. If a large or otherwise important gift is accepted, it is customary for the subject specialist to write a thank you letter describing the quantity, significance, and type of materials donated. Or upon request, the Gifts & Receiving Assistant will send the donor a receipt describing the quantity and type of materials. However, we do not compile a list of donated titles or necessarily report which titles have been added to the collections or not.
Smaller incoming gifts, including those dropped–off without prior consultation, are staged for review by all subject specialists in the Acquisitions Department Review Room. These gifts generally remain on the shelves for two weeks. Gift volumes that are selected for the collections should be flagged with the appropriate colored "branch" streamer and initialed. If a potential gift is dropped–off to you as a subject specialist, similarly flag the gift with a retention decision and deliver it to the Gifts & Receiving Assistant.
Adopted by the Collection Coordinators Group 8/6/08
Document owner: Tony Harvell
Last reviewed: August 8, 2008