Library Policy: Gift and Donation Policy

Library Gift and Donation Policy

The Georgia Highlands College Library is pleased to accept donations of books and other materials. The decision to accept gifts for addition to the library's collection will be made by the acquisitions librarian, and approved by the Dean of Libraries for larger or valuable materials. Gifts of archival materials should be referred to the College Archives.

Primary Criteria for Suitable Donations

• Free of mold, mildew, and insects
• Clean and gently used (no damage)
• Recently published (including textbooks)
  • Within the last 5 years for STEM / Health Science materials
  • Within the last 15 years for other materials

Materials Not Suitable as Donations*

• Advance Reading Copies/Galleys/Preview copies
• Artwork or art collections
• Audiobooks, LP records, cassette tapes/audio cassettes, or VHS tapes
• Computer software and manuals, CD-ROMS, digital files
• Encyclopedia sets
• Print journals/magazines/periodicals
• Outdated textbooks (see above).
• Readers Digest Condensed Books
• Items that do not meet our Collection Development Policy [LINK]

Donation Acknowledgement

Donors wishing to receive a letter of acknowledgment must include their contact information when making a donation; however, the library will not provide the donor with a valuation of the materials received. (The IRS considers the library, or library employee, an "interested party" who may not appraise donations.) Therefore, the responsibility for establishing the fair market value of a gift item lies with the donor.

Disposition of Donated Materials

Donations become the property of the Georgia Highlands College Library. Because the Library has limited shelf capacity, we are unable to add all donated material to our holdings. Donated materials are carefully reviewed, and those materials which are considered to best meet the needs of our college are selected for retention. The library is not obligated to notify the donor about these individual decisions, nor return any unselected materials to the donor. Items that cannot be added to our collection may be donated to other organizations or sold in a GHC Foundation Book Sale.

*Donations involving materials relating to the history of the College should be directed to the College Archives.