Gifts

Through its Gifts Section the Library encourages the donation of materials which will complement its own acquisitions. Over the years the generosity of donors has contributed significantly to the research collections.

General Guidelines

Gifts of books, periodicals, microforms and other materials are usually accepted by the Gifts Section, in consultation with the appropriate selector in the Collection Development Department.

The Library reserves the right to accept or refuse prospective donations. Normally, gifts of single items or small collections of a few items are processed by the Library’s Gifts Section as a matter of course. Large collections and those which require assessment against the Library’s “criteria used to determine acceptability” require approval by an officer of the University such as the Chief Librarian. Among the criteria used to determine acceptability are:

• whether the prospective donations fall within the scope of the Library's collection
• whether they would unnecessarily duplicate material already held
• their physical condition
• the processing and maintenance costs to be incurred if donations are accepted
• restrictions, if any, which prospective donors wish to place on the disposition and use of the material offered

Prospective donors who contact the Gifts Section are informed:

• that, as a general rule, the Library prefers to select the material it needs while the prospective gift is still in its original location. A list or bibliography of the collection may be requested, or, in special instances, a visit by a selector may be made
• that, if this is not feasible, the Library will accept the collection as a whole but retain only what it needs
• that, once accepted, the library has the right to dispose of duplicate or unwanted material in the most appropriate manner it sees fit. This may include:

  a) gifting the material to another library
  b) offering the material on an international exchange
  c) giving the material to one of the University of Toronto book sales
  d) selling the material through BetterWorldBooks, a non-profit online agency

  The material that cannot be placed in any of the above categories will be recycled.

• that, if the donor wishes, material that the Library does not want will be returned

In cases where the value of a prospective donation is substantial and its provenance unclear, the Library may request proof of ownership before accepting it.

Once material has been accepted, a formal acknowledgement of receipt expressing the Library's appreciation will be sent to the donor. It is stressed that this is a formal acknowledgement only. It does not limit the Library's right to dispose of unwanted material in the most appropriate manner and should not be confused with a formal University gift-in-kind receipt issued for income tax purposes (see Valuations and Gift-in-Kind Receipts).

Upon acceptance, gifts become the property of the University of Toronto.

The Library will identify gifts made to its collections (other than individual issues of journals) by means of an appropriate bookplate.

Valuations and Gift-in-Kind Receipts Issued for Income Tax Purposes

If requested to do so, the Library will have the gifts it retains valuated. The valuation and donor information is forwarded to the University's Department of Development which mails the gift-in-kind receipt to the donor.

Valuations will be provided only for material that the Library retains. An exception to this rule will be considered when the donation constitutes a special collection, best appraised as a collection, and the number of titles not retained is too small to have a significant effect on the collection's overall value. The Library will not provide valuations until it has assumed physical possession of the material donated.

Contact Information

Andrew Davidson, Head, Gifts Section
andrewallen.davidson@utoronto.ca
416-978-3118 (phone)
416-978-8827 (fax)