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INFORMATION ON GIFT DONATIONS

 

The following procedures are designed to standardize the timely and accurate acceptance, acknowledgement, review and processing of gift materials, and to ensure the best possible relations between the Smathers Libraries and its donors, both active and potential.

 

Gift Procedures

 

I. Procedures for Giving Gift Materials to the UF Libraries

A. Gift Disposition

1. Donors and potential donors of books and other materials should understand that not every gift item is selected to be added to the libraries' collections. Collection Managers review gift items and select the appropriate materials for inclusion to library holdings. However, in many cases, Collection Managers will not add materials to the holdings for a variety of reasons, which may include: duplication of existing titles, poor physical condition of the gift, or the materials do not fall under the collection scope of the library (for more information on Collection Management policies, see "http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/cm/manual/CMManual6-15.html").

2. Gift materials not selected for the library may be exchanged or offered to other libraries - including SUS libraries in Florida. Other disposition alternative are selling the leftover books and materials in the Smathers Library Bookstore , routing them to the Friends of the Library book sale in downtown Gainesville, or in a final case scenario when all other alternatives are exhausted, the staff will recycle unwanted materials.

3. Staff offers donors a printed 'donor registry' form for signature , which includes the gift disposition policy clearly stated.

4. Gift materials selected for collections will not be found on the shelves within a particular period of time; the time needed to process and catalog gift materials varies due to workloads and backlogs.

5. The Smathers Libraries do not normally provide donors with inventories of their gifts. The Gifts and Exchange Librarian must approve any donor request for an inventory before staff accepts a gift.

6. Staff presents information regarding the tax considerations of a donor's gift before or at the time of gift receipt (see IV, "Tax Information for Material Donations").

B. Proposed Gifts

Library staff forwards all gift materials or gift offers brought to their attention to the Gifts & Exchange staff, whether these gifts or offers arrive through written letters, email correspondence, phone calls, or in person. If possible, staff asks the donor to complete a 'donor registry' card and include as much of the following pertinent information as possible:

C. Preview of Proposed Gift Materials

When the potential gift is large enough and has a defined subject area, the appropriate Collection Manager contacts the donor. The Collection Manager triesto respond promptly to the donor, and if necessary, goes in person to preview the gift before the Libraries officially accepts it.

D. Acceptance of Proposed Gift Materials

Either the Gifts & Exchange Librarian, Gifts & Exchange staff, Director of Development , a representative of the Library Directors Office, or the Collection Manager responsible for review, are responsible for accepting gift offers. If the libraries do not accept a gift offer, staff will provide information to the donor on other possible donees.

E. Transportation of Accepted Gift Materials

The Gifts & Exchange staff can provide transportation for gift donations accepted by the library ( see V, Transportation Policy). G & E staff and student assistants will schedule pickups that are convenient for donors; however, G & E staff use of library vans is dependent on their availability at Library Facilities. Permission for G & E staff to arrange gift pickups beyond the UF campus and the city of Gainesville comes from a Library Director. In cases where gift materials are located hundreds or even thousands of miles away, the Director of Collections is responsible for accepting the donations, and G & E will then arrange a pickup using a commercial shipping agent.

F. Freezing & Fumigation of Gift Materials

Gifts & Exchange staff routes gift materials showing signs of mold or mildew to the libraries' Preservation Department for freezing. Gift materials showing signs of bug infestation are routed to the U. F. Pest Control Service for fumigation.

G. Receipt of Unsolicited Donations

Library staff in the branches, mailroom areas, Directors Office, Acquisitions Department, and other points of receipt, routes unsolicited donations of collection materials - either delivered in person or received in the mail - to the Gifts & Exchange unit (complete with original packaging) for searching and processing.

H. Gifts of Archival Materials

The Smathers Libraries' Department of Special and Area Studies Collections has developed policies for the solicitation and processing of donated archival materials, and is always consulted when managing these gifts. On occasion, the Gifts & Exchange staff and the staff of Special and Area Studies Collections work together to manage incoming gift material donations.

I. Review of Gift Materials

As needed, Collection Managers evaluate gifts for possible inclusion into the collections from the review shelves located in the Gifts & Exchange office. G & E staff and students search each gift item on Aleph and fill out a Preview/Selection slip with appropriate information for the dispositional review. Collection management decisions must be timely and recorded on the Preview/Selection slips. When a backlog of gift materials becomes a problem, the Gifts & Exchange Librarian conducts review and selection of the materials.

 

II. Gift and UF Foundation Books Requiring Bookplates

A. Donor Bookplates

In special circumstances bookplates bearing the name of the donor or the donor's family can be attached to gift books. A bookplate may be produced for the gift of a significant collection, but only when granted approval by a representative of the Directors Office, Director of Development, or the Gifts & Exchange Librarian. When approved, the donor bookplate used for this purpose is the standard Ex Libris University of Florida bookplate. Since bookplates are labor intensive to produce and affix, G&E unit affix bookplates for only a small percentage of donated materials. The G & E unit is responsible for producing and affixing bookplates for all donated materials.

B. UF Foundation Books

The University of Florida Libraries offer specially designed Bookplates for endowed purchase funds which have been set up with the University of Florida Foundation . These endowed purchase funds are permanent accounts which are administered by the UF Foundation. Collection Managers use the interest earned from these accounts to purchase new books and other materials for the UF Libraries. For further information about donating funds for such an account, or for other tax deductible cash donations and Online Giving ,  please contact the Libraries' Director of Development at the Library Administration Office (352) 392-0342. Books purchased with UF Foundation accounts require a standard preprinted bookplate, and after processing, the staff in the Cataloging or Acquisitions Departments should route UF Foundation books to the G & E unit for plating.

 

III. Acknowledgement of Gifts to the Libraries

A. Acknowledgement Letters

The Gifts & Exchange staff produce and send an official letter of acknowledgement and gratitude for all gifts to the Smathers Libraries, unless a donor elects to remain anonymous or declines the letter. The letter includes vital information regarding the gift, including the name and address of the donor, a full count and in-depth description of the materials, and the date of the donation. This letter is proof of the gift and can be used for IRS tax purposes (see IV, "Tax Information for Material Donations"). Sometimes a department, branch library, or Collection Manager receiving a materials donation may elect to write and send the donor a letter of acknowledgement that includes a more personal thank you.

1. When appropriate, unsolicited gifts received through the mail are accepted with an acknowledgement letter sent by the G & E staff.

2. Gifts brought to the Libraries in person will be acknowledged with a letter signed by the G & E Librarian; or in some instances by the Collection Manager, branch library representative, or library department receiving the materials.

3. More valuable collections or donations given by a repeat donor will be acknowledged with a letter signed by the Director of Libraries or other Director if appropriate.

B. Record-Keeping

The Gifts & Exchange unit keeps on file a copy of acknowledgement letters and a descriptive list of substantial donations. For formerly appraised gift donations, the G & E unit holds all materials not directly added to the collections for five years, as required by IRS tax codes (see IV, "Tax Information for Material Donations"). The G & E unit forwards annually a copy of the descriptive list of donations to the Director of Development for UF Foundation records and development purposes.

 

IV. Tax Information for Material Donations

1. Library staff, particularly the Gifts & Exchange Librarian and staff, the Director of Development , Collection Manager, or representative from the Library Director's Office may offer donors basic information on the tax codes for charitable donations. However, it is the sole responsibility of the donor to consult the IRS, a tax attorney, or a tax accountant for more advice or interpretations of existing tax law.

2. A gift valued at more than $5,000 must be appraised by a qualified appraiser* as defined by the IRS (which excludes appraisal by the donee) and the donor's tax return must include a copy of the official signed appraisal attached to IRS Form 8283, Noncash Charitable Contributions (available at the IRS Web site: http://www.irs.gov/ ). For appraised gifts valued at more than $5,000, if the donee organization disposes of the property within 2 years after the date of receipt, the organization must file IRS Form 8282, Donee Information Return, with the IRS and send a copy to the donor.

* Although the Library as donee cannot appraise the gift, the Library Development Officer and the Gifts & Exchange Librarian can provide information on local appraisers who may be considered qualified by the IRS .

3. In cases where the value of the charitable deduction does not exceed $5,000, the donor is not required to obtain a qualified appraisal, but is still required to submit IRS Form 8283. For such gift donations, the donee organization is under no obligation to report any disposition of the gift within two years to either the IRS or the donor.

 

V. Library Transportation Policy

Purpose :

The purpose of this document is to establish a policy concerning the reservation and authorized use of library vehicles.

1. Reserving Vans

The Gifts & Exchange staff must reserve a van, but it is at the discretion of the library Facilities Department when vans are available.

2. Authorized Drivers

In the Gifts & Exchange unit, only the librarian and staff have the authorization to operate a van for gift pickups. Staff must possess a valid driver's license and be employees of the University of Florida Smathers Libraries. The Facilities Department reserves the right to deny the use of the vans to anyone who demonstrates negligence or does not meet the above criteria.

3. Vehicle Log Books

The Facilities Department maintains the vehicle logbooks. Before receiving the keys, all drivers must sign out a van and include in the log: the time the van is checked out, the odometer mileage, and any student assistants accompanying the driver. When returning the van, the driver must record the time and the new odometer reading. The logbooks are legal documents and all information recorded must be timely and accurate.

4. Traffic Violations

Drivers are responsible for adhering to all traffic laws. The Library will not be responsible for any traffic violations incurred during a pickup. Individual drivers will be responsible for payment of all traffic violations and may lose driving privileges.

5. Van Problems

Note any mechanical problems encountered with the vans on a discrepancy form found in the back of the log book.

 

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