Click here to view the Donation Policy as a pdf document.
PURPOSE:
The East Longmeadow Public Library is a resource belonging to all members of the community, and recognizes the importance of donations to the Library’s future development. The Library welcomes donations of money, books, and materials that support the Library’s mission.
GUIDELINES:
MONETARY DONATIONS
UNRESTRICTED: The Library may accept unrestricted monetary donations, which may be used to purchase materials, equipment, furniture, fund programs, or support the Library in other ways. The Donation Fund is held by the Town of East Longmeadow and is managed by Library Administration. Donations to the Library’s Donation Fund are tax deductible.
RESTRICTED: The Library may accept monetary donations with specific restrictions provided they are submitted in advance and in writing. Restricted donations require the Library Director’s approval prior to acceptance. Restricted donations will be accepted on the condition that the specific use is consistent with the Library’s mission and does not require expenditure of library funds and/or staff time to make the donation usable.
RECOGNITION OF MONETARY DONATION: Monetary donations may be recognized with bookplates, if the donor requests, or with such other recognition as deemed appropriate by the Library Director. Donations in excess of $500 entitle donors to commemorative plaques on the “Giving Wall”, located in the Library’s lobby. Engraving a commemorative plaque is optional. If a donor would like a plaque engraved, the individual should make their wishes known at the time the donation is received by the Library.
BOOK AND MATERIAL DONATIONS
The Library may accept donations of books and other materials, and reserves the right to refuse any donation that the Library Director deems not to be in the best interest of the Library to accept. If the Library accepts a donation, the donation shall be final and there will be no further conditions on the Library’s ownership, possession, use, or disposition of the donation.
Donations of books and materials are accepted with the understanding that items not added to the collection will be disposed of at the discretion of the Library. The Library selectively accepts donations of books, periodicals, CDs, DVDs, puzzles and other materials for circulation based on the Collection Development Policy. Items accepted but not added to the Library’s collection may be given to the Friends of the East Longmeadow Public Library for sale, distributed to patrons as program incentives, donated to other libraries, or discarded.
Due to limited storage in the building, the donation of large quantities of materials is discouraged. No more than one box of materials may be offered to the library at one time.
VALUATION:
The East Longmeadow Public Library will provide a timely, written acknowledgement of the receipt of the donation to the donor and, if desired, to a recognized individual or organization. Income tax regulations leave the determination of the donation’s monetary value to the donor. Donors wishing to have an appraisal of their donation done for income tax purposes should do so prior to donation at their own expense.
The Library Donation Policy is subject to review and amendment by the Board of Library
Trustees.
Approved by the Board of Library Trustees December 19, 2018
Amended by the Board of Library Trustees February 17, 2021
Amended by the Board of Library Trustees, June 2024
DOCUMENT OF TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP
Please complete and return to the East Longmeadow Public Library at:
East Longmeadow Public Library
Attention: Library Director
60 Center Square, St. 2
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
I hereby present a (circle one) restricted/unrestricted donation to the East Longmeadow Public Library as described below:
DESCRIPTION OF GIFT:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Date: __________________________
Name: _____________________________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________________
Signature: ___________________________________________________________________
FOR LIBRARY USE ONLY
Date donation received: _________ Date donation accepted/refused: ______________
Confirmation made via: _____email _____mail
Library Staff Name: _________________________________________________
Comments: ____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________