CDL-Refusing large collections???? (Response #7)

From:
Sarah D Tusa <sarah.tusa_at_lamar.edu>

Sometimes I wish we could declare a moratorium on on accepting donations.  As it is, we probably need to revisit our donations policy.   We certainly do not get the huge donations that you mention, but whenever someone retires, they act as if we are the natural recipients of their collection of textbook desk copies.  We occasionally get calls from individuals in the community who want to donate their personal library or that of a deceased spouse.   Since we have neither the space nor the staff, and have a massive weeding project in place, I have to explain to these good-hearted people that I cannot accept their donations wholesale.   If they are willing to sign the donor release form with the agreement that we (the library) are permitted to dispose of the books as we see fit (i.e., sale truck and/or eventual dumpster), then we can accept the gift.   We always have a bit of a backlog, and it's not going to get any better because that position was given to another department a few
  years ago.

To a certain extent, I understand the political reasons for accepting gifts.  However, depending on ultimate space and staffing considerations, I think most people understand when I tell them that my library simply does not have the space to give their books the proper new home.  People tend to get emotionally attached to their books, and I understand that.  (I'm not quite as sympathetic toward faculty who want to claim their desk samples on their income tax returns, but I don't say anything, of course.)


There is a specific law that pertains to the right to dispose of unsolicited donations, and I can never remember the specific citation, but it's usually floating around on one of the listservs.  I guess I'm not quite as concerned about accidentally turning away or disposing of a rare book.  People usually point those out.


This rambling probably is not helping that much, but I do think the political reasons might be subject to closer scrutiny, unless there are administrators who are rubbing elbows with the donors, so to speak.  That could get sticky.

-- Sarah Tusa, Associate Professor Coordinator of Collection Development 
& Acquisitions Mary & John Gray Library Lamar University Ext. 8125