Poestenkill Library Policies & Procedures

Gift Policy

The Poestenkill Library welcomes gifts of books and other materials and monetary donations but reserves the right to decline gifts or donations if they do not fall within the guidelines for acceptance as set by the Board of Trustees.

Guidelines for acceptance of gifts

  1. Gifts will be evaluated by the Director and/or the Board of Trustees for their suitability for inclusion in the permanent collection or if they might serve the Library in some other manner.
  2. Gifts on which the donor places restrictions or special conditions, will not be accepted by the Library unless those restrictions or conditions are specifically accepted by the Board of Trustees.
  3. Gift items will be formally acknowledged, if the donor wishes. The Library will not appraise or estimate the value of gift donations. The responsibility of such assessment lies with the owner.
  4. Donors may be requested to sign a waiver relinquishing ownership.

Types of Gifts

Books and other materials

  1. The Library welcomes gifts of books and other materials with the understanding that they will be evaluated in accordance with the same criteria applied to purchased materials.
  2. Such factors as duplication, lack of sufficient community interest, processing costs, or inadequate shelf space may prevent their addition to the collection or permanent retention.
  3. Some items such a highly technical materials or those with limited interest may be accepted as gifts although they ordinarily would not be purchased.
  4. Gifts of books and other materials are accepted.
  5. Donations of collections in toto, specifically designated for library use, will be subject to approval by the Director and the Board of Trustees. As with other titles, acceptance will be based on usefulness to the collection, potential expense involved, and space available.
  6. In addition, materials or equipment added to the collection or accepted for library use become the sole property of the Poestenkill Library, to do with as it sees fit.

Monetary gifts

  1. Cash gifts will be accepted and will be utilized at the discretion of the Board of Trustees in accordance with the Library’s Materials Selection and Collection Development Policy (separately available). When the Library receives a cash gift for purchase of memorial books or other tributes, the selection will be made by the Director in consultation with the Board of Trustees as appropriate, with consideration given to the donor’s wishes.
  2. Stocks or bonds will be accepted and will be utilized at the discretion of the Board of Trustees.
  3. Endowments and memorials will be accepted and will be utilized at the discretion of the Board of Trustees.

Other gifts

Personal property, art objects, portraits, antiques, and collectibles may be accepted at the discretion of the Library Director or the Board of Trustees with the understanding that they may be sold, given away, or otherwise disposed of.

Approved by Poestenkill Library Board of Trustees on March 25, 2002.