Giving to the Library

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Gifts Policy

The Clifford E. Barbour Library accepts gifts of materials that support our educational mission. Donations of materials are accepted by the library with the understanding that, once received, the materials are owned by the library. The library reserves the right to make retention decisions for donation materials and to dispose of duplicates and unwanted materials as we deem most appropriate.
 
The library cannot accept donations of materials with special restrictions such as placement, treatment, retention, audience, and so forth. All donated materials will be reviewed by appropriate librarians. Only materials meeting the needs of the library and in acceptable physical condition will be added to the collection.
 
A letter of acknowledgement will be provided to donors. The library staff, however, cannot provide appraisals or estimates of the value of donated materials. It is the donor's responsibility to place a value on gift items as required for any tax reporting purposes. Donors should refer to IRS publication #561 and consult with a tax professional for further information and advice on their tax liabilities.
 
Monetary donations and substantial contributions of materials will be referred to the PTS Advancement Office.

Evaluating Criteria

These are some of the criteria to be considered by the librarians when evaluating potential donations: 

  • Physical condition
  • Publication date (currency of information)
  • Relevance to  the PTS mission, curriculum, research programs, etc.
  • Archival and rare factors
  • Adds value to collection (e.g., completes or complements an existing collection)
  • The degree of initial and continued investment required to process, maintain, and store the material

How to Donate Books and Other Materials

We will accept donations of clean books and other library materials in very good condition. We cannot accept books that have been stored in basements, garages, or other places where they accumulate mold, mildew, and insects. The library has limited storage space so gifts larger than 200 items can be accepted only with the permission of the library director. Donations that meet these stipulations may be dropped off at the Library Front Desk during working hours. All donors should fill out a DEED OF GIFT form available at the Library Front Desk with name and address for our records. If you have items that you wish to donate, please contact Michelle Spomer at 412-924-1408 or mspomer@pts.edu.

What Happens to Donated Items

Gifts are sorted into categories. Those that meet our collection policy will be added to the collection. Duplicates to books we already own may be added as replacements for our worn copies. Some gifts will go to our Book Sale shelves in the library lobby. Gift books that we cannot use are donated to the Theological Book Network, a nonprofit organization that sorts and ships books to overseas seminaries and colleges, or to other organizations. Books in damaged or poor condition may be discarded.