From: Charles Spetland <[log in to unmask]> Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2018 08:05:26 -0500 Here is our posted policy that has been in place 10+ years. cgs *Book Donations* *The Libraries do not accept donations of books and other material due to serious space constraints and the high cost of sorting, reviewing and processing donated material.* *Please consider one of these other options for passing along your material: the Friends of the Andersen Horticultural Library <http://www.arboretum.umn.edu/friendsofthelibrary.aspx> for their annual book sale, your local public library, used books stores, or charitable organizations such as Books for Africa <http://www.booksforafrica.org/>.* *Gifts of Rare and Unique Materials* *If you feel your potential gift is of critical research interest to the Libraries (rare or unique items only), please call 612-624-9064 <+16126249064> and leave your name and contact information, along with a description or characterization of the material. You may also send this information to us by e-mail at: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> or by regular mail to Collection Development and Management, 170 Wilson Library, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455. We will respond as soon as possible.* *Thank you for your interest in supporting the University of Minnesota Libraries.* Charles G. Spetland ( Mailto:[log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> ) Collection Development Officer University of Minnesota Libraries Voice: 612.626.7960 <(612)%20626-7960> http://www.lib.umn.edu On Mon, Mar 12, 2018 at 3:59 PM, LIBLICENSE <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > From: "Jim O'Donnell" <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2018 07:04:48 -0700 > > Libraries struggle with donations: retired faculty, alumni friends, > people of a certain age looking to downsize would love to give us > their books, carefully selected and cared for over decades. Several > problems arise: the books themselves are often very largely > duplicates of material we already have; or deal with areas where we > don't have an interest in collecting; and every volume accepted comes > with a cost in staff time for handling and cataloging and in housing > costs over time. So libraries are often now more resistant and have > to be very sensitive to the disappointment we create. > > I have an idea that I have seen somewhere efforts at providing > guidance for those who would donate academic books usefully -- at > broad, at home, bookdealers, etc. Can any of our learned readers > provide pointers to such guidance? I ask because I wonder if we > couldn't provide particularly academics useful practical guidance > through such information disseminated by e.g. a professional society > to its members. This can't be a unique or unheard-of problem. > > With thanks for all pointers, > Jim O'Donnell > Arizona State University >