South Shore Public Libraries
Gifts and Displays Policy

South Shore Public Libraries celebrates reading, discovering, learning and sharing.
— Mission Statement, 2008

The Library as a publicly owned institution is for the use and enjoyment of all. Donor support is greatly appreciated. Gifts of books, material, or money for the purchase of books, materials, equipment or facility enhancement are welcome.

DONATIONS OF BOOKS AND OTHER LIBRARY MATERIALS
We accept donations of books and material in any format with the understanding that Library staff may dispose of them in any way. We make the decision about adding a donation to the collection on the same basis as we decide to purchase an item. (See Materials Selection Policy.) Materials we are unable to use in our collection may be put into our book sale which funds purchases of new materials. We can issue a receipt for the donation if the donor provides a written evaluation acceptable to an auditor. If we do keep an item, it will initially be housed in the Library service point preferred by the donor but will be available to all borrowers, including other libraries, and may eventually be moved to another service point or withdrawn from the collection.

DONATIONS OF FUNDS
We welcome gifts of money and issue receipts for income tax purposes for gifts over $10.00 Gift funds are normally used to enhance the collection and items purchased are chosen according to the Materials Selection Policy adopted by the Library Board in 1988. We may solicit donations for specific purposes such as a special program or a new Branch Library building and furnishings and will acknowledge donations for such purposes appropriately. A donor may suggest use of a gift for a particular branch, program, service area (e.g. children’s), collection subject area, or simply where the Library sees a need. We are pleased to accept donations in honour of a person or special occasion or in memory of a friend or relative. We place a bookplate identifying the donor (unless the donor wishes to remain anonymous) and the person honoured by the gift, when appropriate, in materials purchased with gift funds. Materials purchased with gift funds are part of the total collection, available to all borrowers, but are normally housed in the Library service point specified by the donor for at least five years.

BEQUESTS
Bequests are welcome and will be acknowledged appropriately, as decided by the Chief Librarian, in consultation with the Library Board when he/she feels it necessary. We will comply as nearly as possible with the wishes of a legator so long as such compliance is in accordance with Library Policies and the principles of public libraries. When compliance would require significant expenditure of the Library’s funds, the Library Board and Chief Librarian will weigh the benefits and disadvantages of the expenditure before deciding whether to comply.

SPONSORSHIP RECOGNITION
Library sponsors are recognized according to the rules of our Sponsorship Recognition Program.

ART
The Library’s resources are in many formats and are meant to be used in appropriate ways by individuals. The collection does not normally include works of art or craft or artifacts.

We accept donations of works of art and similar items on the understanding that they may or may not be displayed on Library premises and may be disposed of by raffle, sale, donation to some other community institution, or other means. We will issue a receipt for income tax purposes to the donor of such items who provides a written evaluation acceptable to an auditor

We will make every effort to comply with a donor’s request that a gift of this type will be housed in a specific library location. Unpredictable changes in library physical facilities and service requirements may necessitate later modifications in these arrangements.

DISPLAYS
Library service takes precedence in any Library location.

Any group or individual may post notices on the bulletin boards near the entrances to Town Branches. Library staff will clear these bulletin boards periodically but otherwise will take no responsibility for what is posted on them.

Other Library bulletin boards are for Library use. Only Library staff may post material on them.

The Branch Librarians, in consultation with Branch Staff, may approve the use of Library space for displays of art, historical items, etc. Acceptance of such displays will be based on space required, purpose and possible community interest. Items on display may be made available for sale to the public, at the discretion of the owner. If that is the case, the owner may include contact information alongside the items, on business card-sized tags. Library staff will not conduct any transactions related to the sale of displayed items. Commercial items will not be approved for display. Neither the Library nor the owner of the premises housing a Branch Library take any responsibility for the set-up and removal of displays (which must be arranged with the Branch Librarian), nor for the safety of items on display while they are in the Library.

Groups or individuals may arrange to lend art, historical items, etc. to the Library on a long-term basis through discussion with the Chief Librarian and Library Board. Agreements to accept such long-term loans will address concerns similar to those outlined above

Approved by
South Shore Regional Library Board
August 20, 2003
Amended February 21, 2006