Gift Policy

 

Messenger Public Library is enriched by gifts and is benefited by donations of materials as well as monetary contributions.  Library donors make possible the acquisition of materials and offerings of programs that are otherwise limited by budget considerations.

Upon receipt of a cash gift for the purchase of materials, the general subject area of the materials to be purchased shall reflect the wishes of the donor.  Selection of specific titles shall be in accordance with the established collection development policies of the library.

The library welcomes gifts of new and used books, audio-visual materials and similar materials with the explicit understanding that such gifts will be added to the collection only when they are needed and only when they meet the same criteria applied to regular library purchases.

Special collections and memorial collections shall be accepted with the understanding that they may not, at the discretion of the Library Director, be shelved as a single physical entity, but rather be integrated into the general collection.  Memorial identification shall normally be in the form of a gift bookplate.

Once donated, materials become the property of Messenger Public Library.  Materials may be added to the collection, given to another library or similar institution, or disposed of in any other manner.  The library also reserves the right to withdraw a gift from each of its collections.

Unrestricted gifts are most beneficial to the efficient operations of public institutions.  Therefore, the library will not accept any item that is not an outright gift, nor will the library accept any materials that attach the condition of periodic or permanent display.

Personal property, art objects, memorial or commemorative objects, displays or plaques, portraits, artifacts, antiques, museum objects and similar items are not generally accepted as gifts.  Under certain circumstances and with board approval only, when such a gift meets the mission and needs of the library, the gift will be accepted.

The Messenger Public Library will not place a monetary value on gifts.  A letter of acknowledgment will be sent to the donor if requested at the time the donation is made.  If appraisals are desired, they must be accomplished at the donor’s expense by a qualified appraiser.

Monetary gifts, bequests, endowments and memorial or honorary contributions benefit the library by providing diverse revenue sources and are most useful when unrestricted.  The Library holds a 501 C (3) tax exemption through its Messenger Public Library of North Aurora Foundation Fund  within the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley (http://www.communityfoundationfrv.org/). Gifts made directly to this fund should be directed to the MPL Development Fund.  (More information about donating to this fund may be obtained from the library director).  Donated funds are used to purchase materials in accordance with collection development policies or to expand service and program offerings to the residents of North Aurora.

A gift agreement must be signed by the donor and approved by the Director for unrestricted gifts and by the Library Board of Trustees for restricted gifts. (Revised September 2002)



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