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Gifts

Gifts of Books, Periodicals, Manuscripts and Papers to the Library

Albertsons Library welcomes gifts of print and non-print resources that support the instructional and research programs of Boise State University. Each year donors’ contributions strengthen the Library’s collections, including but not limited to rare books, manuscripts, papers, and other materials.

Library Non-Cash Gift Acceptance Policy

Albertsons Library accepts selected gifts of books, periodicals, etc., following an evaluation of the proposed donation. The Library does not accept donations of materials deemed out of scope of the Library’s collections. Gifts dropped off, or delivered without prior authorization will be treated as anonymous, and thus will not be acknowledged for tax purposes. All donated items become the permanent property of Boise State University, and the Library assumes the responsibility of determining the retention, placement within the collection, location, cataloging treatment, and any other considerations relating to the use and disposition of the materials. The Library reserves the right to return donated materials, not added to the collections, to the donor.

Due to space limitations and preservation practices, the Library does not normally consider the following materials for donation:

  • Textbooks
  • Print periodicals or popular magazines (i.e. National Geographic, Smithsonian, etc.)
  • U.S. government publications
  • Books and scholarly journals which duplicate our holdings (see Our Library Catalog)
  • Materials in poor condition or exhibiting signs of mold or mildew
  • Material that contains highlighting, underlining, or annotations (unless annotations are of significant scholarly value)
  • Material in outmoded formats (8-track tapes, 5.25-inch computer disks, LPs, Betamax)
  • Electronic materials requiring dated software
  • Materials which might cause the library to be liable for copyright infringement (i.e., illegally copied audio and video recordings.)

Valuation Process for Gifts

Gifts-in-kind donations which have been accepted by Albertsons Library must be valued by the donor for the purposes of claiming a tax deduction.

Non-Cash Gifts Valued for:

  • Less than $250, including anonymous gifts and those not valued for tax purposes, may be made without substantiating documentation.
  • More than $250, but less than $500, must be accompanied by one of the following types of supporting documents: qualified appraisal; itemized inventory list with pricing; vendor invoice or letter; or published value.
  • More than $500 require an itemized inventory, documentation supporting the estimated value such as those listed above, and IRS Form 8283.
  • More than $5,000 requires a qualified appraisal provided to the University Foundation and IRS Form 8283.

Contacts for Donating Gifts to Albertsons Library

  • Contact Mary Aagard, maryaagard@boisestate.edu or (208)426-4025, for information about donating books, periodicals, or other materials.
  • Contact Cheryl Oestreicher, cheryloestreicher@boisestate.edu or (208) 426-3958, for information about gifts for Special Collections and Archives.
  • Contact Yitzy Paul yitzhakpaul@boisestate.edu or (208) 426-3136 for information about donating Maker Space supplies and technology.

Revised: 10/17/2017