Gift Policy
UW Libraries welcomes donations of materials that support the research, curricular,
and recreational interests of students, staff, and faculty. We also gladly accept
materials about Wyoming history and culture (Wyomingana) for our Emmett D. Chisum Special Collections.
Due to the high costs of processing gifts and space limitations, the libraries only
accept gifts in good condition that meet the libraries' collection development goals.
Please contact the libraries in advance at librdm@uwyo.edu to discuss any materials you are considering for donation. Materials abandoned in
book drops or at a Help Desk will be recycled without review. The libraries are unable
to provide boxes for packing, pay for shipping, or send someone to pick up the items.
Examples of material we cannot accept:
- physical media formats (DVD, Blu-ray, CD, VHS, U-Matic, LP, microforms, etc.)
- textbooks
- general encyclopedias (e.g., World Book)
- dirty, moldy, infested, or otherwise damaged materials
- books with missing covers or pages, highlighting or notes
- health science books over three years old
- magazines, journals, or other periodicals (except where we have gaps in our collection)
- titles that we already own
Gift Evaluation and Ownership
The donor establishes gift value. UW Libraries will provide no formal or informal valuation. See current IRS regulations on determining
the value of the donated property and consult your accounting professional. UW Libraries
will send an acknowledgment letter to the donor upon receipt of the gift for your
records.
Donations become property of the UW Libraries. UW Libraries accepts in-kind donations with the understanding that materials become
UW Libraries' property once received. Eventual exchange, donation, or recycling of
unneeded materials is at the discretion of the libraries.
How to offer your collection to the UW Libraries
- Create a list of the books or media you wish to donate. Include the author, title, publisher, edition,
ISBN, and publication date for each item. UW Libraries does not accept duplicates
or earlier editions of owned materials. Please use QuickSearch while compiling your list. Verifying that UW Libraries does not own titles on your
list expedites the gift process.
- Email your list of proposed donations to the Libraries' gifts coordinator at librdm@uwyo.edu.
- Wait for a response from the libraries about which items we can accept and how to deliver your donation. UW Libraries is unable
to pay for shipping gifts. Gifts become the property of the libraries, and we may exchange,
donate, or recycle at our discretion.
- Box your gift and schedule delivery to the Libraries, remembering to include your inventory. For
the safety of our staff, boxes must weigh under 40 pounds. If you are on campus, we
can discuss collecting your boxes after packing, or using campus mail, depending on
the quantity. The libraries are unable to provide boxes for packing, pay for shipping,
or send someone to pick up the items.
Please contact our Gifts Coordinator with questions or donation inquiries at librdm@uwyo.edu.
