10.7 Gifts and Donations
The Southeast Arkansas Regional Library (SEARL) encourages and accepts gifts of books and other materials with the understanding that they become the property of SEARL and will be evaluated against the same criteria as purchased materials. SEARL makes the final decision on the use or other disposition of all donations and decides the conditions of display, housing and access to the materials.
Monetary gifts may be unrestricted or designated as memorial/honorariums. Donors of funds may suggest specific furniture, equipment, artwork, programming, or services, as well as subjects or titles of collection materials to be required with their donation; however, SEARL reserves the right of final selection in order to meet utilization and space criteria of the Collection Management policy.
Because of IRS regulations, library staff will not appraise the value of any donated item. A donor will be asked to sign a Deed of Gift form transferring ownership of the materials to the Region. A stipulation may be selected which would require the Region to notify the donor if the material is to be removed from the collection and the donor may elect to have the material returned.
Items offered for donation other than money, standard collection items, or computer equipment such as: personal property, art objects, antiques, museum pieces, plants, landscaping, real estate, etc.) must be approved by the Regional Library Board of Trustees before they can be accepted.