University of Arizona Library Gift Policy
Revised August 2003

Scope:  This policy addresses accepting gifts of books, journals, videos and information resources in other formats offered to the library through Information Resource Managers in support of curricular and research information needs of University students and faculty.  In general, the Library does not accept gifts and potential donations should be evaluated based on the criteria and considerations outlined below. The Special Collections unit and the Center for Creative Photography, Archives and Fine Print Collection have separate policies, approved by Cabinet, related to the unique needs of their customers and collection responsibilities. Offers of gift materials that may fall within the scope of either Special Collections or CCP should be referred to those units for consideration. Federal, state and local documents received as depository items or selected by librarians are not considered gifts. Other documents offered as gifts will be treated in the same manner as other materials.

Background:  Generally, the Library acquires resources based on an understanding of customer need with the expectation of high likelihood of use by current students and faculty. This policy is based on earlier assumptions that specifically reflect the Library’s intentions not to build collections for “just in case” need, but belief that gifts being accepted are critical for research and study and will be used, and that the collection will remain static by 2006. [See related Space documents in the F:/IRC shared/Policies/ folder: Space Assumptions 1996 and Space Cabinet Assumptions.]  The University of Arizona Library acquires materials to meet the following collection goals:

1. To support the curricular needs of the University of Arizona by acquiring valuable and relevant Library information resources.
2. To acquire research information resources for students and faculty closely following the University's areas of specialization.  See Note 1 below for a list of current subject areas that meet the University-wide criteria of focused excellence.
3. To obtain necessary and useful reference information resources.
4. To fulfill our agreements related to cooperative collection management programs, including state and nationwide consortia, thereby supplementing the resources available to the university community. Examples of these include ARL cooperative programs for Latin American Studies and Mexican Art. In order to inform these programs, the Library will consult with the teaching, research and library faculties to identify subject areas to be developed, as well as titles and collections to be acquired.

Special Considerations Regarding Gift Materials.  Any potential gift should meet the above criteria.  Priority will be given to web-based formats. [See: Policy for Selecting and Acquiring Electronic Products] In addition, several factors should be taken into account by Information Resource Managers when considering acquisition by gift.

1. Donation on behalf of University of Arizona Library Friends.  All gifts will be accepted on behalf of the Friends. This will facilitate acknowledgement of the gift and reporting. Donors should be aware that Information Resource Managers will determine whether items will be added to the Library collection, put into Friends book sale stock, or alternative disposition. Contact the Library Development Officer for additional information regarding the Friends. Information Resource Managers will work with the Library Development Officer in cases where an acknowledgement to the donor is needed.
2. Cost of processing.  Although gift materials may be “free” to acquire, they require processing by the library which includes cataloging, physical processing, computer storage for records, space commitments, etc.  These costs may vary considerably depending upon a variety of factors including copy cataloging vs. original cataloging, language, format, etc. The typical cost of processing is approximately $40 per title which is significantly higher than the cost of preprocessed materials provided via BNA.  Storage space for physical item and re-shelving is estimated at $1.75/item. Teams should be aware of these extra costs when determining retention of gift materials.  Due to these costs, Integrative Services (IS) teams will be limited to accepting 150 items or pieces per fiscal year, per team.  The Technical Services and Archival Processing Team (TSAP) will track and provide reports to IS teams on a quarterly basis.  In cases where a gift collection exceeds 25 items per donor refer to guideline number 5 below.
3. Preservation issues.  The Library does not have a conservation department nor does it allocate significant funding for preservation.  In the future, preservation efforts will emphasize digital access.  Materials in poor physical condition should not be accepted unless a compelling need is demonstrated.
4. No duplicates, except for the special circumstances outlined in the Duplication Policy.
5. Collections of gifts (Collection=more than 25 items).  In general, the library does not accept collections of gifts. Offers of collections of materials require special consideration.

• Offers of collections should be discussed with the Information Resource Manager’s team for agreement before taking any further steps. Teams may find it helpful to develop an internal support and review group to assist individual Information Resource Managers in working with potential donors and evaluating promising collections.
• All materials should meet the criteria and address the concerns listed above. Any collection of more than 25 items being considered for acquisition requires consultation with the Technical Services and Archival Processing Team before any items are accepted. It will be necessary to identify sources of funding for processing costs.
• When gift collections are processed by the Library they are generally not kept together as a group
• Collections should be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis involving all stakeholders. Factors to be considered include the value of the collection in meeting Library goals, the nature of processing required, and donor concerns.
• If there is significant value for our primary customers and significant processing costs will be required, it may be appropriate to consult with the Library Development Officer and/or explore other options. 

Note 1: Areas related to University Focused Excellence: (Spring 2003). 
See also TRIF (Prop.301) emphases http://uanews.opi.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/UANews.woa/wa/LQPStoryDetails?ArticleID=3281

• Astrophysics, Earth, and Space Sciences
• Biomedical Science and Biotechnology to Advance Human Health and Nutrition
• Borderland Studies with Emphasis on the Southwest
• Cognitive and Neurosciences Applied to Language, Learning, Health, & Behavior
• Cultural and Ethnic Studies, with Emphasis on the American Southwest
• Environmental Quality and Sustainability, including Global Change
• Information Science, Technology, and Management
• Indigenous Peoples: Culture, Policy, Economic Development, and Law
• Optical Sciences and the Applications of Optical Technologies
• Water-Related Engineering, Science, Agricultural Technology, and Policy

As with all IRC Policies, this policy will be reviewed and revised on a regular basis.