Gifts

General:

The Saugus Public Library appreciates gifts of materials, money or other property.  These gifts often help to enrich and improve the library’s resources.  The Library reserves the right to determine retention, location, and other considerations relating to use of any donated items.  The Library reserves the right to refuse any gift.  This applies especially, but is not limited to, materials that would place a burden upon the Library in terms of staffing, storage, repair or ongoing maintenance costs.

Materials:

The Saugus Public Library welcomes donated materials that support the general needs of the library collection, or to stock the book sale.  Materials include books, magazines, and items on CD or DVD. We do not accept any VHS tapes, magazines, encyclopedias, textbooks or cassette tapes. Donated hardcover books and paperbacks must be in excellent condition.  Excellent condition means clean, odor-free, mold/mildew-free, and gently used. Donated materials found to be suitable for the collection may be cataloged and placed in the collection.  Materials not accepted for the Library collections may be offered to other academic or public libraries, placed in the Library’s book sale, recycled or discarded. If asked, the Library will provide a receipt for materials, but Librarians will not assign a tax value to material donations.

Due to a lack of storage, the Library can no longer accept general book or magazine donations, except before the New Friends’ book sale held in early September. Two months prior to the Library book sale, the Library will announce that general book donations will now be accepted.

Gifts in other formats, such as art work, photographs, furniture, or other objects must be approved for acceptance by the Library Board of Trustees.  Items accepted by the Trustees become the sole property of the Library and may be utilized or disposed of at any time without restrictions.

Monetary Contributions:

Monetary contributions are added to the Library’s Donation account held by the Treasurer of the Town of Saugus.  Donated funds are handled according to procedures established by the Library in conjunction with the Town Treasurer.  These contributions may be used for the purchase of materials, programs or supplies needed by the Library.  Restricted gifts will be accepted if the specific use is consistent with Library goals, mission and objectives, and are approved by the Library Board.  In addition, the Library’s Board of Trustees reserves the right to remove all restrictions from a gift fund when, as a result of any restriction, there has been no expenditure from the fund for at least two years and the Board determines that the restrictions do not reasonably provide a benefit for the Library.

We ask that gifts of securities, stocks, or bonds be offered to the Saugus Public Library Foundation or the New Friends of the Saugus Public Library and not to the library itself.

Accepted by Board of Library Trustees, Nov. 14, 2012

Revised January 11, 2018