DONATE ITEMS

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HOW DO I DONATE ITEMS TO THE LIBRARY?

Donation Policy

The Oxford Public Library (OPL) appreciates the many people who support their community and library by donating books, movies, and other materials. OPL will accept items in gently used condition including books, DVDs, magazines, puzzles, and items of local interest.

Gifts will be treated in the same manner as all other materials. This means:

All donations are subject to the Collection Development Policy criteria for selection
The Library may refuse any material not deemed desirable
Donated materials will be handled in the collection in the same way as materials purchased with public funds.
When donated materials are deemed no longer useful, the library will discard them on the same basis that it discards other materials.

The library will use the following guidelines and procedures:

Donations may be delivered during open hours. In the event that the library is not open, items should not be placed outside.
Donors are encouraged to call ahead and make sure that we can accommodate the donation, especially if there are more items than would fit inside three standard-sized copy paper boxes. (Please call (256)831-1750, extension 6 or 9. Leave a message if staff is unavailable to answer immediately.)
Items with any of the following issues will not be accepted:

Dirt
Mold
Burning
Water damage
Damaged binding or pages
Missing covers or pages
Excessive writing, markings or highlighting
Animal (or insect) feces or presence
Cobwebs
Animal damage, including, but not limited to smell, bite marks, or presence.

Items stored in basements/attics/storage building for long periods of time with yellow or stained presence will likely not be accepted.

All items will be placed in library-provided containers lined with diatomaceous earth. If weather allows, the items will be placed into the containers outside of the building on the concrete pad near the double-door entrance facing 6th Street. The library will quarantine these items inside the containers for seven days before any action is taken with the items.
Donated materials are screened by the same selection criteria as purchased materials.
Materials that are not added to the collection may be sold by the library, used as prizes or incentives, or donated elsewhere (other libraries, schools, etc.).

Upon request of the donor, OPL will provide a receipt for donated items to the donor. This receipt will be mailed or given to the donor after the seven-day quarantine of items. OPL cannot assign a value to the donations.

Any materials donated to the library become property of the library; materials will not be accepted based on a contingency.
Example: the library cannot honor a patron’s request to have the materials returned if the library decides not to keep the donation.