The resources of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center Library have been developed and strengthened in the past through judicious purchase of materials and gifts of books. We will continue to be grateful for the kind of support that has been shown in the past. The SLAC Library welcomes gifts of materials appropriate to our mission, or funds for the purchase of such materials, recognizing that gifts may provide valuable additions to the collection. Final decisions on the retention and disposition of gifts are the responsibility of the Library Manager.

Because of limited staff, the library cannot provide an itemized list of contributions, but the Acquisitions Librarian will be pleased to sign a list of gift titles provided by the donor. A letter acknowledging the gift is always sent to the donor unless the librarian has been asked not to do so.

To protect the donor and the University, the Library, as an interested party, does not establish values of gifts or resources. If the donor desires an appraisal, it is the donor's responsibility to estimate values or employ the services of an independent consultant.

Retention Policies

Donated materials are expected to meet the same standards of quality and relevance to the collection as new titles. They should support the research and the mission of the library as well as meet the collection development guidelines and policies, in regards to physical condition, format, language, etc.

From time to time gifts are offered to the Library which are not considered valuable to the collection, duplicate existing holdings or are outside the scope of the library collections. The Library reserves the right to make decisions about the disposition or location of gifts of materials or funds. Gifts not retained by the library may be given to academic departments, other libraries, sold at book sales, or otherwise given away or discarded. All donors must sign a release form, so please make arrangements with the Public Services Desk to drop off your materials between 8 am - 5pm M-F.

Tax Information for Donors

The Library adheres to all federal regulations governing Internal Revenue Service gifts-in-kind. The Library follows the recommendations of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of the American Library Association, in regard to the appraisal of gifts or resources. Please check with the Internal Revenue Service and your tax advisor for the most current information on non-cash charitable contributions.

For your information:

The donor of library materials is entitled to an income tax deduction in accordance with Internal Revenue Service regulations. According to IRS regulations (Determining the Value of Donated Property, IRS Publication 561), the donor may determine the value of the donation if it totals less than $5,000 within a calendar year. A qualified independent appraiser must establish values greater than $5,000 per year. The donor must file IRS Form 8283 if he/she claims a deduction for non-cash gifts totaling more than $500 within a calendar year.