Acceptance of Gifts

The Burlington Public Library welcomes gifts, consistent with its policies concerning material selection. Unless otherwise specified in writing, all gifts are considered unconditional and unrestricted. The Library Director, in consultation with the Board of Directors, will decide whether all or part of the gift is to be integrated into the collection, discarded, exchanged or sold.

Donated books, periodicals, audio-visual, computer software and other materials not retained for the library’s collection, as well as gifts of art, furnishings and other objects not compatible with the needs and facilities of the library may be sold by the Burlington Library Association, the “Friends of the library.” Acceptance does not imply that the gift will be retained or displayed at the library

The Board of Library Directors recommends that all monetary donations go through the Burlington Library Association’s (aka “Friends of the Library”) Donating Page. 6Materials purchased with memorial and honorary gifts will contain a gift plate with the name of the donor and/or the honoree, and the appropriate acknowledgements will be sent. Larger monetary contributions, along with annuities, securities and bequests will be subjected to review and approval by the Board of Directors. In some cases where it might be more advantageous to the library, the Board may encourage the donor to make the gift to the Burlington Library Association.

Any specification or conditions of bequests, trusts, or endowments will be subject to the review and approval of the Library Board of Directors and the town corporation counsel. The Board may establish guidelines for the acceptance of conditional gifts after careful consideration of the relationship of the gift to the mission of the library, the source of the gift and any costs incurred by accepting the gift.

Upon request, the library will provide a receipt for donations. The receipt will provide a description of the donation, but in no instances will imply or state any assessed value to the donation.

Policy adopted by Board of Directors December 2, 2004, Revised May 7, 2019