Donations to the Library

Thank you for taking interest in the Mitchell College Library and our collections. We strive to build collections of distinction that meet the unique needs of our community and curriculum. 

We welcome your donations, recommendations, and feedback.

You may choose to connect with us directly or by way of the College's Advancement Office.

Small donations (1-2 boxes or less) are welcome on a drop-in basis during our special services hours.

Larger donations can be arranged in advance; please contact the LIS staff to introduce yourself and discuss the nature of your donation.

Donation forms are available at the Library's main desk.  On this form you may specify whether or not you would like a gift acknowledgment letter for tax purposes.

Acknowledgment letters are provided to all donors on request.  Your acknowledgment letter will include the quantity of materials donated, itemized by material type (hardcover, trade paperback, DVD, etc.).  If you would like your acknowledgment letter to include a detailed list of donated materials, please include that list with your donation.  Mitchell College does not provide or confirm appraisals of donated materials.

Gifts of books and other materials are welcomed by the Mitchell College Library.

While all donated materials are not added to the Library's collections, most will benefit the Library in some way. Donations are reviewed and distributed as follows.

1. Selected items are added to the Library's collections, in accordance with the Library's collection development guidelines (see below for overview).
2. Items are then sent to Better World Books when possible; proceeds from the sale of these books are shared with the Library's collection development budget and Better World Books' non-profit literacy partners.
3. Remaining items considered appropriate for the Paperback Exchange will be placed on the bookshelves at the Library’s front entrance for free trade by the community.
4. All other items will be recycled or discarded as appropriate.

The Library considers the following for its collections:

• Materials that meet the Library's collection development criteria (with a focus on the curriculum);
• Local or state historical matter;
• Materials appropriate for the Mitchell College Archive.

The Library generally does not add the following to its collections:

• Textbooks;
• Mass market paperback books (those in good condition are added to the Paperback Exchange);
• Books with significant highlighting, underlining or margin notations;
• Moldy, mildewed, infested or damaged materials;
• Foreign language materials (with some exceptions);
• Obsolete non-print formats (such as VHS, microfiche, and cassette tapes);
• Periodicals (magazines, bound journals, etc.).