Jasper Public Library & Dubois County Contractual Library (“Library”) welcome gifts and donations from the public in the interest of benefitting the Library and its services. All gifts and donations accepted become the sole property of the Library and shall be used in the best interest determined by the Library. The Library reserves the right to decline any gift or donation it determines inappropriate or possessing of excessive or unrealistic restrictions.
ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS
The Library Director is authorized to accept donations on behalf of the Library Board of Trustees when the total value of the donation is $10,000 or less, provided that the donation is consistent with the Library’s mission, does not impose significant ongoing financial or operational obligations on the Library, and does not contain conditions that would unduly restrict the Library’s use of the donation.
Donations with a total value greater than $10,000, donations of real property, donations that create significant ongoing financial or operational obligations, or donations containing substantial restrictions or conditions must be presented to an formally accepted by the Library Board of Trustees before the Library takes ownership of the donation.
The Director may refer any donation to the Board for consideration regardless of its value when the Director determines that Board review is appropriate.
Donations requiring formal acceptance by the Board of Trustees may be presented for acceptance through the Board’s consent agenda when the donation is routine in nature and does not involve unusual restrictions, conditions, or significant obligations of the Library. A report identifying the donations presented for acceptance shall be included in the Board meeting materials. Any Trustee may request that a donation be removed from the consent agenda for separate discussion and action.
GIFT FUNDS
All funds received as gifts and donations are deposited into and expended from the Library Gift Funds. The Gift Fund is divided into account categories that may be selected according to the wishes of the respective donor, funds of which will be expended in support of library programming, materials, equipment, memorials, awards, and staff and volunteer recognition, educational, training ,and other events.
Memorial contributions will be expended in an appropriate subject area if requested by the donor; memorial plates will be included in the volume(s) if requested by the donor.
All gifts and donations made without specific designation of use from the donor will be accepted into the Unrestricted Gift Fund account, which provides the Library the widest options for judicious use in support of an array of Library initiatives and needs. Donors may also specify that they wish to donate directly into the Unrestricted Gift Fund.
Donated proceeds from Friends of the Library sales will be deposited into the appropriate Gift Fund account determined by the Library to support its initiatives and needs.
The Library Board of Trustees reserves the right to transfer funds between accounts in the Gift Fund as they may determine appropriate.
Investments made from the Gift Fund will be returned to the fund, along with any accumulated interest.
MONETARY DONATIONS
The Library shall accept monetary gifts and donations into its Gift Fund in support of library programming, materials, equipment, memorials, awards, and staff and volunteer recognition, educational, training, and other events.
Library programming expenses shall include, but not be limited to, expenses for food, beverages, honorariums, performance fees, supplies, communications, rentals, insurance, awards, gifts, transportation, travel, and other program-related items and services.
GIFTS AND DONATIONS FOR MATERIAL COLLECTIONS
The Library welcomes gifts and donations of materials to benefit its collection with the understanding that donated materials become the sole property of the Library, and that the Library makes the final decision on the disposition of the gift and donation.
Library staff will review books and other materials for possible inclusion in the collection. The decision to include a gift in the collection shall be guided by the same principles and criteria applied to the selection of items for purchase. Materials not selected for inclusion in the collection may be donated to the Friends of the Library for sale or otherwise appropriately disposed of as determined by the Library.
Gifts-in-kind (i.e., furnishings, equipment, art, and other decorative objects) and all gifts of consequence (i.e., real property, stocks, annuities, and large monetary gifts) will be considered individually and accepted at the discretion of the Library Boards of Trustees, in consultation with the library director.
The Library Boards of Trustees and library staff reserve the right to refuse any gift. Once a gift is accepted by the Library, it becomes the property of the Library, and may be disposed of accordingly. The gift will not be returned to the donor.
RECEIPT REQUEST
Upon request, the Library will furnish a receipt or a letter of acknowledgment for donations. The Library will not attempt to appraise or establish value for donated material.
Revised & Approved by Board of Trustees on 8/13/26
Revised & Approved by Board of Trustees on 11/12/26