Gifts and Donations

The Wichita Library Board encourages donors to make their monetary gifts to the Wichita Public Library Foundation or the Friends of the Wichita Public Library.

Monetary gifts may be unrestricted or designated as memorials or tributes to honor a friend or relative. Donors of funds may suggest specific furniture, equipment, or artwork, as well as subjects or titles of collection materials to be acquired with their donation; however, the Library reserves the right of final selection in order to meet either the space, utilization, and design criteria of a particular building or the criteria of the Collection Management Policy. Library staff will place selected materials in relation to other materials in the collection for the best use by the public.

Monetary gifts received for the purpose of honoring or memorializing an individual will be treated as independent project funds. Gifts intended to assist with the purchase of library materials will be managed by the Collection Development Division Manager with assistance from appropriate selectors. Gifts intended for use assisting with costs of programs or services or for the purchase of equipment will be managed by the Library Foundation President with assistance from appropriate supervisors and staff.

Acquisition of materials and equipment will occur in a timely fashion. When funds are spent to a level where additional purchases within the scope of the project cannot be accomplished, any remaining funds will be transferred to the Library Foundation's General Endowment and the project will be closed.

Gifts of Books and Other Materials

Gifts of books and other materials may be made directly to the Wichita Public Library, to the Wichita Public Library Foundation, or the Friends of the Wichita Public Library. The Library will not accept materials that are not outright gifts and it reserves the right to assign any of its materials wherever the need is the greatest. All gifts must be in usable physical condition. Because of limitations of space, money, and staff, the Library reserves the right to accept or discard, at its discretion, any materials given to the Library. Because of wear, theft and mutilation, the permanence of gifts cannot be guaranteed.

The Library makes every effort to dispose of any gift materials it cannot use to the best advantage, such as through sales through the Friends of the Wichita Public Library or recycling.

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