The Board of Trustees of the Carl Elliott Regional Library System has adopted the following policy regarding gifts to the regional library system and its member libraries.

The Board of Trustees welcomes gifts of money, materials, and service to the library. The support given to the library from public funds is necessarily limited and the addition of contributions, books, and volunteer help could do much to raise the standards and to improve the service of the library. Such gifts must fit into the overall program of the library.

Gifts of books and non-print materials are helpful and can represent a contribution to the library. The library gladly accepts gifts of books and non-print materials under the following guidelines.

1. Gifts will be judged by professional librarians on the same basis as purchased material. The material must be needed in the collection. Every effort will be made to house the material in the community in which the material is donated; however, it must be accepted without commitment as to the final distribution or housing. The material must be in good physical condition and worthy content to justify the added cost of processing.

2. The donated material must become the property of the regional library system or the member library, and the staff must be entitled to dispostion of material in a manner that will fit into the library's service pattern. No "permanent loan" material will be accepted.

3. The donated material must fit the library's standards of materials selection as to usability, content, and physical condition.

4. No gifts will be accepted with any specific restrictions such as shelving in specified areas, specifications for cataloging or processing, or restricted to use by certain people.

5. The donated materials must meet the standards of the regional library system's Material Selection Policy.

6. The designated form letter concering the Gift Policy must be given to donors.

7. The form letter concerning evaluation must be given to any patron who requests an evaluation for tax purposes.

8. Gift plates indicating the donor's name can be put in volumes if requested by the donor.

9. Memorial donations are especially welcomed by the library. It is recommended that persons desiring to memorialize their loved ones in this way should consult the library staff for suggestions and procedures.

The library is a public institution and, as such, receives the mainstay of its support from public funds. Even so, much more money is needed to approximate national standards for public library service. The regional library system and the member libraries welcome any contributions from individuals or organizations provided the use for which the donor designates the money fits into the general operation policies of the library. Let it be understood that the library as a purely public institution cannot accept gifts that would be contrary to the service philosophy of the library or contrary to the laws under which it operates.