Appraisal of Donations

If a donation is valued at more than $5,000, a donor must obtain a qualified appraisal. A copy of the appraisal, along with any appropriate IRS forms must be submitted to the library at the time the donation is made. The acceptance of a gift appraised by third and/or disinterested parties does not in any way imply an endorsement of the appraisal by the UO Libraries.

Section 06.52B of the Oregon State Board of Higher Education Financial Administration Standard Operating Manual (FASOM) states the "valuation for income tax purposes requires that the donor obtain a third party."
Potential donors must thus be advised that University of Oregon librarians cannot make a monetary appraisal of donated materials, because such an appraisal constitutes a conflict of interest and is prohibited by Federal and state law. The Head of Special Collections and University Archives or the University Archivist and Historian can suggest outside agencies that potential donors may contact for an appraisal. In addition, donors can be advised that many services exist on the internet that may help them place a value on their donations.

Although the UO Libraries do not provide appraisals of gifts-in-kind, the University does require an inventory of all large and valuable gifts that are accepted for our collection, including an assessment of the value of the gift. For the many gifts that come to the UO Libraries in small lots, the Library Office of Resource Management uses a formula annually to account for the added value to the Library collections. Each book or other item that is added to the collection will be valued at a flat rate of $10, unless an accepted appraisal does exist, in which case, that value will be used instead.

In most circumstances, donors are responsible for sending gifts to the UO Libraries. In special circumstances, the UO Libraries may pay for packing and shipping of gift items. These arrangements should be made through the Acquisitions Department, which works with the campus to identify the most cost-efficient and effective carrier for the donation. The AUL for Collections and Access and the Head, Special Collections and University Archives can advise on situations when these costs should be borne by the Library.

Maintained by: Acquisitions Staff
Last Modified: 02/18/2010