Library Gift Policy

Gifts can be valuable additions to the Howard Community College Library. The Library appreciates the donation of professional and scholarly materials from faculty and staff that assist the Library in meeting the academic mission of the college.

The Library staff will evaluate all donations based on the following criteria:

  • Present academic need
  • Scholarly value
  • Physical condition

The Library is not obligated to accept any gift which does not meet collection development guidelines and will not accept gifts with conditions as to their disposition or location.

The following materials will not be accepted as gifts:

  • Materials that require conditions of placement, use, display or other limitations as a condition of the gift.
  • Textbooks with a copyright date more than two years earlier than the current calendar year.
  • Serial publications including magazines and journals.
  • Items that require updating or other substantial ongoing commitments of maintenance or money.
  • Materials that are marked, damaged, mutilated or infested.
  • Materials already held in the Howard Community College Library for which there is no need for duplicate copies.
  • Materials that are inconsistent with the curriculum and/or with an academic library.

The Library reserves the right to sell or discard materials that do not contribute to the academic mission of the college, as well as magazines, pamphlets/brochures, outdated textbooks, mass market paperbacks and books in poor physical condition. Any items that have been added to the collection will be re-evaluated in the future on the same basis as purchased items.

Gifts made to the Library are made to the HCC Educational Foundation. The Library, as an interested party, will not perform appraisals for tax, inheritance or other purposes. All donors must complete the appropriate forms as specified by the HCC Educational Foundation.

Effective date: 8/28/2008