Canton Free Library’s
ITEM DONATIONS POLICY

Reviewed and revised October 10, 2007
Reviewed February 12, 2020

Item donations to the collection may be made to CFL.  Gifts of books and other library materials are accepted by the library with the understanding that they will be considered for addition to the collection in accordance with the Materials Selection Policy.  (See Collection Development Policy, p. 5.)  The library reserves the right to sell or otherwise dispose of donated material not added to the collection.

Donors who wish to receive acknowledgment of the gift of materials should provide name and address and the number of items donated.  Library staff will NOT appraise or indicate the value of materials in acknowledgments.

When a patron offers to give books, magazines, or audiovisual materials to the library, the following guidelines apply: 

Guidelines

  • The library will accept most hardcover and/or paperback books and audiovisual materials if they are in very good condition and if it is determined that they will enhance the collection or be saleable in the library’s book sales.
  • Most nonfiction materials must have a copyright date of not more than ten (10) years old, depending on the item’s subject.
  • The library does not accept the following materials:

Books that have been written in or highlighted
Textbooks
Torn or worn out books
Soiled books
Reader’s Digest Condensed books
News magazines
Sewing patterns
Jigsaw puzzles
Musty-smelling items
Books with old or dated information (e.g. travel guides, encyclopedias, medical & health info, etc.)

  • The library will accept the following materials that are in good condition:
    Bestsellers
    Westerns
    Mysteries
    Cookbooks
    Biographies
    Science Fiction/Fantasy
    Romances
    Children’s books
Accessibility by WAH