North Branford Public Libraries

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Donations to the Library
Guidelines for our patrons

The Atwater and Smith Libraries are grateful when people think of donating books and other materials. However, our libraries have severe space problems, forcing us to withdraw a book from our collection every time we add one. Therefore, we must be careful about the number of gift items we accept. Every gift to the library must be reviewed and approved by the Library Director before being cataloged. Donated items which the library is not going to keep may be sold, given away, or returned to the donor.

Donations of money to help us purchase new books or other library materials are always welcome!

Memorial Gifts
We will be happy to work with individuals or organizations on memorial gifts. We purchase many books each year in memory of a loved one, in honor of a new baby, or for other purposes. As with all donations, additions to the collection must be approved by the Library Director. One of the most effective ways to set up a memorial is to discuss with our staff suitable subjects or types of books, and then donate money which our staff will use to purchase materials. All memorials are clearly marked with a message agreed upon by the donor and the library.

Used Materials for Adult Collections

We ARE interested in:
-- Paperback fiction, if in good condition
-- Textbooks and other non-fiction only if the books are 3 years old or newer, and not heavily marked
-- Books on cassette or CD, in running order with original box
-- Music CD's, if they are in good condition and have their original cover
-- Movies on video or DVD, in running order with original box
-- Large print books
-- Computer CD-ROMs, no more than 2 years old, in good running order

We are NOT interested in:
-- Hardcover fiction (unless it is brand new or a current best-seller)
-- Older non-fiction books
-- Music cassettes
-- Back issues of magazines

Used Materials for Children's Collections

We ARE interested in:
-- Paperback fiction in good condition (for books from a paperback series, please check with the Children's Librarian)
-- Music CD's, if they are in good condition and have their original cover
-- Movies on video or DVD, in running order with original box
-- Books on cassette or CD, in running order with original box
-- Large print books
-- Computer CD-ROMs, no more than 2 years old, in good running order

We are NOT interested in:
-- Used children's books (if you have something you feel is special, consult with the librarian or leave a written description of what you have)

Both libraries reserve the right to sell any materials that we cannot use, unless we have made other arrangements with the donor.

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