Dealing with unwanted donations: a content analysis of small academic Canadian library webpages
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Date
2022
Authors
Cardozo, Paula
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Partnership. Provincial and Territorial Library Association of Canada
Abstract
While archives and special collections continue to welcome unique and valuable
resources, small academic libraries can struggle with how to manage donation offers
intended for their main collections. There is a need to be selective considering falling
print circulation, workload increases for library personnel, and space restrictions.
Additionally, limited collections funds needed for more current and higher-demand
resources can be strained by the higher processing costs of donated materials. These
pressures are compounded by prospective donors seeking a home for items they no
longer want, a perception that small academic libraries need all donations, and a lack of
understanding about the qualifications and expertise of academic library workers.
Clearly communicated and regularly reviewed guidelines can help discourage unwanted
donations in ways that lessen alienating our patrons. This article provides a content
analysis of donations webpages from small academic libraries in Canada to identify
trends and provide support for libraries reviewing their own policies and procedures in
an effort to manage donor expectations.
Description
Open access article. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) applies
Keywords
Donations , Collections management , Small academic libraries , Canada , Donations to libraries
Citation
Cardozo, P. (2022). Dealing with unwanted donations: A content analysis of small academic Canadian library webpages. Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, 17(1). https://dx.doi.org/10.21083/partnership.v17i1.6300