Hartford Public Library (HPL) welcomes gifts of books and other materials with the understanding that such gifts must meet the same standards required of purchased materials as set forth in the Library’s Collection Development Policy.
Materials that do meet the standards of the policy will be integrated into the overall library collection available to library customers and handled as any other material belonging to the Library. Materials that do not meet the standards will generally not be accepted. Exceptions can be made by the Customer Experience Officer or his/her designee. If an exception is made the materials may be given to other institutions, sold in book sales, or disposed of in accordance with Library policy. All donations become the exclusive property of HPL.
Here are a few guidelines:
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All material must be in like-new or at most gently-used condition; no torn, yellowed, water-damaged, or marked pages; no broken bindings or stained covers.
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Non-fiction, informational books (including encyclopedias) should be no more than 3-5 years old to avoid providing outdated or inaccurate information to customers; some topics, like technology or medical information must be newer than 3 years old.
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Magazines, record albums, 8-tracks, and cassettes are not accepted.
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HPL does not collect adult-rated videos/DVDs, etc. (NC-17, X or the equivalent) or pornography in any format.
If you are considering a donation of books or other materials, please call the Customer Experience Officer at (860) 695-6335 or lcotto@hplct.org, before bringing your gift to the Library. HPL reserves the right to decline any donation.
Upon request HPL will provide a receipt for your gift, but the Library will not assess the value of a donation for tax purposes.
DATE APPROVED BY THE LIBRARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS: June 7, 2012
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 7, 2012
REPLACING POLICY EFFECTIVE: n/a
REVISED: October 5, 2017
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Phone: (860) 695-6300
