Gifts to the University of Toronto Mississauga Library

The University of Toronto Mississauga Library gratefully accepts gifts for the development of its collection. Gift materials are evaluated by the same standards as purchased materials; we will accept only those donations that are deemed appropriate for the collection.

The following guidelines are offered to assist donors. Based upon these criteria, the UTM Library retains the right to accept or decline all potential gifts.

General Guidelines

Due to the high costs of managing the gift process, the Library’s goal in accepting gifts is to acquire only materials which are highly relevant to the university's needs. Potential gift items will:

  • Support UTM’s current and evolving curriculum and academic disciplines; 
  • Support the learning, teaching and research needs of faculty and students in their scholarly endeavours; 
  • Augment older and current collections of depth.

Guidelines for Gifts Generally not Accepted by the Library

  • Materials that are not in good physical condition, e.g., contain mold or mildew, tears, stains, water damage or are in any way impaired in a manner that results in limited or restricted use. These are potentially harmful to existing collections.
  • Materials that require significant restoration or conservation or unique storage.
  • Gifts upon which a donor places restrictions that will negatively affect the use of the materials. 
  • Textbooks
  • Popular trade paperbacks
  • Single issues of periodicals or broken runs of bound periodicals, unless they fill gaps in our current collection. 
  • Outdated, superseded titles
  • Outdated media formats such as LPs, cassettes, etc.
  • Materials in a format not collected by the Library.
  • Materials which duplicate current holdings, unless they are copies of high-use items (e.g., Canadiana).
  • Photocopies/facsimiles of original materials.

Process for Accepting Gifts

  1. Please contact the Head, Collections & Digital Scholarship to inquire about donating materials to the UTM Library. 
  2. Donors will provide a description and titles of any gift before it can be considered. In the absence of such documentation, the Library may require on-site evaluation of the collection by the Head, Collections & Digital Scholarship before a determination to accept can be made.
  3. Gifts delivered without prior arrangement or contact with the Head, Collections & Digital Scholarship above will not be accepted or acknowledged.

Disposition of Gift Materials

  1. All gifts added to the collection will be cataloged and listed in the Library’s online public catalogue. 
  2. Since all gift materials that are added to the general collections are shelved in the appropriate subject classification, the Library cannot maintain separate named collections.
  3. UTM Library is pleased to grant requests that names be added to bookplates inserted in donated books accepted into the collection. These plates may bear the donor’s name and/or the names of those in whose honour or memory the gift is made.
  4. Books and other library materials given to UTM become the property of the Library. Gifts that are not added to the collection may be disposed of in one of the following ways: 
    • If of artifactual value, they may be sold to a specialty book dealer, and the proceeds used to support future acquisitions for the Library. 
    • All other unaccessioned gifts may be sold through the Library’s periodic book sale, donated to a reputable organization or recycled.
    • Items may be returned to the donor.

Appraisal Guidelines

Under current Canada Customs and Revenue Agency guidelines, it is suggested that appraisals for income tax purposes be performed by qualified appraisers acting at arm's length. If the donation is valued at more than $1000, this is mandatory. Ideally, the donors are asked to provide an appraisal of the donated materials which they must obtain from a qualified appraiser. The Library can provide the name of an appraisal company if requested. However, if the value of the donation is less than $1000, the Library can perform the appraisal.

Based upon the fair market value, the University of Toronto Mississauga Library will ask the Advancement Office to issue a formal receipt for tax purposes.

In keeping with Canada Customs and Revenue Agency guidelines, the Library will only provide tax receipts for material which it retains.

Receipts for income tax purposes will normally be produced for the year in which the donations were given to the University. It is recommended that donors make their donations early in the year, preferably prior to September 1st.

For more information contact:

Chris Young
Head, Collections & Digital Scholarship
University of Toronto Mississauga Library
3359 Mississauga Road
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
L5L 1C6
905-828-3884
christopher.young@utoronto.ca