Gift Policy

Information Guide

(Collection Development Policy & Procedure Manual, Appendix Q)

Revised 3/24/10

Gifts to the University Library of money designated for the purchase of books and other information resources, as well as donations from one’s personal library, are appreciated and they can be a significant factor in the enhancement of the Library’s collections.

Gifts of Money

There are several options for those wishing to contribute funds to help the Library build strong collections that benefit students and faculty:

  • Donate to the Library Endowment which purchases new books or media. Funds may be unrestricted, or may be designated for purchases in a discipline or subject area, such as aeronautical engineering, Renaissance English literature, U.S. Civil War period, or other subjects taught at CSULB.
  • Honor an individual or an organization. Make a donation to purchase a book or media in honor or in memory of an individual or an organization. Such items can bear a bookplate naming the honoree.
  • Substantial gifts of money (over $10K) are recognized on the Library’s Donor Wall in the main lobby.
  • Funds donated or bequeathed to an academic department and designated for the purchase of books or media: The Library alone will have discretion over the selection and disposition of those materials; credit for the gift will be shared equally between the department and the library.


How to Donate Money to the Library:

  • By Check: Make checks payable to “CSULB Foundation.” Send to: University Library/Gifts Receipt, California State University, Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840-1901.
  • By Credit Card: Donations can be made online  
    • Use the Additional Comments box at the end to indicate if: 1) a bookplate is needed and the name of the honoree, or 2) if funds are for purchases in a specific subject area.

Questions?  Call (562) 985-4047 on weekdays during business hours.

Gifts of Books or Media

The University Library welcomes your donation of books and media in good condition, which are appropriate for support of the research, curricular, and recreational interests of students and faculty.

In general, the Library cannot use and will not accept:

  • Damaged or infested materials
  • Most textbooks
  • Most mass-market paperbacks (Exceptions: Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Horror; or Mystery/Detective)
  • Outdated editions
  • Superseded legal, medical, and other professional books
  • Specialized collections on subjects not taught at CSULB
  • Most foreign language publications in languages not included in the curriculum
  • Most periodicals (magazines, professional journals) (Exceptions: Issues which fill gaps in our collections of print journals; to determine gaps, please consult OneSearch and select "Books & Media (CSULB)" at the top, then search the journal's title)
  • Media in obsolete or obsolescent formats
How to Offer Your Collection to the Library:
  1. List: Prepare a list of the books or media you want to donate; include the title and year for each item.
  2. Send: Your list of proposed donations to the Library, care of: gabriel.gardner@csulb.edu.
  3. Review: Your gift proposal will be reviewed by a subject specialist librarian to determine which items, if any, meet the Library's needs. If the Library already has sufficient quantities of a title or if items do not appear to meet the Library’s current needs, we shall decline them.
  4. Turnaround time: We will get back to you, normally within 2 weeks, to let you know which items the Library can accept and how to deliver your donation.

Things to Know About Gifts of Books and Media:

  • The Library can acknowledge only those items which it will catalog and retain in its collection for a minimum of two years. If a collection is donated, and only a portion of that collection is needed by the Library, only those items which are needed will be acknowledged and cataloged.
  • Acknowledgment of a gift normally will be limited to a numerical count and very general description of materials received, e.g. “twelve volumes of U.S. History.”
  • Gift value is established by the donor. No formal or informal valuation can be provided by the Library; in accord with IRS regulations, gifts valued at $5000 and above should be independently appraised.
  • Eventual resale, exchange, donation, or recycling of unneeded materials (after the two-year minimum retention period) is at the Library’s discretion.
  • There will be no acknowledgment of donations which are brought to the Library without prior arrangements. Such items will be disposed of in the most cost-effective manner possible if they are not accepted.
  • Although comments and recommendations from faculty always are welcome, decisions about what materials belong in the Library’s collection are to be made solely by the Library. Academic colleges, departments, or programs may not accept materials on the Library’s behalf.

For further information, please contact Gabriel Gardner.