Gifts & Donations

Donating to the Library

Gifts to the Walker Management Library are one of the ways our collection is strengthened. Gifts of materials can enhance existing collections, supplement or replace heavily-used materials, or form the basis for building collections in new areas of scholarly interest. We will consider all formats of research materials, including books, journals, tapes, videorecordings, CDs, DVDs, photographs, and manuscripts.

As charitable donations, gifts of materials to the library may constitute a tax deduction for the donor. Internal Revenue Service regulations make it the responsibility of the donor to obtain legal advice on tax deductions, to arrange for appraisals for materials of significant value, and to maintain an inventory of materials donated. The Vanderbilt Library will provide the donor with a signed letter of acknowledgment containing a count of items donated. The University's Development and Alumni Relations office will send a signed IRS Form 8283, "Noncash Charitable Contributions" for gifts valued at $500 or more.

Donors should be aware that the library generally accepts materials without preconditions about their location or use. Donated materials may be added to the collection if deemed appropriate for instruction or research, offered to other libraries, placed in a library book sale, or otherwise dispersed at the library's option.

Types of Materials Accepted

We prefer that materials donated to the Walker Management Library complement the scope and needs of our collection. Therefore we cannot accept all offered materials. Our focus is on scholarly, rare, or unique business-oriented items, including those that may be used to fill gaps in our collections. While we will consider all formats of materials for addition to our collection, we generally accept back issues of journals only if they fit our collection needs and do not duplicate our holdings. Therefore we generally ask donors to supply a list of titles with volume and date ranges. We ordinarily do not accept popular magazines, LP recordings, outdated textbooks, or items in poor condition (especially those with mold, mildew, or insect damage).

Contact Information

We advise donors to discuss possible donations in advance of delivery. Please contact Rahn Huber, 615-343-4084.