The University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press appreciates gifts of materials that support the University’s instructional and research programs and enhance the Library’s collections.
Types of Gifts Accepted
Due to space limitations, costs associated with processing and the donation’s relevance to the collection, the Library is able to accept gifts that meet the following criteria.
We Accept:
- Scholarly books not already included in the collection
- Works that fill gaps in the collection
- Rare books
- Primary source material, such as archives and correspondence
- Works of art
African-American Art Collection
Three Souls, Margaret Burroughs
Irénée du Pont Mineral Collection
Amethyst, Santa Margarita Mine, Guerrero, Mexico
We Do Not Accept:
- Materials in poor condition
- Resources in outdated formats
- Textbooks
- Popular fiction or magazines, such as National Geographic
- Incomplete or single issues of periodicals
- Titles already held within the Library’s collections
If your material does not meet the above criteria, please find a list of other local organizations that may accept your donation here.
Caring for Your Materials
Many of our contributors pair a financial gift with their donated materials allowing us to provide the care and attention your collections deserve. These gifts are tax-deductible, and will help support our efforts to complete the processing, cataloging, preserving and housing of these materials for generations to come. Your gift also allows us to pursue projects such as exhibitions and digitization of your materials, which requires additional time, equipment and specially trained staff.
Donors may also inform curators of their wish to make a financial gift alongside their potential materials gift. Learn more about our priority to preserving the past, or contact Tywanda Cuffy (tywanda@udel.edu) for information about making a financial gift.
Mark Samuels Lasner Collection
Goblin Market and Other Poems, Christina Rossetti
Inuit Art Collection
Owl with Squid and Birds, Kenojuak Ashevak
Appraisal and Tax Information
The Library does not appraise the value of gifts. Appraisals are the responsibility of the donor. A list of local appraisers can be found here.
For more information, please refer to United States tax regulations. Of particular note may be Publication 561, “Determining the Value of Donated Property”; Publication 526, “Charitable Contributions”; and Form 8283, “Noncash Charitable Contributions” appraisal summary.
Contact Us About Donations
If you have further questions or are interested in donating your material to the Library, please contact:
- Erin Daix, Associate University Librarian for Acquisitions and Collections Services, at daix@udel.edu or 302-831-6943
For rare books and manuscripts, please contact:
- Lori Birrell, Director of Special Collections and Museums, at lbirrell@udel.edu or 302-831-8003
For art, please contact:
- Amanda Zehnder, Chief Curator, Special Collections and Museums, at azehnder@udel.edu or 302-831-4075