Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Libraries And Donors: Maintaining The Status Quo, Steven Cox

The Southeastern Librarian

Many librarians who manage special collections are grateful for the donations of items or collections that fall within their mission and collection scope. In turn, most donors find satisfaction in knowing that their gifts are housed in repositories, where they will be preserved and maintained by qualified staff and available to patrons for future years. Oftentimes donors, after receiving formal acknowledgement and sincere thanks for their donations, disappear back into the public landscape, perhaps glad to have found a new home for all those books or items. Their donations are unconditional—no strings attached and no demands for special recognition. The …