J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library

Donating to the Library

The J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library welcomes the donations of books and other materials (collectively referred to as gifts-in-kind) which increase the capability of the library’s collections; supporting the curriculum, research, teaching, and mission of Michigan Technological University.  Gifts-in-kind are accepted according to the guidelines below.

Donating to the Archives:

Giving to the University Archives and Historical Collections is welcomed. Call the archives office at: 906-487-2505 or email: copper@mtu.edu for more information. General guidelines for giving to the archives can be found in the Archives Collection Development Policy.

Gifts-in-kind the library gratefully accepts*:

  • Items that support the current or future curriculum, teaching, research, or programmatic needs of the University.

  • Recently published (within the last five years) academic books in good physical condition.

  • Books by university faculty or alumni.

  • Journals that are identified as able to fill gaps in the library’s holdings.

  • Items with local or historical interest or origin:

    • Records of local government, churches, businesses, and social organizations.

    • Personal manuscripts and family papers, letters, postcards, and scrapbooks.

    • Published monographs, newspapers, journals, and magazines; unpublished booklets, pamphlets, etc.

    • Audiovisual materials, including outdated and current media formats, such as discs, tapes, films, records, photographs, negatives, glass plates, etc.

    • Clippings, postcards, and other ephemera (ie: flyers, posters, broadsides, playbills, ticket stubs, etc.)

    • University related and local memorabilia and objects, such as pins, badges, sports keepsakes, etc.

    • Oversize materials like maps, atlases, lake charts, blueprints, engineering drawings, architectural renderings, and such about the Upper Peninsula or Great Lakes, and their environment, peoples or history.

Gifts-in-kind the library does not accept:

  • Textbooks

  • Journals, unless they fill in gaps in the library’s holdings

  • Academic books that are outdated or have been superseded by newer editions

  • Popular magazines, for example, National Geographic

  • Audio-visual materials in obsolete formats (unless of local interest) and video games

  • Children’s books (unless of local interest)

  • Popular fiction and mass market paperbacks

The Friends:

The Friends of the Michigan Tech Library also accept donated material.  Information about donating to the Friends can be viewed here: https://lib.sites.mtu.edu/friends/

Library Contacts:

Donors should contact the Collections Librarian at 906-487-3208 (email: library@mtu.edu) or the University Archivist at 906-487-2505 (email: copper@mtu.edu) before making a donation.  Providing a list of materials, condition, and subject matter before donation is preferred but not required.

Donation Drop Off Location:

Small donations may be brought to the library and left with library employees at the front service desk, or delivered to the Archives.  Larger donations (more than one box) should be coordinated ahead of time with the Collections Librarian or the University Archivist.

Tax Questions:

Gifts-in-kind to the Van Pelt and Opie Library are tax deductible.  The library, however, cannot appraise gifts for income tax purposes.  Donors should seek out qualified appraisers, their attorneys or tax advisors, and the latest IRS regulations prior to the time of donation.

*Upon acceptance, donated material or items become the property of Michigan Technological University and considerations related to the gift’s use or disposition are at the discretion of the library in accordance with the University’s policies.

Please note there are significant handling, cataloging, and processing costs associated with items added to the Library's collections.  Please review the library’s policy before donating large gift collections to ensure donated materials meet the library’s collection needs and do not cause unexpected out-of-budget costs.

If our donation policy does not meet your needs the following sources may be able to provide assistance (By listing the following sources, The Van Pelt and Opie Library does not imply endorsement):