Donations, Gifts And Bequests Policy And Guidelines

Financial donations

The University of Melbourne welcomes gifts and bequests of money that support our libraries.

Funds received will be used in developing our collections, including the purchase of invaluable but prohibitively expensive items.

Donors can specify how the donation is to be spent (e.g. for a particular collection).

All donations to the University of Melbourne of $2 and over are tax deductible.

Donors are invited to contact:

The Advancement Office
Level 3, 45 Barry Street
The University of Melbourne
Victoria 3010 Australia
Tel: +61 3 8344 1751
http://www.unimelb.edu.au/alumni/giving/

Donors may also wish to consult the Australian Taxation Office website.

 

Gifts of published material

The Library welcomes gifts of published material that meet criteria that support the learning, teaching and research endeavours of the University and build on our historic collections.

As there are always costs associated with the preservation, repair, cataloguing and storage of gift collections, financial support to meet these costs is always appreciated.

Offers of gifts with significant resource implications must be approved by the Director, Collections.

To build the depth of the collection, the Library is keen to acquire rare, unusual and ephemeral materials that are not already held.

There are, however, some materials that we cannot use: 

  • Duplicates of titles already in our collections - please check our Library catalogue
  • Superseded editions of textbooks or reference works  
  • Materials that have been stored for a long time and that show signs of mould, or are in poor condition   
  • Science and technology materials published more than four years ago   
  • Copies of much that is found in a typical private scholar's library or professional texts or general working collections  
  • Condensed versions (e.g. Reader’s Digest condensed books)

Gifts may not be able to be accepted if the donor wishes to place limitations on their use or disposal Any restrictions placed on the Library in accepting donations must first be agreed to in writing by the Director, Collections. In cases where it is necessary to decline a donation, the reason will be explained to the prospective donor.

It is Library policy that gift material becomes the property of the University of Melbourne. Such gifts will be integrated into the existing collections, and cannot be claimed back at a later date. They are subject to the same conditions of use as existing collections, including retention, location, use and disposal.

 

Assessment of Gifts

The Library reserves the right to decline or dispose of gift material. As shelf space is limited, all individual titles are carefully reviewed for their usefulness.

Funds for cataloguing are used firstly for high-use materials, so it can be the case that donations may not be catalogued immediately.

 

Further Information

To discuss your gift, please contact the relevant Discipline Liaison Librarian.

For material published prior to 1900, please contact the Curator, Special Collections.

Please note that we can only accept material by prior arrangement.

 

Cultural Gifts Program

Under Subdivision 30-A of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, a tax deduction for the market value of a gift may be available to donors offering important collections or individual titles to the University of Melbourne. Each gift needs to be valued by two valuers chosen from a list of those appointed for the purpose by the Australian Government.

In addition, a Transfer of Ownership must be completed, transferring ownership from the donor to the University. The Library obtains valuations of donations made, thus securing taxation benefits for donors.

Information on the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program

 

Cultural Bequests Program

This is a program aimed at private collectors who may wish to bequeath nationally significant cultural items or collections to the University.

Such bequests are encouraged, not only by being made exempt from capital gains tax and by making the agreed value of the gift tax deductible against the income of the donor's estate, but by also allowing the donors to retain custody of the item(s) during their lifetime.

To discuss the Cultural Gifts and Cultural Bequests programs, please contact the Cultural Collections Coordinator.