Donations policy

Thank you for considering donating materials to the University of Hull Library.

Donations Policy

  1. Thank you for considering donating materials to the University of Hull Library. We consider all donations in relation to our collections policy and our current collections.
  2. All donations are subject to the University Librarian’s discretion. The Library must consider the space available in the building together with the resources required to accept items into stock, to store and manage them in future. Please note that unsolicited items will not be added to Library stock.
  3. The Library will consider donations which add value to current research activity. University Researchers are urged to contact the Library to discuss any potential donations before a commitment is made. Unsolicited donations will not be accepted.
  4. The Library will also consider rare material that will enhance the established special collections housed in the Brynmor Jones Library and University Institutes. These are:
    • Slavery and Emancipation
    • Philip Larkin and other literary figures associated with Hull
    • Material generally related to Hull
    • Brynmor Jones Collection containing c300 intellectual landmarks or finely produced books published between 1890 and 1940
    • Books associated with our archive collections held at Hull History Centre
    • British Labour History
  5. Our print and digital Archive collections, held at the Hull History Centre, are covered by a separate acquisition policy.
  6. The Library works closely with academic staff to ensure all students have equitable and appropriate access to learning materials. Donations of undergraduate texts are therefore unlikely to be accepted.
  7. In line with changes in academic publishing, the Library now purchases more digital materials than print ones. In future, the format of donations may follow that trend. The Library manages the University’s secure repository and we are open to receiving digital donations in different file formats that comply with our collection development priorities and copyright legislation. Please contact us if you wish to discuss digital donations.

Appendix: Donations code of practice

Normally donations are managed using the following process:

  1. The prospective donor will send a list of works to the Library as outlined in IX, below. Include as much information as possible, particularly author, title, publisher, and publication date;
  2. In consultation with the appropriate academic areas, the Library will select relevant titles;
  3. It may be possible for a representative of the Library to visit the donor and make an on-site selection;
  4. In the case of small collections, the Library may be able to accept all items on offer. Once the Library has received the items, a selection will be made in collaboration with the relevant academic areas. Donors must contact the Library before sending any material;
  5. If required, the Library will send the donor a formal acknowledgement of receipt after the collection has been transferred;
  6. The Library reserves the right to decide how to dispose of unwanted material, including by sale, donation to another institution, recycling, or discard;
  7. Items retained for addition to Library stock will be catalogued and classified according to the rules and procedures used by the Library. Material will be dispersed according to subject not housed together as a collection. If the donor wishes, a suitably-worded bookplate will be inserted in each print book;
  8. Once added to stock, donated items may require conservation or repair. If so, they will be conserved to the standard that is applied to the Library’s purchased items. However, the Library cannot guarantee that donated items will be retained in perpetuity. The Library reserves the right to withdraw donations from stock using the criteria that are applied to purchased material, and to dispose of them in the most appropriate way;
  9. If you would like to donate items to the library please complete this form if you are a University of Hull member of staff. For University of Hull students and external customers, please contact us at libhelp@hull.ac.uk