In-kind Gifts to the Library

Guidelines for donating print materials to the Michael Schwartz Library

August 2026: Temporary Suspension of Book Donations

As we make space adjustments due to work being done in Rhodes Tower, we are temporarily unable to accept book donations.

Please check back in January 2027, when we expect to be ready to welcome book contributions again. Thank you for your continued support!

Thank you for your interest in donating print materials to the Michael Schwartz Library.

We greatly appreciate donations that will enrich existing collections and support the instructional and research mission of Cleveland State University. It is in part through such generosity that we can add depth to our print academic resources.

Because of the costs of managing in-kind donations, the Library must limit its acceptance of donations based on the criteria below for physical materials donated to the general collection. The Library retains the right to accept or decline all potential gifts.

Guidelines and Limitations

For donations of rare and unique material or for University Archives or Special Collections, please contact Marsha Miles at m.a.miles24@csuohio.edu.

In addition to donating books, please consider making a monetary donation to support our work. Visit our giving page for more information.

We’re very interested in books that:

  • Are relatively recent and in good to new condition
  • Support the instructional and research programs of the University

The Library will decline items that:

  • Are outside the scope of our collections
  • Do not support the instructional and research programs of the University
  • Duplicate existing holdings
  • Are in poor condition
  • Entail donor restrictions

The Library will decline the following formats:

  • Magazines and journals
  • Consumable workbooks, manuals, software, and CD-ROMs
  • Analog records, including vinyl LPs, 78 rpm discs, cassettes, videocassettes, and similar formats

Our goal in accepting gifts is to acquire only materials which are highly relevant to the University’s needs and curriculum. All potential gifts will be evaluated by librarians with subject expertise. For general collection purposes, we will follow the above guidelines. For items that may go to Special Collections, subjects and formats of interest will differ.

Process for Accepting Gifts

All donors are required to contact us before sending or dropping off any donation larger than 10 items. Faculty should reach out to their subject librarian to discuss potential book donations.

General inquiries from others can go to Marsha Miles at m.a.miles24@csuohio.edu or Scott Vine at s.vine@csuohio.edu. Donations sent without prior contact will not be accepted.

A subject librarian or Library employee will contact the donor to discuss the scope and size of the gift. A title list or representative set of subjects is very helpful.

Subject experts will review the suggested donation, determine acceptance, and coordinate receipt of materials with the donor. Due to resource limitations and safety considerations, the Library is unable to pick up donations or pay for shipping them. The donor is responsible for the transport of any gift materials.

We will add selected materials to the general collection and make them available in our library catalog. Due to limited staffing, most gifts must be temporarily stored until they can be processed. The Library cannot estimate a timeline to process a particular gift or gifts.

Once our gift form is completed and materials are accepted, gifts become the exclusive property of the University. The Library retains the right to determine gift-book retention, use, and location.

Disposition of Gift Materials

All gifts added to the general collection will be cataloged and listed in our online public catalog. Items not accessioned will be recycled or made available in the Friends of the Library book sale.

Appraisals

The Library cannot appraise the value of gift materials, nor can we pay for or arrange for appraisals. Donors may have independent professional appraisals performed for especially valuable gifts.