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Library Donation Policy

Library Donation Policy

The American Craft Council Library accepts donations Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Once items are accepted, they are considered American Craft Council property and the Library reserves the right to determine the use, retention, location, preservation, digitization and all other considerations relating to the handling or disposal of gifts. Materials will only be added if they enhance the Library’s current collection areas or needs.

Any valuation or appraisal of donated items is the responsibility of the donor. IRS regulations strictly prohibit the American Craft Council from providing any appraisal information. Please see IRS Publication 561, Determining the Value of Donated Property, or Publication 526, Charitable Contributions, for more information. These documents are available at irs.gov/publications. A letter of acknowledgment will be provided to donors. If the donor provides an itemized list of materials, this will also be included with the acknowledgment.

The Library will provide bookplates for appropriate materials upon the request of the donor.

Acceptable donations:

  • Current academic, scholarly or popular culture publications in areas supported by the Council’s educational and organizational mission
  • Good-quality copies of older publications that augment the collections and are not currently held
  • Runs of art-, design- and/or craft-related journals, or other periodicals that enhance research and patron learning
  • Specialized art-, design- and/or craft-related materials, such as exhibition guides, catalogues raisonnés, auction catalogs, newsletters, etc.
  • Collectable or rare books from the craft field, special editions of established works, and items by or about Council award winners and artists featured in American Craft magazine
  • One-of-a-kind artist materials (see below) related to a member of the ACC College of Fellows, an artist featured prominently in American Craft magazine, a former or current member of the ACC Board of Trustees, and/or other individuals critical to the development of the field of contemporary craft. We are especially interested in acquiring materials related to artists from historically excluded non-dominant cultural communities.

For more information on the types of materials collected in the ACC Library, please refer to our Collection Development Policy.

Donating Archival and Artist File Materials

For artists already in our artist files:
We accept updated resumes/CVs and artist statements, ephemera (exhibition material, such as postcards, brochures and catalogs), photographs, slides, DVD/CDs and digital images. Each reproduction must contain title, date, and artist information. We do not accept duplicates or photocopies. It is recommended that article clippings are placed on a CD and to include the bibliographic information on your resume/CV. Most newspaper clippings are weeded because of their highly acidic nature. We will weed any material considered unsuitable for the artist files or that which exceeds space limits. Generally, we do not provide acknowledgements of receipt for updates unless specifically requested.

For artists not in our artist files:
We create new files only for individuals who:

  • Have received an award through the American Craft Council
  • Have been featured in an article in American Craft magazine
  • Are former or current members of our Board of Trustees
  • Have had major gallery representation or exhibition showings
  • Have significantly influenced the development of a medium or technique in contemporary craft history
  • Will expand the cultural representation of artists in our collection through their inclusion

The ACC Library depends on the generosity of donors to document craft history and preserve the legacy of notable craft artists for scholarship. In addition to ensuring their access to future generations, all historical materials donated to the ACC are placed in acid-free folders and containers in order to preserve them from future deterioration due to the damaging effects of light and heat.

The librarian will assess all potential donations to determine whether they can be accepted. The impact an artist/organization has made to craft history, to the ACC, and/or to the development of craft-specific media are all important considerations. However, not all donations can be accepted due to space limitations and/or the cost of processing the materials. If you are interested in donating an archival collection, please consider making a monetary donation to offset the cost of processing the materials and making them accessible to researchers. Contact the librarian at [email protected] for further information and to discuss a potential donation.

Types of frequently donated artist file materials:

  • Personal letters
  • Photographs, slides, CD/DVDs and digital images
  • Film, audio and video
  • Professional correspondence
  • Diaries or journals
  • Speeches and lectures
  • Sketchbooks and loose sketches
  • Scrapbooks/photo albums
  • Exhibition catalogs, brochures, flyers, and/or press releases
  • Teaching materials
  • Research files
  • Business records and financial papers (organizations only)

Donations and Transfer of Ownership

If all parties agree that the American Craft Council is the appropriate repository for a donation, the librarian will work with the donor to arrange the physical transfer of the material. A deed of gift outlining the terms and conditions of the donation will be sent to the donor for approval and signature, along with a letter acknowledging the gift.

*Please note that the ACC is unable to reimburse the donor for shipping costs incurred with the donation of materials.

No individual or institution can predict or govern the changing attitudes of future generations, nor guarantee permanency beyond the best available preservation procedures. The ACC reserves the right to re-evaluate and reappraise material in its holdings and de-accession them when appropriate. Deaccessioned collections and items weeded from collections during processing, due to duplication, irrelevance, limited use, or deterioration, will be offered to the original donor or an agent of the donor if so requested at the time of the donation. If the donor wishes not to reclaim the material or cannot be located, the ACC reserves the right to offer the material to other depositories or discard the items.

Unless otherwise restricted by copyright or by the donor and agreed to by the American Craft Council, all rights are conveyed to the American Craft Council. All donor access and use restrictions and conditions will be specified in the donation agreement. The American Craft Council will assume no responsibility for abuse of copyright restrictions by users of research materials.

For more information or to arrange a donation, please contact the librarian at [email protected].

Revised 08/01/2022 by Beth Goodrich