Thank you for considering a donation to the University of Toronto Libraries (UTL). The generosity of donors has enriched our collections and strengthened research, teaching, and learning across the University and beyond.

As one of North America’s leading academic research libraries, our collections are already extensive, and far-reaching. To make the best use of limited space and resources, we focus on accepting materials that offer significant academic and research value.

What we cannot accept

UTL no longer accepts gifts-in-kind for the central general collections. We are unable to accept:

Textbooks, popular magazines, newspapers, or mass-market paperbacks
Duplicate titles already in our collections
Personal/working libraries or large general collections
Photocopies or reproductions of research materials

Special collections

This policy does not apply to special collections for the following areas:

Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library
Department of Rare Books and Special Collections
Film Library and Media Archives
Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library
Richard Charles Lee Chinese Canadian Archives
University Archives and Record Management Services

For more information, please contact us.

Donation process

If a gift is accepted, staff will coordinate delivery with the donor.
Loan or deposit collections are accepted only in exceptional cases.

The care and stewardship of donated materials requires significant resources. We encourage gift-in-kind donors to consider pairing their gift with a monetary contribution to help ensure collections are processed quickly, preserved, and made accessible to the communities who need them most.

Tax receipts

Donations may be eligible for charitable tax receipts under Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) regulations:

Receipts are not issued for gifts valued under $500.
All receiptable gifts require a signed Deed of Gift, which confirms donor ownership and transfers the materials to UTL in accordance with our policies. Intellectual, exhibition, and digital reproduction rights may or may not be transferred, as noted in the Deed of Gift.

Appraisals

Tax receipts are issued based on the fair market value of materials at the time of donation, as determined by an independent appraiser. This value may differ from purchase price, online listings, or past appraisals.
CRA requires appraisals to be completed at arm’s length from the donor.
Processing and receipting timelines may vary depending on the scope of the appraisal.

Acknowledgement

We gratefully recognize accepted gifts with an acknowledgment letter or email and, when appropriate, a bookplate in the donated materials.

Questions?

Loryl MacDonald
Associate Chief Librarian for Special Collections
Director, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library
Loryl.macdonald@utoronto.ca

Mimosa Kabir
Director, Advancement
Mimosa.kabir@utoronto.ca

Gifts-in-Kind Donation Policy

Related to

Advancement, Central Libraries