Ron Freeman of Temple Am David, Warwick (Rhode Island) wrote on the USCJ Prez-list the following comment. If anyone has a written statement about donations, please send it along to Ron at ronf...@cox.net
Below is his request followed by I wrote to him We are beginning to receive book donations for our library. I believe we will need a written donation policy statement at some point. A well crafted, detailed written policy as to the acceptability of potential donations, agreed upon and signed off on by the entire library committee, goes a long way in assuaging people's feelings when books are not accepted for inclusion in the collection. Does anyone have such a policy or letter? The Association of Jewish Libraries recognizes the need for a Library Mission and Policy Statement as fundamental for all libraries so that your library doesn't turn into a Room Full of Dead Books. This statement should also include a clear policy about donated books. Donated books is a classic problem especially for synagogue libraries that might have a high percentage of such books. These books are often generated by the well-meaning (though mis-guided) desires of those who are moving house or of relatives who are loathe to part with, for sentimental reasons, the inheritance of books of a departed loved one. On the other hand, they are equally loathe to give up space on their own shelves in their own homes. Usually the relatives will keep anything of value (sentimental or otherwise) and leave the rest on the doorstep of your synagogue library. You are then stuck unable to get rid of what is unnecessary (except at midnight when no one's looking) and you can't keep it because it either doesnot suit the needs of your congregation and/or it eats up precious shelf space. This is the AJL/Hasafran e-list where I sent a copy of your email Hasafran@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu And this is the page. If you have a librarian (and even if you don't) your synagogue should most definitely become members of AJL. The La Javurá library (....blimey! La Javurá itself!....) would be nothing today were it not for the heroic librarians of AJL. http://www.jewishlibraries.org/ajlweb/index.htm Shabat shalom to one and all Join us for kabalat shabat every Friday at 8p.m. (Spain time) on UStream. If you let me know you're coming, I'll shout out the Sim Shalom (english edition) page numbers (unless you speak spanish of course then you'll fit right in!). Besos de Valencia Alba Toscano Sinagoga conservador "La Javurá" calle Uruguay 59, pta 13 46007 Valencia (Spain) 34 96 380 2129 34 96 380 6970 658 721 769 URL: http://www.uscj.org/world/valencia and http://lajavura.org UStream http://www.lajavura.org/ustream.html email lajav...@lajavura.org SKYPE albatoscanovalencia --- Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) =========================================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: hasaf...@osu.edu SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
