*You can make your donation online. Fill in the form, and be sure to designate your gift for MSU Libraries.
Can I make a monetary donation?
Five Areas of Giving
How do I get a charitable deduction on my tax return?
What should I donate?
How will my contribution be used?
Commemorative Bookplates
How do I contribute?
Contact us
Can I make a monetary donation?
Yes, monetary gifts to the University Libraries are welcome. Contributions can be designated to purchase materials, provide services or assist with the Library’s strategic growth plans. Donors can give online to the University Libraries at Murray State by clicking here.
For more information or to make a donation in another way, please contact Melanie Ellingsworth, MSU Development Office at 270.809.3026 or Lindsey Futrell, Library Gifts Clerk at 270.809.4817.
Five Areas of Giving
- Technology
The Library provides computer labs, lap tops, online content, and assisted reading devices for those with learning disabilities. Keeping these resources available and up-to-date requires much funding.
- Facility
Waterfield Library sees nearly one third of our enrolled student population pass through its doors daily. Providing the many different study spaces and creating a learning commons that students expect in a modern library requires creativity, space and funding.
- Special Collections
Preservation and digitization of the collections housed at Pogue Library is costly and time consuming. Monetary and material donations made to Pogue Library can be used to meet these needs, as well as expand the genealogy and historical collections.
- Collections at Waterfield Library
Waterfield Library is always working to expand its collection. Donations of new or used books, DVDs, CDs, maps and other materials are always welcome and appreciated. Monetary donations for the purchase of new materials can also be made. Gifts may be made “in memory” or “in honor” of family members, colleagues, or friends as recognition of specific individuals. The giver may indicate a particular topic or type of material to be acquired with the donation. If books are purchased, individual bookplates are placed in each item and letters of acknowledgement are sent to the donors and to the honoree.
- Journals and Databases
The University Libraries spends more than $1 million each year on maintaining its subscriptions to journals and databases. In addition, the cost of journals and databases goes up by roughly 10 percent per year. Establishing an endowment to support the cost of these subscriptions is one way donors can assist in supporting the University Libraries.
How do I get a charitable deduction on my tax return for my non-cash donation?
In order to process any gift, ensure proper recognition and issue appropriate charitable tax deduction credit, you - the donor - are responsible for providing an itemized list of gift titles contributed, If an itemized list (including estimated value for each item) is not provided with your donation, your donation will be considered an anonymous donation.
To assist with itemizing your donation, please download the following form: “Itemized Donation List”
Donors should also print and sign the “University Libraries: Gift Iin Kind Agreement” to submit with any non-cash donation.
The IRS requires the donor to determine and verify the value of a gift for a charitable deduction credit on a tax return. The Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1993 establishes the following guidelines for charitable donations:
- Up to $ 4,999: Donors will receive a written acknowledgement to be used as documentation for a tax return. It is important to consult with a tax advisor in regard to the deductibility of your gift as well as any forms pertaining to your gift that you may need to file with your tax return.
- More than $5,000: For donations estimated by the donor to be more than $5,000, the donor must retain a licensed third-party appraiser to determine the fair market value of the gift. The qualified appraiser, as designated by the IRS, must prepare a qualified appraisal prior to the material being delivered to the Library. It must be attached when the gift is delivered. It is important to consult with a tax advisor. Before final acceptance, approval for this level of donation must be obtained from the Murray State University Board of Regents.
For gifts under $5,000 or to initially determine whether your goods would be valued at that level, consult one of these Internet resources for rare and used books:
What should I donate?
Certain materials are especially valuable to the University Libraries, particularly books and journals that fill existing gaps and that:
- Support the curriculum
- Support student and faculty research
- Support the goals of the library’s collection development program
How will my contribution be used?
Gifts of materials (gifts in kind) are accepted by the University Libraries with the requirement that upon receipt, MSU Libraries becomes the owner of the materials. Gifts are evaluated by the same standards as purchased items to ensure the total collection maintains high quality, consistency, and relevance to the needs of the University. Factors such as condition, age, or subject matter may eliminate some books from being accepted. Due to space limitations, some accepted gifts may not be added to the collection. If a gift is not added to the collection it may be sold, offered to other libraries, recycled or discarded.
Commemorative Bookplates
Any donated materials or new materials purchased with donated funds can be made “in memory” or “in honor” of a loved one. These requests must be submitted to the Library Gifts Clerk or noted on the donation. When requested, commemorative bookplates will be placed in the items before they are added to the collection.
How do I contribute?
Murray State University Libraries require contact with Lindsey Futrell, Library Gifts Clerk, prior to any gift delivery. Gifts should be delivered Monday through Friday between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm to Office 104 in Waterfield Library. Large collections can be reviewed on site to determine which material can be accepted by the University Libraries. The Library may be able to pick up or ship very large or significant collections. To make arrangements for delivery , Library review or pickup, please call 270.809.4817.
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