Skip to Main Content

Policies and regulations

Our policies, terms and conditions and expectations for using the library

Donations Policy

Birmingham Newman Library welcomes offers of donations to library stock which complement the teaching and research needs of the University.  We are grateful for the generosity of students, staff and other individuals who offer donations.  However, due to constraints of space and processing costs we are unlikely to be able to add all donations to library stock.

Donations will be considered if they are:

  • relevant to the University’s teaching and / or research
  • current editions
  • additional copies of heavily used stock
  • in good condition

Donations are not usually suitable for addition to library stock if they are:

  • in poor condition
  • older editions of items already in stock
  • back issues of print journals
  • print format where digital is freely available
  • in obsolete formats, for example video or audio cassettes, CDs or DVDs
  • items previously withdrawn from Birmingham Newman Library

Where donations are added to library stock, we do not guarantee to retain them indefinitely.  We reserve the right to withdraw and dispose of donated items, in accordance with our Collection Development Policy.  We dispose of all items by recycling either to the community or through Better World Books.

Large donations may be accepted on the understanding that donated items will be distributed within existing stock, not shelved together, and that library signage will not be amended to indicate the location of specific donations.  Bookplates may be inserted into individual items which make up large donations at the discretion of the Director of Library and Learning Services.

If you would like to offer a donation to the library, please contact your Academic Service Librarian or email library-enquiries@newman.ac.uk in the first instance.  We reserve the right to accept, decline, sell or otherwise dispose of donated items.  If you would prefer to be able to collect unwanted items, please make library staff aware of this at the time of making the donation. Unsolicited donations sent to the library without prior arrangement may not be added to stock, and we will not return unsolicited items.

This is the Donations Policy (PDF).

Last reviewed: 16 August 2023

Report a problem | View current service issues