LRC Website Home: Donating to LRC

How to Donate to the LRC

1. List of items. Prepare an itemized list of the materials you would like to donate to the LRC (e.g. books or manuscripts). 
   • Note: If you wish the LRC to review your list to check which items we are more likely to retain, please email your list to LRC.SERVICES@USUHS.EDU before completing the gift offer letter below. 
2. Prepare gift offer letter. Download a copy of the LRC Sample Donation Letter.docx (link below). Use Microsoft Word or other compatible software to open and edit the file. In the letter, be sure to include:
   1. Letterhead. Insert your appropriate letterhead or address block where indicated at the top
   2. (Optional) Valuation. If desired, insert an approximate value for the donated materials. If you do not wish to include a valuation, delete the phrase "[valued at approximately $ _____]" from the letter. The LRC and USU are unable to provide a valuation.
   3. Itemized List. Insert an itemized list of the materials you would like to donate, or attach a separate list to the letter
   4. Donor contact information. Insert your contact information where indicated
   5. Donor name. Insert your name at the bottom.
3. Send gift offer letter and list to LRC. Save your copy of the gift offer letter. Then, email it to the LRC at LRC.SERVICES@USUHS.EDU. Be sure to attach your itemized list of materials you would like to donate if it is separate from the letter. 
4. Wait for response. DO NOT send the materials to the LRC yet. The LRC will forward your donation offer to the appropriate channels for approval. All donations to USU and LRC must be approved by the Secretary of Defense.
5. The LRC will contact you with further information.

Please contact LRC staff if you have any questions.

Working with the LRC to Assess Materials Before Donating

Be aware that the LRC reserves the right to dispose of any donated materials if they no longer meet the needs of the LRC collection. As stated in the LRC Sample Donation Letter,

In the event that these donated items lose their value as a learning resource and/or become overly burdensome or expensive to maintain in the future, then at that time the University will be free to transfer or dispose of the property without further consultation with me as the original donor, or my heirs.

If you simply wish to donate materials to the LRC and you agree that any materials may be discarded the future, simply complete your list of items and gift offer letter as described above.

However, if you wish to limit your donations to items that the LRC is likely to retain (i.e. you do not wish to donate materials which are likely to be discarded), please send your list of potential donations to LRC staff before completing your gift offer letter. We will be happy to review your list and identify which items we are likely to retain. The LRC cannot guarantee that any donated items will be retained in perpetuity, but we may advise which items are likely to be retained.

Summary of the USU Gift Program

Please refer to the document below, Summary of the USU Gift Program (PDF), for a description of the USU gift program. This document was prepared by the USU Office of General Counsel and describes the rules governing donations to USU.

Highlights:

• Authorizations. All donations of books, manuscripts, and other materials to the LRC must be authorized by the Secretary of Defense.
• Tax deductions. Potential donors should consult a tax advisor for any questions regarding the "determination of any tax consequences". Notably, USU and LRC "will not render any opinion of value for non-monetary gifts." Valuation of gifts may be performed by the donor or other parties.

May I drop off books at the LRC?

No. Please do not drop off or mail books to the LRC without prior authorization.

Please refer to the steps on this page ("How to Donate to the LRC") for the proper procedure.

Are donations tax deductible?

Please refer to the Summary of the USU Gift Program document available on this page for information from the USU Office of General Counsel on this topic. We recommend you consult a tax advisor. Note that USU and the LRC cannot provide a valuation of any donated items.

Why Can't the LRC Accept Donations Without a Gift Offer Letter?

It has come to our attention that the authority to accept donations rests with the Secretary of Defense. Therefore, all offers of donations to the LRC (and to USU) must be approved by the DoD. 

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Email: lrc.services@usuhs.edu

Telephone: (301) 295-3350