The Hawkesbury Public Library accepts and encourages contributions from individuals, groups, foundations and businesses for the purpose of enhancing and enriching the programs and services that the library provides for the people of Hawkesbury.  This policy sets out the requirements for general gift acceptance.

Ethics and definitions

1. The Hawkesbury Public Library is committed to the ethical standards of philanthropy, financial accountability and development practice as articulated in the Donor Bill of Rights (Appendix A).
2. The Canada Revenue Agency defines a donation as a voluntary transfer of property to the library made without the expectation that any benefit will accrue to the donor.

Types of gifts

The library accepts the following types of contributions:

• books, manuscripts and other printed material;
• DVD’s;
• photos of significance for local history;
• material of significance for local history;
• equipment;
• cash

Acceptance of donations

1. The library evaluates all donations and accept only those, which is compatible with the mission, values and standards of the library.
2. Donations will become the exclusive property of the library and must be clear and unencumbered when given. The library may accept conditions on the use and/or disposition of donations only where it deems the proposed conditions to be reasonable and feasible.
3. While honouring the wishes of donors as appropriate, the library reserves the right to use the donation in the best interest of the library, and shall make decisions regarding the investment, disposition and eventual disposal of all donations.

Tax receipts

The Library do not give tax receipts.

 Appendix A: Donor Bill of Rights

Donor Bill of Rights

To assure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the public, and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the library, we declare that all donors have these rights.

1. To be informed of the library’s mission, of the way the library intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.
2. To be informed of the identity of those serving on the library’s governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.
3. To have access to the library’s most recent financial statements.
4. To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
5. To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.
6. To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
7. To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.
8. To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.

*Adapted from Association of Fundraising Professionals – Donor Bill of Rights.  To use the AFP Donor Bill of Rights, permission is required from AFP – see https://afpglobal.org/donor-bill-rights

Gifts policy

Adopted on June 15, 2012
Revised on February 20, 2019