The answer to this one is simple. According to IRS rules, you can't provide a receipt that gives any valuation. The receipt should verify only the number of books donated. Whether you keep them or not makes no difference. If the donor wishes to get a valuation for tax purposes, I would suggest using the following site:  https://www.addall.com/used/
Back when I could itemize deductions, I picked the median value for each book. The IRS never questioned my figures.

For the remaining books, add them to your book sale if you have one; offer them to a neighboring library that has book sales if you don't; consider homeless shelters, nursing homes, schools, etc. if the books are of potential interest. On the other hand, you might consider the simplest solution as far as staff time goes and just recycle them. I'm aware of the various book consignment sites like Better World Books and Thrift Books, but they aren't worth considering for such a small number of titles. The same is true for selling them on Amazon or eBay. 

I hope this helps.

Bob


Dr. Robert P. Holley

Professor Emeritus, Wayne State University

13303 Borgman Avenue

Huntington Woods, MI  48070-1005

email: aa3805@wayne.edu

phone: 248-547-0306



From: Michlib-l <michlib-l-bounces@mcls.org> on behalf of Grai, Rebecca via Michlib-l <michlib-l@mcls.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 9, 2021 9:55 AM
To: michlib-l@lists.mcls.org <michlib-l@mail2.mcls.org>
Subject: [Michlib-l] donated books
 

[EXTERNAL]

Good morning! There’s a Autumn-like feeling out here today. Sorry summer, your days are numbered!

 

We are a small academic library and recently  had a patron donate 100+ books and is requesting a receipt for tax purposes. They are business and leadership books—mostly pretty old, a few classics, and few newer. I have a couple of questions regarding the issuing of a receipt:

- -What amount should we consider issuing for these books--an amount for all the books donated, or only the ones we are keeping?  We are only keeping about a dozen of the donated books.

-Any ideas on what we should do with the remaining books?

-Anything else I should consider that I have not asked about?

 

Thanks.

 

Becky

 

Rebecca Grai

Head of Circulation

Strosacker Library

 

Northwood University

4000 Whiting Drive

Midland, MI 48640

 

Office: 989.837.4333

grai@northwood.edu

northwood.edu

Facebook