Thank you for thinking of the Waltham Public Library. It is our privilege to serve the Waltham community.
Here are the top three most valuable ways to help the Waltham Public Library!
1. The most valuable way to contribute to your public library is to get a library card, visit regularly and
borrow library materials!
2. Join the Friends of Waltham Public Library, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that works to support
and enhance the work of the library. Volunteer at one of their annual events, like the Book Sale or the
Ice Cream Social.
3. Make a financial gift to the Friends of the Waltham Public Library. The Friends fund our community
read program, summer reading, programming, museum passes, the PIE Room, and various special
projects. Our Friends make the fun stuff happen, plus your donation is tax deductible! We highly
suggest a donation to our Friends organization as the best way to see your dollar make a difference.
The FWPL will mail a thank you letter for your records and tax purposes.
FAQs
Below, are the answers to frequently asked questions regarding donations to the Library and our Friends of the
Waltham Public Library (FWPL) organization. Please contact the Library Director if you have questions not
covered by these guidelines.
Books and other Library Materials
Each year, the library purchases thousands of print and non-print materials. With modern technology, it is
actually more expensive for us to accept a donation and prepare it for circulation than it is for us to purchase a
title that comes ready for the shelf. Thus, we have found it necessary to place some limits on what we can
accept for our collection and our book sale.
For our collection: The Waltham Public Library only accepts books for our collection that have been published
in the last year, and are in excellent physical condition, as determined by library staff. The Waltham Public
Library provides a slip for your records, indicating the number of items donated to us. We are unable to
provide any further written acknowledgement for donations, nor do we possess the qualifications to appraise
the value of materials. Items not used in the collection will be donated to the FWPL.
For our FWPL book sale: The Library has learned from many years of experience what does and does not sell
at our annual book sale. We have to be selective because of storage limitations and the labor involved in
sorting so many items. Materials in poor condition (moldy, torn, soiled, water damaged, etc.) cannot be
accepted. Encyclopedias, reference materials, text books, or artwork cannot be accepted for our collection or
the book sale. When bringing donations for the book sale, we ask that you limit items to 50 at a time.
Magazines: The FWPL offer a magazine swap. Leave one, take one. We do not accept collections of magazines.
Donating your private collection: The Library occasionally receives offers of “private collections” to add to our
circulating collection. After much experience, we have learned that “private collection” often means different
things to different people, and often materials have a more emotional value, than literary or monetary value.
Unfortunately, library staff are not qualified to appraise books. Fortunately, we strive to be experts in what
Waltham readers will enjoy. Please refer to our collection and book sale requirements above, for what we are
able to accept. Exceptions for curated collections that have already been formally appraised will be made by
the Library Director.
Donating your self-published novel: In terms of self-published materials for our collection, a few things are
taken into consideration. Generally speaking, self-published materials are not reviewed by professional
sources, which makes it difficult to ascertain whether or not they are the right fit for our community. We hand
select all of our materials, so we rely heavily on reviews. That does not mean we never purchase self-published
materials or that we do not recognize their value. For example, if a current Waltham resident has
self-published a book, we usually attempt to add that book to our collection. Please see our Collection
Development Policy for more details and contact the Collection Development Librarian for more info.
Please understand that maintaining a current and popular collection is a very high priority for us. There is no
guarantee that any book would not be removed from the collection over time.
A list of places that accept all gift donations can be found at the bottom of this page.
Monetary Gifts
We are very grateful to have the financial support of the City of Waltham that allows us a healthy book budget
(and meets the state’s highest recommended amount each year) and appropriate staffing.
We typically direct people to the Friends of the Waltham Public Library, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that
works to support and enhance the work of the library. The Friends fund our community read program, summer
reading, programming, museum passes, the PIE Room, and various special projects. Our Friends make the fun
stuff happen, plus your donation is tax deductible! We highly suggest a donation to our Friends organization as
the best way to see your dollar make a difference. The FWPL will mail a thank you letter for your records and
tax purposes.
The City does not accept credit card donations; only cash or check. The FWPL can accept cash, check or credit
card through PayPal here.
Significant Gifts/Bequests
Gifts intended for perpetuity should be discussed with the Library Director and/or the Board of Trustees.
Monetary Gifts to Purchase Materials
Occasionally people ask about donating money for a specific collection in honor of a loved one. Monetary gifts
to purchase books in honor of someone must be arranged with the Library Director, Typically, with processing
costs, new hardcover books can cost $25-30 each and there will be a $25 charge for all bookplate templates.
In Memoriam
During times of loss, some generous families ask for donations to the Library in lieu of flowers. This is an
exceptionally thoughtful gesture during a difficult time. Again, donations to the Friends of the Waltham Public
Library are preferred.
If you let us know about this gesture, we can track the donations. The Friends will send individual thank you
notes, and we can provide you with a list of names of those who have donated. Please ask your family and
friends to indicate in whose memory the gift is given. We regret we cannot share any other personal
information about donors other than a name.
Occasionally people ask about donating money for a specific collection in honor of a loved one. Monetary gifts
to purchase books in honor of someone must be arranged with the Library Director, Typically, with processing
costs, new hardcover books can cost $25-30 each and there will be a $25 charge for all bookplate templates.
Please note:
The Library reserves the right to refuse any gift that the Library Director and/or Board of Library Trustees, in its
sole discretion, deems to be not in the best interests of the Library to accept.
If a gift is accepted by the Library, the gift shall be final and no restrictions on the Library’s ownership,
possession, use or disposition of the gift shall be effective other than restrictions approved by the express vote
of the Board of Library Trustees and memorialized in writing.
Valuation: The Library will provide a timely, written acknowledgment of the receipt of monetary gifts to the
donor. Income tax regulations leave the determination of the gift’s monetary value to the donor. Donors
wishing to have an appraisal of their gifts done for income tax purposes should do so prior to donation. We are
unable to offer any appraisals of any materials or gifts.
Future disposition of gifts: Libraries used extensively by their patrons sustain losses through theft, mutilation
and ordinary wear. The Library therefore cannot guarantee that any gift will be part of the collection or
furnishings permanently. The Library reserves the right to dispose of gifts as they see fit.
Locations in Waltham that accept book donations:
More than Words
56 Felton Street
Waltham, MA 02453
781-314-9330; info@mtwyouth.org
The Salvation Army
33 Myrtle Street
Waltham, MA 02453
781-894-0413
Community Day Center, Waltham
16 Felton Street
Waltham, MA 02453
781-392-6311; director@communitydaycenter.org
Bristol Lodge Men and Women’s Shelters
c/o Middlesex Human Service Agency, Inc.
50 Prospect Street
Waltham, MA 02453
781-894-6110; bl@mhsainc.org