You can promote literacy and innovation, build community and create opportunities for lifelong learning by making a financial gift, donating materials, or joining the Friends of the Library.
Gifts accepted by the Library will be accepted only if they:
The following rules will guide the Director and/or Trustees:
The Library is not currently accepting donation of used books other than books that clearly focus on the history of Mahwah and surrounding areas. We are especially interested in donations of Mahwah High School Year Books.
Tangible gifts, including art, decorative objects, furnishing and equipment may be accepted by the Library. Because the Library does not serve the function of a museum, gifts of items for permanent display or preservation are not normally accepted. The decision to accept tangible gifts shall be made by the Library Director. Among the criteria on which the decision shall be based is need, space, impact on staff time, expense and frequency of maintenance. If a gift is accepted, the gift shall be final and there will be no restrictions on the Library’s ownership, possession, use or disposition of the item. The gift will not be returned to the donor.
The Library will issue an acknowledgement for non-monetary gifts upon request by the donor, but cannot appraise or establish a monetary value for the donation. The Library may, at its discretion, provide a plaque or other means of publicly acknowledging the donor for notable tangible gifts accepted by the Library.
Donations of expertise or specialized services may be accepted by the Library if the donation is either directly relevant to the mission and goals of the Library or can be used in direct support of an official Library event. Donated services must either create or enhance the non-financial assets of the Library or require skills that would typically need to be purchased if not provided by donation.
Unrestricted monetary donations are gratefully accepted and will be used in accordance with this gift policy and the Library’s mission and goals.
Monetary donations for the purpose of purchasing Library materials may be accepted so long as the request is consistent with the Library’s objectives for its collections. When the Library receives a cash gift for the purchase of materials, the general nature or subject area of the materials to be purchased will be based on the wishes of the donor. Library staff will select specific titles in accordance with those wishes and established Library collection policies.
Restricted monetary donations of less than $10,000 may be accepted by the Director on condition that any restrictions are clearly aligned with the Library’s mission and goals. Restricted monetary donations of $10,000 or more may only be accepted with the approval of the Board of Trustees after consulting with the Director and prospective donors to determine suitable projects for the donation. Named funds shall not be created unless the donation is valued at $10,000 or greater.
The Library will issue a letter of acknowledgement for all monetary donations. The Library may, at its discretion, provide a plaque or other means of publicly acknowledging the donor for notable monetary gifts accepted by the Library.
Learn more about the Library’s gift and donation acceptance policy.
Friends of Mahwah Library are an independent, volunteer-driven group created by members of the community to provide advocacy, outreach and financial support to the Library. For information about membership and meetings, please visit lovethemahwahlibrary.org.
