Donated Materials Policies in Theory and Practice - Karyn Hinkle, Reader Services Librarian, Bard Graduate Center
Rejects and Discards: The Underside of Collection Development - Christina Peter, Head, Acquisitions, Frick Art Reference Library
I Don’t Do Copying: Structuring a Meaningful Library Internship - Jacqueline Protka, Digital Assets Librarian & Media Coordinator, Corcoran Gallery and College of Art + Design
Is It Worth It? Issues of Volunteer Time and Personnel Management in the Museum Library - Traci Timmons, Librarian, Seattle Art Museum
Moderator: Karyn Hinkle, Reader Services Librarian, Bard Graduate Center
The session comprises four papers on accepting book donations, coping with donated materials, managing volunteers, and working with library interns. The presenters will discuss the benefits of such "free" gifts as well as the stress they can create if not handled properly, and will offer advice on how to manage intern, volunteer, and donation programs to a library’s best advantage. We will consider the ethics involved: Is it appropriate to ask library science interns to perform everyday library tasks, or should they be assigned special projects? What is your institution's policy on selling unwanted book donations? What strategies have you used to let go of volunteers who were not working out? These interrelated topics should appeal to art librarians in both museum and academic library settings, and they pertain to those working in library administration and in collection development. “Gifts” of labor, materials, and collections will always be a part of our libraries. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth? We will look the gift horses of volunteers, donations, and interns not only in the mouth but all around on all angles and will provide tools for making the most of them in our libraries.