Giving to the University of Texas Libraries
University of Texas Libraries Annual Giving Program
Friends of the Fine Arts Library
University of Texas Libraries Advisory Council
Appraisal of in-kind Gifts
Other sites of Interest
The Deed of Gift Form is designed to assign legally to The University of Texas at Austin, on behalf of the University of Texas Libraries, materials which you as a Donor are conveying to the University of Texas Libraries to be administered in accordance with its established policies. The Deed of Gift form constitutes the transfer of title and serves to define the terms of the transfer.
It is recommended that, whenever possible, the Deed of Gift form be used to document all in-kind gifts of $250 or more to The University of Texas at Austin, and for in-kind gifts below that amount which include unique archival materials for which copyright conveyance may or may not be involved.
Donation of Gift. The "Description" portion of this section will be completed by a University of Texas Libraries representative. The Description of the donation will describe the material being transferred and date received on site.
Appraised Value. The Donor is advised that if a tax deduction on a gift is to be taken, the Internal Revenue Service has regulations for filing tax-deductible contributions valued at $250 or more. If the value of the donation is greater than $5,000, an independent appraisal is required and the University is required to sign the IRS Form 8283 acknowledging receipt of the gift. To be acceptable to the IRS, the appraisal must be made no more than 60 days before the date of the contribution and before the due date of the tax return. The Donor is asked to present the appraisal and completed IRS Form 8283 to the University at the time of the gift. The Form will be returned to the Donor with proper signature. For additional information see Determining the Value of Donated Property, Charitable Contributions, and a listing of appraisers.
Disposition of Materials. In order to make the most effective use of resources, the University of Texas Libraries reserves the right to determine the disposition of donated materials.
Terms and Conditions. Although most Donors will have no need to limit access to materials which they are donating, the option of placing reasonable restrictions on access to the materials or a portion of the materials is available to a Donor. The Special Programs Officer will be happy to discuss terms of restrictions with a Donor. Any restrictions on access mutually agreed to will be for a specific period of time and will apply to all researchers.
Copyright Interests. Because assignment of copyright is often complex, the University of Texas Libraries staff is happy to work with the Donor to clarify questions of copyright control. Copyright in writings and original creations contained in a donated collection is controlled by the individuals or organizations who created them unless the copyright has been conveyed legally to the Donor or other party. If you, as Donor, control the copyright in all or some of the materials being donated, please check the first box in this section of the Deed of Gift and explain the extent of your copyright control. If you, as Donor, do not control copyright in any of the donated material, please check the second box. If you have any information about the holder of the copyright, please check the third box and supply as much of the requested information as possible.
Copyright Conveyance. The University of Texas Libraries encourages Donors to transfer any copyright they may control to the University of Texas at Austin whenever possible. Copyright ownership by the University of Texas at Austin facilitates use by scholars. If you wish to do so, please initial the first paragraph in the "Copyright Conveyance" section of the Deed of Gift. Assignment of copyright may be conditional. For example, a Donor may wish to stipulate "Copyright retained during my lifetime" or something similar in the "Limitations" space provided on the Deed of Gift.
Change in Provisions. If a Donor feels that any terms in the agreement should be deleted, the Donor is encouraged to discuss the matter with the Deputy Assistant Director for Library Development to verify that the desired change in terms is feasible.
Acknowledgment of Receipt of Gift. This section of the Deed of Gift serves to formally acknowledge the receipt of a donation under the terms mutually agreed to by the University of Texas Libraries and the Donor. The Donor will receive a copy of the Deed of Gift form signed by the Director of University of Texas Libraries. Formal acceptance of gifts by the Board of Regents of The University of Texas at Austin serves to complete the donation transaction. The University will also send to the Donor an official receipt for charitable deduction purposes for in-kind gifts valued at $250 or more.
