Donating Collections to Libraries

In another thread, i mentioned that i am building a large collection of
dictionaries of all kinds which i have been intending to ultimately
leave in trust to an appropriate library for public use. Admittedly, i
don't know whether or how my intentions would work. Has anyone any
actual knowledge about such donations ?

Some people commented that they thought the idea is not viable because
libraries would require considerable money to maintain such a
collection. In the case of my collection, i'm not sure i understand
what would cost so much money. The library would receive the books
just they do vast numbers of others they acquire every year, except
that they would be pre-organized to be shelved together in a manner
that would facilitate ease of location and use. The collection would
be non-circulating and require only that misplaced books be
occasionally re-placed where they belong by code just as other books.

Someone suggested that in all likelyhood the library would simply sell
off the books, which would not happen because i would not leave the
collection to any library unless it agreed not to do so in a trust
contract. Someone else scoffed at the idea that any library would
accept a collection on those terms. I find that hard to believe,
although i wouldn't expect small community libraries to be able to cope
with such a proposition.

One library i've considered has kept its wealth of books of all kinds
and has a sizable endowment. I doubt they remove much other than
lesser fiction and dated material of little use. Alternately, i would
target university libraries or others which are devoted to having
unique references of great value and use for study or research. The
idea seems plausible to me, but maybe i am foolish and naive to think
my idea will work, as others have suggested. I'd appreciate any
thoughts, knowledge, experience, or leads.

ER Lyon

Ask yourself why a library would value your collection enough to be of
concern. Ask yourself why a library would commit to care of your
collection under terms of a trust. Ask yourself what happens when a
senior official decides people are not using your collection, and
thinks that the space could be devoted to other uses.

You, doubtless, have certain ideas why this collection should be
formed. Are there others? If not, then perhaps the collection is of
limited use as a collection.

David Ames

On 7 Jan 2006 01:19:46 -0800, "David Ames"
wrote:


You, doubtless, have certain ideas why this collection should be
formed. Are there others? If not, then perhaps the collection is of
limited use as a collection.

It's largely a hopeless conceit on his part. It's hard enough to find
a library, university or public, that will take much of anything from
someone who isn't a) famous, b) an alumni, or c) both of the above as
a permanent addition, there's just too much competition from other,
more meaningful sources and materials and far too little space.

Old dictionaries might be fun to collect on a personal level, but it's
a pretty obscure and abstruse sub-sub-category. I think he's as well
off to will them back to the thrift stores he got them from when he's
dead.

In article ,
Bud Webster wrote:

On 7 Jan 2006 01:19:46 -0800, "David Ames"
wrote:


You, doubtless, have certain ideas why this collection should be
formed. Are there others? If not, then perhaps the collection is of
limited use as a collection.

It's largely a hopeless conceit on his part. It's hard enough to find
a library, university or public, that will take much of anything from
someone who isn't a) famous, b) an alumni, or c) both of the above as
a permanent addition, there's just too much competition from other,
more meaningful sources and materials and far too little space.

Old dictionaries might be fun to collect on a personal level, but it's
a pretty obscure and abstruse sub-sub-category. I think he's as well
off to will them back to the thrift stores he got them from when he's
dead.

Perhaps a university that already has a dictionary collection would be
interested?

http://jrul.libraries.rutgers.edu/
Edward J. Bloustein Dictionary Collection is one example. There seem to
be many others, mostly with a specific subject area (law, medicine,
etc.). The OP might search for places that research language/lingistics.

Or a high school library? There are probably many that would be
delighted.
--

On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 12:41:57 -0500, PostScript
wrote:


Perhaps a university that already has a dictionary collection would be
interested?

http://jrul.libraries.rutgers.edu/
Edward J. Bloustein Dictionary Collection is one example. There seem to
be many others, mostly with a specific subject area (law, medicine,
etc.). The OP might search for places that research language/lingistics.

*shrug* It all depends on whether or not he has anything they don't.
They're not going to double-up on what they have unless it's something
extraordinary. Frankly, I doubt he does, if he's been haunting the
thrift shops.

Or a high school library? There are probably many that would be
delighted.

Not a chance. Modern dictionaries, yeah, but this stuff is useful
only for hard-core researchers into etymology, and there are precious
few of them in highschool.

"Bud Webster" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 12:41:57 -0500, PostScript
wrote:


Perhaps a university that already has a dictionary collection would be
interested?

http://jrul.libraries.rutgers.edu/
Edward J. Bloustein Dictionary Collection is one example. There seem to
be many others, mostly with a specific subject area (law, medicine,
etc.). The OP might search for places that research language/lingistics.

*shrug* It all depends on whether or not he has anything they don't.
They're not going to double-up on what they have unless it's something
extraordinary. Frankly, I doubt he does, if he's been haunting the
thrift shops.

The OP should at least contact Rutgers, and find out if they
know **anyone** who has expressed interest in such a collection.

Or a high school library? There are probably many that would be
delighted.

Not a chance. Modern dictionaries, yeah, but this stuff is useful
only for hard-core researchers into etymology, and there are precious
few of them in highschool.

I can't imagine a high school librarian wanting a bunch of old
dictionaries; they're practically like the old, common encyclopedias
that schools refuse (and thrift stores won't take).

Kris

xerlome wrote:

In another thread, i mentioned that i am building a large collection of
dictionaries of all kinds which i have been intending to ultimately
leave in trust to an appropriate library for public use. Admittedly, i
don't know whether or how my intentions would work. Has anyone any
actual knowledge about such donations ?

Some people commented that they thought the idea is not viable because
libraries would require considerable money to maintain such a
collection. In the case of my collection, i'm not sure i understand
what would cost so much money.


Floor space and shelf space have a capital cost and a maintenance cost. Capital
costs include the incremental cost of building the floor space and shelving and
major repairs to the building and its HVAC and other systems. Maintenance costs
include the actual periodic costs of heating and air conditioning, of
electricity, plumbing (for toilets for users and staff), the maintenance of
catalogue services, periodic inventories, staff salaries, telephone bills,
internet costs, etc.

Floor and shelf space are commodities in short supply, just as they are in
Walmart. Getting shelf space in Walmart or a library is not easy.


The library would receive the books
just they do vast numbers of others they acquire every year, except
that they would be pre-organized to be shelved together in a manner
that would facilitate ease of location and use. The collection would
be non-circulating and require only that misplaced books be
occasionally re-placed where they belong by code just as other books.

Someone suggested that in all likelyhood the library would simply sell
off the books, which would not happen because i would not leave the
collection to any library unless it agreed not to do so in a trust
contract.


In all likelihood, unless this were a major collection - e.g., the papers of
Wallace Stevens - there is really no chance of them putting themselves into the
bind of a trust. Financially, it is just not worth it.


Someone else scoffed at the idea that any library would
accept a collection on those terms. I find that hard to believe,
although i wouldn't expect small community libraries to be able to cope
with such a proposition.

One library i've considered has kept its wealth of books of all kinds
and has a sizable endowment. I doubt they remove much other than
lesser fiction and dated material of little use.


You might be surprised at the rate of turnover.


Alternately, i would
target university libraries or others which are devoted to having
unique references of great value and use for study or research. The
idea seems plausible to me, but maybe i am foolish and naive to think
my idea will work, as others have suggested. I'd appreciate any
thoughts, knowledge, experience, or leads.

ER Lyon


I have read your earlier posts in "Collecting Dictionaries" to get an idea of
what you have. Some of the ones you mention dealing with obsolete and arcane
meanings probably are of interest to research libraries, but I cannot help
wondering if the information in them has not already by scooped into the OED.
If so, then these books are more of interest (a) to people without the OED,
or (b) to collectors interested in the history of the development of
dictionaries, of which class you appear to be one.


Francis A. Miniter

PostScript wrote:


On 7 Jan 2006 01:19:46 -0800, "David Ames"
wrote:

It's largely a hopeless conceit on his part. It's hard enough to find
a library, university or public, that will take much of anything from
someone who isn't a) famous, b) an alumni, or c) both of the above as
a permanent addition, there's just too much competition from other,
more meaningful sources and materials and far too little space.
....
No it isn't - you just have to find the correct place. [and not have
the
expectation that the collection will be kept intact with YOUR name on
it.
Also, you must realize that the more common stuff will end up sold or
donated to thrift stores. However, some of your collection can make a
difference.]

If books get added to a significant specialty collection (one that is
named,
is used for an active research program, and most importantly: is
FUNDED)
chances are your donations will stay with that collection for a long
time.

I've been cleaning out some of my obscure/oddball/specialty books that
I can't keep now that space in my house for books is scarce.

I've placed items into special collections of many libraries. A
University
library archive or museum is thrilled to get a piece of their own
history that they
didn't know existed. [I've been on both sides of this one.] Some of
these are
items that I saved from the "stale stock to get rid of" pile at a
friend's
used bookstore.

The trick is to ask first. If you just donate the items they will most
likely get passed
to the "friends" and end up in the sale. Deliver them to a specific
person who
wants to add the items to the collection.

Special collections are usually featured on library web pages, so
identifying libraries is much easier than a few years ago. Even the
special
collection catalogs are often on-line.

Last year I used the on-line catalog to identify about 20 books (of
about 200
in a collection) that were not in a special collection. When I donated
them (in person)
the librarian was amazed that the donation was ALL titles they needed.

The rest I traded/donated/sold without any regrets.


Brian

PostScript wrote:


On 7 Jan 2006 01:19:46 -0800, "David Ames"
wrote:

It's largely a hopeless conceit on his part. It's hard enough to find
a library, university or public, that will take much of anything from
someone who isn't a) famous, b) an alumni, or c) both of the above as
a permanent addition, there's just too much competition from other,
more meaningful sources and materials and far too little space.
....
No it isn't - you just have to find the correct place. [and not have
the
expectation that the collection will be kept intact with YOUR name on
it.
Also, you must realize that the more common stuff will end up sold or
donated to thrift stores. However, some of your collection can make a
difference.]

If books get added to a significant specialty collection (one that is
named,
is used for an active research program, and most importantly: is
FUNDED)
chances are your donations will stay with that collection for a long
time.

I've been cleaning out some of my obscure/oddball/specialty books that
I can't keep now that space in my house for books is scarce.

I've placed items into special collections of many libraries. A
University
library archive or museum is thrilled to get a piece of their own
history that they
didn't know existed. [I've been on both sides of this one.] Some of
these are
items that I saved from the "stale stock to get rid of" pile at a
friend's
used bookstore.

The trick is to ask first. If you just donate the items they will most
likely get passed
to the "friends" and end up in the sale. Deliver them to a specific
person who
wants to add the items to the collection.

Special collections are usually featured on library web pages, so
identifying libraries is much easier than a few years ago. Even the
special
collection catalogs are often on-line.

Last year I used the on-line catalog to identify about 20 books (of
about 200
in a collection) that were not in a special collection. When I donated
them (in person)
the librarian was amazed that the donation was ALL titles they needed.

The rest I traded/donated/sold without any regrets.


Brian

Bud Webster wrote:

Perhaps a university that already has a dictionary collection would be
interested?

http://jrul.libraries.rutgers.edu/
Edward J. Bloustein Dictionary Collection is one example. There seem to
be many others, mostly with a specific subject area (law, medicine,
etc.). The OP might search for places that research language/lingistics.

*shrug* It all depends on whether or not he has anything they don't.
They're not going to double-up on what they have unless it's something
extraordinary. Frankly, I doubt he does, if he's been haunting the
thrift shops.


I think you're all being a little hard on the OP. Admittedly, his
endless, nonsensical, and envious tirade against "resalers" earned him
little slack (I'll deal with that stuff another time). But he poses a
legit question about a legit collecting field.

(1) As Postscript pointed out (and thanks for the heads-up), this is a
collecting field that indeed has some scholarly interest. Here's
another piece about another dictionary collector of no small
stature--Breon Mitchell, director of the Lilly Library at Indiana
University:

http://www.finebooksmagazine.com/iss...entlymad.phtml

In fact, there is (was?) a rare book dealer who specializes (to a
greater or lesser degree) in linguistics. I recall seeing their very
serious scholarly catalogues, but can't recall their name as I write
this.

Of course, the value of any particular (dictionary) collection will
depend upon all the usual factors: originality of the guiding idea,
depth of coverage, number of items, degree of rarities, interest on the
part of other people, etc.

It sounds like the OP has been pursuing his idea seriously, but he may
have fallen short of his goal due to, inter al., a lack of funds and,
more importantly, his admitted indifference to edition and other
collecting factors: no great collection (or at least one that would be
of interest to any special collections department) can be built while
settling for reprints and facsimiles and expressing a preference for
content over form.

(2) Again, the idea of giving the collection to a scholarly library is
well within the boundaries of rational collecting discourse. In fact,
there are only two things that generally eventually happen to
collections: they're sold or they're given away (usually to
institutional libraries). In fact, it's that kind of donating that has
dominated the rare book market in the 20/c, particularly as the century
wore on.

With the thousands of colleges and universities in the U.S., it doesn't
seem impossible that an appropriate donee could be found. Of course,
again, much hinges on the value of the collection--as well as on the
needs of the institution (e.g., if some small state college has a young
Turk professor currently writing a history of linguistics or
lexicography or editing a journal in such field, or if an institution
already has such a collection and sees an easy way to fill in some
lacunae, it might be much more interested in this collection).

(I think the OP is a bit confused with all that stuff about a "trust."
I assume what he's getting at is a donation agreement that would set
out the conditions for his gift, e.g., no deaccessions, shelving the
collection together, etc. His critics are right to point out that none
of those kind of conditions are likely to be acceptable to donee
institutions without the appropriate funds to back them up.)

William M. Klimon
http://www.gateofbliss.com