Guidelines for Donating Rare Books

Ohio University Libraries welcomes gifts that strengthen its rare book collection and support its teaching and research missions. In particular, we collect rare and unique books which foreground, in subject or association, Ohio University’s regional context, Appalachian Ohio, and BIPOC and LBGTQIA+ communities, which have been historically silenced through erasure from the historical record.

• We reserve the right to accept or decline materials based on these and other criteria in order to ensure that the interests of Ohio University are being well served.
• Accepted material must be:
  • In good condition: clean, attached covers, intact bindings, no loose pages and no active or past damage from water or mold
  • Relevant to our curriculum, teaching and research interests.
• Areas of interest include:
  • First editions, association copies, and other early, rare or unusual editions
  • Special and limited editions and private and fine press books
  • Books that are noteworthy for their bindings, illustrations, printing techniques or other physical or structural features
  • Original or facsimile medieval manuscript materials
  • Artists' books
  • Material that is relevant, but not necessarily limited, to our collecting areas.
• Where to begin:
  • Please contact Special Collections Librarian Miriam Intrator prior to delivering any potential donation. Dr. Intrator can answer any questions you may have about the process and can help you determine whether the rare book collection is the best fit for your donation
  • Consult Your Old Books, a guide created by the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the Association of College & Research Libraries.