When you make a gift to The Cooper Union Library, you become a stakeholder and a partner in the success of every Cooper Union student and faculty member. Your support enables us to provide the resources that educate, inform, and inspire. Moreover, your help ensures that we continue our commitment to collect, preserve, and make accessible the rich history of this storied institution, its founder, Peter Cooper, and his family. Consider a gift in support of:
If you are an alum of The Cooper Union and wish to continue borrowing materials, or you are not affiliated but interested in having ready access to our collections, please check out the options for becoming a Friend of The Cooper Union Library.
Each and every gift is greatly appreciated and makes an important difference.
With sincerest thanks,
Lisa Norberg, Library Director
Donations are incredibly appreciated and help strengthen the collections and fulfill the mission of The Cooper Union Library. However, due to the Library's limited physical size, we are only able to accept physical book donations that are of unique or distinctive value. If you believe your donation falls within that category, please let us know, and we can begin discussing the evaluation process. While we do accept rare and antiquarian books, we are not equipped to appraise or assign a value to them. Please consult a professional if you need an appraisal.
Acceptance Guidelines
Our subject specialists will determine whether a donation is appropriate and can be accepted. When a staff member accepts a donation, it becomes the property of The Cooper Union Library. The Cooper Union Library reserves the right to determine whether the gift will be retained, where it will be located, and how it will be cataloged and circulated.
Income Tax Deductions
As a donor, you may be entitled to an income tax deduction within Internal Revenue Service regulations. As required by law, you must establish the fair market value of an item contributed to a charity, but a formal appraisal is not always necessary. Appraisals must be done before the gift is transferred to the Libraries. You must file IRS Form 8283 if you claim a deduction for non-cash gifts totaling more than $500 within a calendar year. If your gift is valued at more than $5,000, you must get an appraisal by a qualified independent appraiser. The Cooper Union Library does not provide collection appraisals. The College’s Development Office will sign IRS Form 8283 for the College and send you the official receipt for IRS purposes. Where tax considerations are involved, you may wish to consult your personal attorney or tax advisor.