CGSI Library Donations Policy

Library Donation Policy

CGSI maintains library materials pertaining to genealogical research and creating an interest in ancestry and heritage among descendants of ethnic groups that comprised the former nation of Czechoslovakia, including Bohemian (Czech), German-Bohemian (Bohmisch), Hungarian, Moravian, Ruthenian (Rusyn), Silesian, Slovakian, and those of Jewish ancestry.

Types of holdings that are accepted:

1. Family Histories - Books must be bound or have coiled or combed binding. No loose-leaf papers or 3-ring binders.
2. Maps - Historical, military or cadastral maps. No atlases or car/hiking maps.
3. Books in the following categories - Culture, biography, census, fraternal organizations, gazetteers, history, military, religion, research, villages, and ethnic settlements in the United States. English books are encouraged.
4. Periodicals - Based on the need to fill in incomplete subscriptions or replace wornout copies of the following publications; Hospodar, Amerikan Narodni Kalendar, Hlastel Kalendar and Katolik Cesko-Ameriky Kalendar.
5. Photographs/Slides - Must be scanned and submitted on a CD. Include an inventory.
6. Papers/Articles -Must be bound, no loose-leaf papers.

The donation process:

• All donations, large and small, must be pre-approved. No drop-offs will be accepted without prior approval.
• A list must be submitted with the following item information: title, author, year published, name of donor, and email address or mailing address.
• The list can be emailed to library@cgsi.org or mailed to: CGSI c/o Librarian, PO Box 16225, St. Paul, MN, 55116
• The list of item(s) will be reviewed, and a return response either by email or letter will indicate which items have been accepted for donation. The email/letter will contain further instructions on how to get the item(s) to the library. A copy of this email/letter must be included with the donated items when they are received at the library.
• CGSI does not provide an estimate of the value of donated items. If the donor requires a valuation for IRS purposes, the donor will need to have an outside appraisal prior to donating the items.
• CGSI reserves the right to dispose of any donated item that does not meet the library’s parameters.

The above is CGSI Policy #20, established on October 16, 2012.