Board adopts consolidated gift-acceptance policy and narrows donor naming options

The Petersburg Public Library Board voted Dec. 16 to adopt a consolidated Gift Acceptance Policy and to approve a revised donor recognition policy with one amendment: removal of section 3b, which addressed honorific naming.

Director Tara O'Huff outlined the proposed gift acceptance policy, which consolidates prior guidance on nonlibrary items, collections, monetary gifts and endowments. She told the board the policy clarifies what kinds of gifts the library will accept and the terms under which it accepts them, noting the library does not assess tax value for in-kind items and that acceptance of gifts is at the library's discretion.

Board members discussed the practical limits of continuing to name physical spaces after donors given limited wall and facility space. The proposed donor recognition revision shortens prior policy language and removes routine naming of physical spaces for large donors, while retaining alternative recognition methods (donor wall, fishing wall, named endowments). Members also debated whether to permit honorific recognition (recognizing non-monetary service) and resolved to discuss honorific naming separately at a future meeting.

The board approved the consolidated gift acceptance policy as presented and then approved the donor recognition policy as amended (with section 3b removed); both votes were taken by voice and passed with no opposition. Staff said the gift policy will be posted to the library's website once finalized.

Board members noted the library's historical context: the previous policies grew out of the 2015 move into the new library and a prior capital campaign. The revised approach aims to be clearer for donors and easier to administer in ordinary operations.