Donating Materials
Thomas Cooper Library and Circulating Collections
Gift items such as books and journals have traditionally been a valuable way for us to expand and strengthen our holdings. We are, however, unable to accept most items offered for the general circulating collections due to limited staff time and space, and the costs involved in sorting and processing materials.
Please note that all in-kind gifts to the Thomas Cooper Library and circulating collections are subject to the following policies:
- We will only consider items that support the research and teaching needs of faculty and students at the University of South Carolina.
- We do not duplicate titles already held.
- Once an item is donated, the material becomes the property of the State of South Carolina, and its disposition is determined by the University Libraries.
- By law, we are unable to provide a monetary value for any donated materials.
If you have materials that could benefit the main library and/or circulating collections, please contact Tonia Simpson at 803-777-1252 or tonia@mailbox.sc.edu.
If your prospective donation does not meet the above criteria, we invite you to consider
these alternative recipients:
Better World Books
The Richland Library Friends and Foundation
The Salvation Army
Special Collections
Many rare and unique materials have been donated to the University Libraries Special Collections over the years. We welcome inquiries from individuals or organizations interested in adding to the holdings. All of the Special Collections librarians listed below are committed to working together and will make referrals as appropriate.
The Government Information & Maps Department is a depository for United States and European Union official publications and information resources. The department has a small early collection of United Nations materials. The map collection focuses on cartographic resources of the state of South Carolina and to a lesser extent the southeastern United States. To contact Department Head Bill Sudduth, call 803-777-1775 or email sudduthw@mailbox.sc.edu.
The Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections holds more than 275,000 items and 50 archival collections, ranging from early medieval manuscripts and incunabula to historical scientific works and modern literature. Broad collecting areas include:
- American, British, Scottish and children’s literature
- History, religion and philosophy
- Natural history and science
- the book arts
- the history of sports, in particular college sports.
To contact Director of the Irvin Department Elizabeth Sudduth, call call 803-777-5487 or email esudduth@mailbox.sc.edu.
In support of the mission of the University of South Carolina, Moving Image Research Collections (MIRC) preserves films and videos produced outside the American feature film industry, making them available to present and future audiences. We have five major collecting areas for films:
- Newsfilm
- Regional
- Science and nature
- Chinese
- Military
To contact Assistant Director at MIRC Lydia Pappas, call 803-777-3791 or email mirc@mailbox.sc.edu.
The Music Library primarily collects music materials including books, scores, sound recordings (in many formats) and periodicals. The Music Library also serves as the repository for the departmental records of the School of Music's Bands Department and for the papers of several former professors.
Other highlights include autographed first editions of Massenet operas, archival material of composers Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Henry Cowell, and extensive collections of 19th and 20th century sheet music. For more information about donating materials, contact Music Library Head Ana Dubnjakovic at 803-777-5425 or email ana@mailbox.sc.edu.
The Department of Oral History creates, preserves and makes available a growing collection of voices from South Carolina and beyond on a diverse range of topics from education to military service to historic events and more. The office partners with students and faculty in the classroom, and with community organizations doing oral history projects. To contact Oral Historian Andrea L’Hommedieu, call 803-777-3133 or email alhomme@mailbox.sc.edu.
South Carolina Political Collections supports the study of contemporary government and society by collecting and making available archival materials and oral histories documenting South Carolina government and political activities at the local, state and national levels. The collections include manuscripts, electronic records, and audiovisual materials documenting the activities of South Carolina’s leaders in Congress and the General Assembly, the state’s political parties, and others playing substantive roles in politics and government.
To contact SCPC Director Dorothy Walker, call 803-777-0577 or email scpc@mailbox.sc.edu.
The South Caroliniana Library is one of the premier research archives and special collections repositories in the state of South Carolina and the southeastern United States. The library's holdings of South Carolina documentary materials are essential to the understanding of the state’s role in American history over the last three hundred years.
For questions related to manuscripts, books, newspapers, visual materials, and University Archives contact sclref@mailbox.sc.edu or call 803-777-3132.
Naming Opportunities
Naming opportunities exist in many areas of the University Libraries. Of special interest are the Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library and the South Caroliniana Library. Opportunities are also available in the Thomas Cooper Library, the Music Library, and the Library Annex.
Areas to Support
Acquisitions
Materials must constantly be purchased to meet the demands of the university’s evolving curriculum and research needs. From a few thousand books, the libraries’ holdings now number into the millions. New acquisitions of books, journals, periodicals, maps, documents and films provide new sources for research by students, faculty and visiting scholars.
Electronic Resources
For years, the University of South Carolina has been a leader in the use of information technology through its pioneering work in distance education, online library catalog, and electronic academic databases. Today, the resources of University Libraries are available to students and faculty at any time and from any location, and new technologies have emerged to transform the nature of higher education in the 21st century. Electronic database purchases and maintenance, and the digitization of existing material are a part of the modern library’s ongoing expenses.
Preservation
The university’s commitment to the conservation of materials covers items as old as 15th century maps, the first three books purchased by the library in 1802, and Twentieth Century Fox Movietone News film reels. The ravages of time, moisture, and host of other enemies will reduce our treasured resources to dust if they are not cared for by experts who understand their value, know how to preserve them, and keep them accessible.