NESFA Library Donation FAQ

Q: What kind of donations does the NESFA library accept?
A: The NESFA library accepts donations of books, audiobooks, video discs (DVDs and Blu-rays), and magazines.

Q: What does NESFA do with the material it receives?
A: Generally, we do a quick sort for the condition of any newly received material. Anything in poor condition (mold, etc) is discarded. Afterwards, we sort by suitability. Any item that's not related to science fiction, fantasy, or horror (or which is in a format that we no longer collect, such as VHS or audio cassette) is set aside for our surplus donation table. We then check what's left against our collection. Anything we don't already have typically gets added to the library. For items already in our library, we keep whichever copy is in the best condition. All duplicates are added to the surplus donation table.

Q: How does the surplus donation table work?
A: Surplus items are set aside for members and visitors to the clubhouse. People are encouraged to donate what they feel is appropriate for the item. The money raised is then used to help fund the purchase of new items for the library. Any items left unsold after a certain amount of time are then packed to be given away at the next Boskone.

Q: Is there any kind of material the library is especially looking for?
A: We collect all sorts of material related to science fiction, fantasy, and horror. At the moment, we're especially interested in growing our video library (DVD and Blu-rays), our graphic novel collection, our art book collection, and our YA / Middle Grade collection.

Q: How do I donate to the NESFA library?
A: If you're only donating a small number of items (one box worth or less), just come by during our regular open hours (generally noon to 7 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays) and give them to the Library Committee member on duty. Please remember to check our calendar (www.nesfa.org/events) for updates before visiting or, better yet, call the clubhouse at 617-625-2311 to make sure it is open. Larger donations should be run through our donations coordinator via email at library@nesfa.org who will work out if we can take the donation and arrange for a dropoff time.

Q. Are my donations tax deductible?
A: Yes, NESFA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Please provide a mailing address with your donation to receive a Thank You letter. The value of the donation is up to you.

Q. Do you buy collections?
A: No, we do not buy collections; please locate a used book dealer if you want to sell your collections.

Q. Can you tell me if the book(s) I want to donate are already in the Library?
A: We are in the process of cataloging our library. At this time we have cataloged our videos, our young reader fiction collection, our main single author fiction collection, anthologies, and non-fiction. We are currently working on cataloging our oversized books. Still to come is work on cataloging our art books, graphic novels, non-fiction, and audio books. The list of what we have cataloged so far is available at www.tinyurl.com/NESFALibraryCatalog.

Q. Can I help with the sorting or cataloging?
A: Stop by during any of our scheduled cataloging work sessions. Please email library@nesfa.org if you want to get set up with an account and to get some introductory training beforehand.