What kinds of books does the library want for its rare books collection housed in the Charles S. Bryan History of Medicine Room?
The library is interested in books of historical importance that are in moderate to good condition. The scope of the collection emphasizes medicine but also includes the allied sciences. Local medicine is a special interest as is the medicine of South Carolina and the southeast Atlantic region. Emphasis is on works in the English language; however, works in other languages are considered on a case-by-case basis.
How "old" does a book need to be for inclusion in this collection?
There is no specific cut-off copyright date. Generally, books copyrighted before 1900 are good candidates; however, this varies with the particular subject.
What other materials, besides books, does the library want for its Charles S. Bryan History of Medicine Room?
The library will consider adding manuscripts, instruments, illustrations, realia, and ephemera (related to medicine and the allied sciences) to the collection on a case-by-case basis.
How do I donate books to the rare books collection?
Before donating your materials, please contact Lisa McCartha (lisa.mccartha@uscmed.sc.edu) at 803-216-3208 or the Library front desk at 803-216-3200.
Donors will be provided with a Gift Acknowledgement form at the point when gifts are brought to the library. This form, which includes contact information of the donor and a brief description of the materials donated, serves as a record for tax purposes.
Upon receipt of the gift(s), it should be understood that the School of Medicine Library becomes the owner of the material and, as such, reserves the right to determine its retention, location, cataloging treatment, and other considerations related to its use, maintenance, or removal.
How can I tell the value of my donation?
The library is prohibited by law from appraising donations or assigning monetary value to gifts. If you wish to determine a value for tax purposes, you should retain an independent appraiser to evaluate your collection before donating it to the library. You may be able to determine the value of particular items using one of these Internet sites for rare and used books:
