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Bettendorf Public Library Information Center  

Gifts and DONATIONS

Gifts and donations may be made to the Library in a number of ways. Memorial and Celebratory books, donations to the Library's Gift Fund or donations to the Bettendorf Public Library Foundation. The Library also accepts donations of used books and magazines.

You may want to consider donating to the Library through the Adopt-An-Author Program or Booker's Birthday Club.

The Bettendorf Public Library Fund supports the Library by seeking additional sources of funding to support and enhance the programs and services at the Library which are not included in the budget. For more information, please see the Bettendorf Public Library Foundation page.

Our Gifts Policy has details on what types of donations the Library can accept.

Adopt an Author

Yes, you can "adopt" one or more of your favorite authors! To adopt, you agree to sponsor the purchase of one copy of each title by that author for a year. You will purchase the books at cost (usually at a 40% discount). You may renew the next year if you wish.

For adopting an author, you get the privilege of being the first to check out each of your author's books. Each adopted book will have a bookplate with your name.

Authors adopted as of September 30, 2007:
  • David Baldacci
  • Dave Barry
  • Lilian Jackson Braun
  • Rita Mae Brown
  • Bill Bryson
  • James Lee Burke
  • Jonathan Carroll
  • Tom Clancy
  • Stephen Colbert
  • Larry Crabbe
  • Barbara Delinsky
  • Colin Dexter
  • Charles Dickens
  • Louise Erdrich
  • Janet Evanovich
  • Olivia Goldsmith
  • Sue Grafton (2)
  • John Grisham
  • Kevin Henkes
  • Patricia Hermes
  • Khaled Hosseini
  • Arnuldur Indridason
  • John Irving
  • P. D. James
  • Michio Kaku
  • Julie Kaewert
  • Ezra Jack Keats
  • Dean Koontz
  • Dean Koontz (CD's)
  • Elmore Leonard
  • Joseph A. McCaffrey
  • Ian McEwan
  • Sharyn McCrumb
  • Naomi Shihab Nye
  • Sara Paretsky
  • Barbara Park (Junie B. Jones)
  • Robert B. Parker
  • James Patterson
  • Gary Paulsen
  • Susan Elizabeth Phillips (unabridged books on tape)
  • Jodi Picoult
  • Lisa Randall
  • Ian Rankin
  • Kathy Reichs
  • John Ringo
  • Nora Roberts
  • J. K. Rowling
  • Ann Rule
  • David Sedaris
  • Laurence Shames
  • Darren Shan
  • Anita Shreve
  • Anne Rivers Siddons
  • Jane Smiley
  • Alexander McCall Smith
  • Alex B. Stone
  • John Straley
  • Amy Tan
  • Chih Chung Tsai

  • If you are interested in adopting an author, please print this form and return to the Library.

    Memorial and Celebratory Books

    Consider honoring someone special. Congratulate a graduate, honor an anniversary, thank a co-worker, or present a memorial.

    The Library accepts monetary donations for the purchase of Library materials to honor the memory of individuals or celebrate a special occasion. Bookplates are placed in the materials acknowledging the honoree and the donor. Notification is sent to the memorial family or the honoree, with the opportunity to reserve the material for first viewing when the item has been received and processed. For your convenience a form has been included that you may download and print. Fill in the form and return it to the library by mail, FAX or email, as indicated on the form. For questions, call the Administration Office at 563-344-4177.

    Memorial/Donation form (.pdf file)

    Gift Fund

    Donations to the Library's Gift Fund may be made at any time and in any amount. The Gift Fund is used for library materials and programming. Expenditures are approved by the Library Board of Trustees. Donations may be made in person at the Library or mailed to the Administrative Assistant, Bettendorf Public Library Information Center, 2950 Learning Campus Drive, Bettendorf, IA 52722.

    Used Books and Magazines

    Friends member sorting donations The Library accepts donations of used books and magazines. Items that meet the Library's selection policy and are in good condition are added to the collection. Other items are sold at the Friends of the Library annual book sales. Used magazines go to the Friends, who sell them in the Library's Café. For more detail on the donation of gifts, check the Library's Gift Policy.

    You may bring your donations to the Library any time the Library is open. Place items for donations in the bins across from the elevator in the lobby. If you would like a receipt, please ask at the Check-Out Desk. The Library staff is not qualified to determine the value of your donation, but they can confirm the number and type of items you donated. It will be up to you to assign a value for tax purposes.