Request for Purchase

The Urbandale Public Library welcomes purchase suggestions from Library users. Although we may not be able to acquire everything that is requested, patron suggestions will receive serious consideration. It is important to provide as much detail as possible about the request to better help the Library locate and assess the item.

Guidelines for suggested items:

• Check the catalog to see if the Urbandale Public Library owns the item before submitting your request.
• For older books (published more than two years ago), specialized, technical, or out-of-print materials, consider placing an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request instead of a purchase request.
• Library materials are purchased 4-6 weeks before publication. Please do not request items with publication dates further out than 4-6 weeks.
• Customers are allowed to suggest up to 5 items for purchase per month.

Use the Purchase Request form to suggest items for purchase.

Self-Published Materials

The Urbandale Public Library often receives requests to add materials to the collection that are published independently, self-published, or published by a vanity press company. These requests will be reviewed on an individual basis, with preference given to local or regional authors and materials that have received positive reviews from professional sources. Materials must also meet the criteria of the Library’s Collection Development and Management Policy. An item’s availability for purchase through an established Library vendor will increase its likelihood of being added to the Library’s collection.

Send a physical copy of published work for the Library to review for selection. The Library does not accept materials in digital format. Physical copies can be sent to:

Include the following information with your submission:

• Title and a brief summary of the material
• Intended audience
• Professional reviews
• Author details, including contact information
• Publisher information
• Item description (price, ISBN, date of publication)

Due to the number of requests, the Library will not notify authors of the final decision. If an item is added to the collection, it will appear in the catalog within 90 days. Previous acceptance of an author’s work does not guarantee acceptance of future work. If an item is not accepted for the collection, the donated copy will be repurposed according to the Library’s donation guidelines.

Donation Guidelines

The Library appreciates and encourages donations of books and other materials. Donated items are Library property. Library staff determine the best way donated items can be utilized.

The library accepts the following items in good condition:

• New or used books
• Magazines, no more than one (1) year old
• Blu-rays and DVDs
• Music CDs
• Audiobooks on CD
• Video games

To allow library staff to thoroughly review items, please limit donations to two (2) bags or boxes per visit. Please bring donations to the library’s front desk.

The library does NOT accept:

• marked, yellowed, musty, or damaged materials
• textbooks
• condensed books
• encyclopedias
• medical, financial, travel, computer, or test preparation books more than five (5) years old
• non-commercially produced media
• media in outdated formats
• computer software
• equipment
• art prints

Donations of books and other materials are tax-deductible. Please ask a librarian for a receipt. Donated items may be added to the library collection, subject to the Collection Development and Management Policy.

If you are interested in making a financial contribution to the Library, please visit our Foundation page.

Reader’s Advisory Service

Library staff are always happy to introduce patrons to new authors, titles, and select works from a particular genre. The Reader’s Advisory form helps staff suggest books that match patrons’ reading tastes and habits.

Simply complete our Reader’s Advisory form and staff will get you ready for your next experience!