Downsizing a Guild or Group Library?
Keep your collection in circulation. We catalogue donated titles so makers everywhere can find them.
Why Give to Fiber Arts Houston.
Guilds, shops, and studios often reach a point where the library shelf has outgrown the meeting room. Out-of-print references are the hardest part to let go, because they’re the hardest to replace.
Fiber Arts Houston is a nonprofit lending library built to real library standards. Every book is evaluated against a published curation rubric, catalogued with a full record and call number, and managed in Koha, a professional library system. Your titles stay findable in our free public catalog.
What We’re Looking For
- Out-of-print technique references, especially pre-2000
- Books in French, German, Japanese, Spanish, and other languages
- Regional and traditional pattern collections
- Guild and society publications, monographs, and exhibition catalogues
- Tools and equipment for the studio and classes (please contact us first)
How We Handle Your Donation.
Assessed When It Arrives
We assess fit against our curation rubric once materials arrive, not before you ship (unless we're doing a paid valuation project).
Acknowledged by Name
Unless you ask otherwise, every donor is acknowledged by name in the library catalog.
Nothing Wasted
Materials that don't fit the collection are either sold to fund more book and equipment acquisitions or donated to other nonprofits. If you'd like excess materials returned, just ask; return shipping is at the donor's cost.
See what we prioritize in our curation rubric. Tools and equipment: please contact us before donating so we can make space. We are not accepting yarn, thread, fiber, or fabric right now.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Our guild is downsizing its library. Can we donate the whole collection?
Yes. Tell us roughly how much there is so we can plan shipping or a pickup. There's no need to sort or list titles first: we assess fit against our curation rubric once materials arrive. Materials that don't fit are sold to fund more book and equipment acquisitions or donated to other nonprofits, and your group can ask to have them returned at its shipping cost.
Do you accept donations from guilds outside Houston or Texas?
Yes. Guilds and groups anywhere in the United States can ship to us. In the Houston area, we can schedule a pickup.
Will our members still be able to use the books?
Yes. Donated titles are catalogued in our public catalog, which anyone can search for free. Library members can borrow them in person in Houston or by mail.
Can our guild be recognized for the gift?
Unless you ask otherwise, every donor is acknowledged by name in the library catalog, so your guild's name travels with its books. We can also feature notable collections in Twist & Ply, our journal. Ask us about recognition for larger gifts.
Is a guild donation tax-deductible?
Fiber Arts Houston is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 42-2979986) and provides donation receipts. How a deduction applies depends on your organization's own tax status, so please check with your advisor.
How is this different from a guild library?
Guild libraries are a wonderful benefit of joining a guild. Ours is a library you join for the library: every fiber art in one place, with a focus on out-of-print and non-English titles, open to anyone, in person or by mail.