United for Libraries’ July 27 Learning Live session will continue education on Gift Acceptance Policies

EXTON, Pennsylvania — United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue with “Gift Acceptance Policies Part 2: Advice from the Pros for Writing Your Policy” at 2 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, July 27. The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries group and Statewide members.

This session is a follow-up to June’s Learning Live, “Gift Acceptance Policies I: When ‘Free’ Isn’t Free.” Featured presenters will include Alan T. Shuckrow, shareholder at Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky, and Clare D. Membiela, library law consultant at Library of Michigan.

Find out how to craft or revise your library or group's gift acceptance policy and legal considerations associated with such policies. Participants will learn how to ensure they are prepared for navigating how to handle proposed gifts and donations. The presenters will conduct a Q&A session, so bring your questions on this topic.

Alan T. Shuckrow is a shareholder at the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania law firm Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky (“SMGG”). From 2014-2019, he served as SMGG’s president and managing shareholder and currently serves on the Executive Committee as the firm’s counsel. His experience ranges from municipal and education law to civil litigation and real estate. His clients include non-profit and for-profit organizations and governmental entities. SMGG represents the two largest libraries in the Greater Pittsburgh area.

As the library law consultant at the Library of Michigan, Clare Membiela helps public libraries understand and manage legal issues that impact library services. Before joining the Library of Michigan in 2016, Membiela was the associate director for library and instructional support for the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Libraries. Before moving to Michigan, she worked at the University of Miami Law Library as the head of reference services. Prior to her academic library work, she worked for two major law firms as a librarian in its Miami offices. She has an MLS. from Southern Connecticut State University, a JD from the University of Miami, and 30 years of law library experience. She is excited about helping public libraries by connecting them to the legal information they need.

To register for “Gift Acceptance Policies Part 2: Advice from the Pros for Writing Your Policy,” click here.

United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.