Norwell Select Board Approves Library Naming Policy

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NORWELL – The Norwell Select Board voted this month to approve a new policy governing how naming rights at the town’s public library are handled, ensuring oversight of donations and recognition opportunities.

The board reviewed the proposed guidelines during its Sept. 3 meeting. Members said the policy was designed to keep the board involved in decisions about library naming rights, especially when significant donations are offered.

Town Counsel Bob Galvin said the changes give library trustees room to raise money while ensuring the town retains final oversight.

“I thought that this policy needed to reflect your overall oversight of that,” Bob said. “Because you might find somebody that stands for something that…the town doesn’t stand for that has a lot of money and wants to name something after somebody. You don’t want to be in a position where you can’t say no.”

Galvin also noted the importance of clarifying how donations are valued, particularly when gifts are made in kind.

He went on to explain that large donations can sometimes be offered as gifts in kind, with donors assigning their own value to what they provide. In those cases, he said, the town could be placed in an unfair position if the donor’s estimate is far higher than its actual worth. To prevent that, Galvin suggested requiring donors to provide a professional appraisal, at their own expense, so the value is clear and reasonable.

Galvin added that accepting a gift should not be seen as an endorsement of any product or business.

The timing of the policy aligns with an upcoming library fundraiser, where naming opportunities are expected to be offered. 

The policy passed unanimously.