MHLS - Administration & Management - Small Libraries Roundtable

Small Libraries Roundtable
February 2008

Topic: Fundraising
Notes from the February Meeting @Palenville

NOTES FROM THE SESSION:

Funds for operations should come from a secure and stable source = public vote; very large endowment only two options.

Fundraising should be used to fund "extras" or large capital projects.

Annual Appeals

Increasing return:
- Don't use the same letter year after year!
- Be specific about what you are fundraising for - people like to identify where their money went and see the results.
- All agreed that enclosing a return envelope, even if there is no postage on it, increases return.
- Have trustees or friends add a handwritten note to the letter and hand address envelopes - the Tivoli Library saw an increase in donations last year when they tried this
- Don't let the appeal letter be the only communication from the library in the course of a year. You don't want the only time they hear from you to be when you want something from them.
- Send to non-users. Many libraries reported that many of their larger donors are not library users. Don't forget weekenders and seasonal home owners.
- Be strategic about the timing of the letter. Most libraries send out in the fall or closer to the end of the year. Helps catch those who are in a giving spirit around the holidays and those looking for end of the year tax deductions.
- Send thank you notes promptly and to everyone who donates. This paves the way for a donor to want to continue their relationship with you.
Keeping the costs down:
- use a indicia (or mailing permit imprint) for reduced postage
- One library shares the cost of sending out the appeal with their Friends, both the board president and Friends president sign the letter.
- bundle mailing with newsletter
  - *don't let your appeal letter be the only time residents hear from you, make sure they receive news about the library at other points during the year.
Most libraries letters are signed by the board president, others use the Friends as the originators. Never the director.
- If both the board and the Friends are fundraising they need to coordinate. One suggestion was to have a calendar that everyone agrees on so that the community is not overwhelmed with requests from the library and so things are not scheduled on top of each other.
Track donations every year in a database. This can help with generating those thank you notes and establishes a track record of giving to help target larger donors when starting a capital campaign.
If a donor designates funds for a very specific purpose be sure your accounting methods allow you to track those funds so it is easy to show when and how those funds were spent.

Capital Campaigns

Run by a committee. Greenville's capital campaign committee was made up of trustees, Friends and citizens who had specialized skills (a lawyer and grant writer). (This committee later evolved into the library's Friends Group!)
Have a timeline with events and benchmarks. Helps prevent burnout.
When other organizations are also doing capital campaigns or other major fundraising, how do libraries compete?
- tap into your users and past donors
- who knows who? make personal connections and face-to-face asks for donations
- clearly articulate through your campaign case statement what the benefits to the community are
- speak in terms of investments for the future, investments in our children, investments in our community - rarely does and organization serve as broad a cross-section of the community as the library does
"Making the Ask"
- Trustees make the ask.
- Even if a consultant has been hired a trustee should always accompany the consultant when visiting a potential major donor

Events

Work to develop event that people will look forward to year after year.
- word-of-mouth pr will take care of itself after a few years
- good example - Red Hook Friends Trivia Event & Hair of the Dog Concert
Most events shared at the meeting were run by the library's Friends Group.
Book Sales (most libraries do these)
- sorting isn't imperative, many people like to rummage
Heermance Memorial Library (Coxsackie)
- Silent Wreath Auction: decorative wreaths donated, silent auction held in conjunction with community-wide "Christmas by the River" celebration
- Coxsackie Cuisine: a version of a moveable feast fundraiser - people volunteer to cook a gourmet dinner in their homes, tickets are sold (need to know max number of seats available in the homes) usually 6-8 people per house, $60 per ticket; start at the library with hors d'oeuvres and find out which home you are going to, return to the library after dinner for dessert
Palenville Branch Library
- Musical performances - donation jar
- Art exhibits at the library, cut of sales go to the library
Greenville Public Library
- Brooks' Bar-B-Q event
Tivoli Library
- Book sale piggybacked with community-wide yard sale
  - sell donated ice cream (Ben & Jerry's; Stewarts) during community events
- Fashion Show, wine & cheese
Philmont Public Library- Restaurant Crawl
Bus Trip to NYC - breakfast on the way down baked by Friends, group dropped off in Bryant Park, wine & cheese on the way home

Grants

Best sources are local - local banks, local foundations, local charitable trusts, local legislators
Member items (from NYS legislators)
- keep legislators up-to-date with what is going on at your library, especially about space constraints and building plans
- request funds early in the year (Janauary)
- take note of trustees or Friends who donate to legislator's campaigns

Planned Giving

Planned Giving basics
brochure samples coming soon

Online Fundraising

Online Fundraising resources
Clinton Community Library trying GoodSearch.com & GoodShop.com
- director added both links to her email signature

Next Meeting: Monday, May 19th, 2008
Topic: Millennium
@NorthEast-Millerton