Saving America’s Libraries: Changing the Model for Public Library Funds Development

PDF Report commissioned by LSSI and other key library leaders from Lewis/Kennedy Associates, a fund-raising consultancy with a long history of working with both public broadcasting and public libraries. Detailed background information plus detailed business plan for libraries interested in getting started with plural funding.

The report looks at how libraries could supplement and diversify their revenues by taking advantage of plural funding strategies long used by National Public Radio, museums, colleges and universities, zoos, and virtually every other non-profit cultural and educational institution in our communities.

June 17, 2004 by Uncategorized 3

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3 Responses

  1. rochelle says:
    June 17, 2004 at 5:12 pm

    ALA/Walgreens partnership
    Right now, there’s a fast and furious discussion on the ALA Council list going on about ALA’s corporate partnership with Walgreens, which was developed to help get the word out about the new Medicaid prescription card. Not only are many councilors upset about aligning ourselves with a particular corporation, but stories are starting to come in from libraries who are refusing to put out the ALA/Walgreens brochure with info about the new cards, because they don’t want to be seen as promoting Walgreens. There were similar, although fewer, reactions to the ALA/Borders partnership. It’s something that is sure to come up during Council next week. (I’ll try and let y’all know via my journal, in case you’re interested in seeing some good Council debate).

    As someone who does library programming and seeks out local partners to help underwrite the programs, and as someone who is interested in eventually moving into development or fundraising, I am very interested in the reactions to the LSSI article. My personal opinion is that partnerships will become more of a necessary evil for libraries if funding levels, but I would hope that ALA, or someone, develops guidelines. There should be no soul-selling involved in these relationships. Mutual backscratching, but not at the risk of libraries losing their credibility.

    Reply
  2. Pete says:
    June 17, 2004 at 10:37 pm

    Re:NPR/Kroc fortune
    Here is an example of NPR benefiting from such relationships; http://www.jsonline.com/enter/tvradio/jun04/236866 .asp
    In a nutshell, NPR increases the service it provides to listeners through this $225m gift and in all likelihood adds new listeners who turn into pledgers. Imagine what your library or library system could do for your user community with access to even a small percentage of what NPR received. I agree that ALA should proceed with caution and establish rigorous guidelines for such partnerships, but to turn our backs on alternative funding sources in this day and age is suicidal.

    Reply
  3. nbruce says:
    June 18, 2004 at 1:04 am

    Saving the libraries
    The schools weren’t improved by accepting lottery money; church colleges were not improved and have no freedom after accepting government money. Libraries need to do a better job of convincing the public (the taxpayers) that they are important so that bond issues pass.

    They could take a page from Levi-Strauss who hired a Pennzoil exec to market blue jeans, not because he knew anything about fashion and retail, but because he knew how to get his product into Wal-Mart. Maybe libraries need to hire people who know the community they want to reach instead of casting about in all sorts of issues that librarians love, but which alienate the voters.

    Reply

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