New Mexico State University Library

Partnering with Campus Constituents in Library Fundraising

ALADN 2005Lesley Heiser

Development Officer

New Mexico State University Library

Las Cruces, NM

Libraries embody…

Partnering with Campus Constituents

Why We Do It:

• Strengthen cross-campus relationships

• Provide continuing education on Library

• Promote and leverage Library’s cross-campus identity

• Build moral and financial support for Library

Pathway One

• Attaining Leadership and Visibility in Fundraising

• Library Staff as Rainmakers

Step-by-Step Strategies

• Staff establish library endowments that benefit colleges

• Staff serve as campus fundraising leaders on boards, committees, volunteering

• Use cross-campus roles to embody and promote diversified, “One University” approach to asking and giving

Pathway Two

• Colleges Take Lead in Library Fundraising

A. Colleges lead Library fundraising campaigns

• Benefits to College: support Library; enhance and diversify resources of academic programs; enhance and diversify visibility of academic programs; if naming opportunity, pay tribute to faculty, others

Clyde Tombaugh Archive Fundraising Project

• Personal/professional papers donated 2001—

150 linear feet• Campaign to fund dedicated archivist to process

papers of former Professor of Astronomy, discoverer of Pluto

• Opportunity to promote archives program, astronomy collections, Department of Astronomy, giving to Library

Step-by-Step Strategies

• Fundraising partnership between Library, College of Arts and Sciences

• Solicitation letter co-signed by Professor of Astronomy, Library Dean

• Initial mailing list proposed by Department of Astronomy

• Library developed mailing list, created outreach materials, conducted media work, wrote supplemental grants

B. Alumni establish lib. endowments for today’s students/faculty

• Alumni gifts to Library reinforce one of Library’s primary fundraising messages: Gift to Library supports every academic program, new idea, exciting project, student, instructor, and researcher on campus

Step-by-Step Strategies

• Reach out to alum’s past mentors, peers, and current faculty to build support for endowment

• Develop brochure with quotes from donor, faculty, mentors

• Lobby for inclusion in College mailers• Steward donor with contacts with mentors,

faculty, College and Library Deans• Continue to cultivate, solicit donor for gifts• Work with donor to develop plan to solicit gifts

from family, friends, others

Pathway Three

• Offer thrill of funding “scholarships” to Library donors

• Special project assistantships awarded to graduate students who receive professional mentoring/training to assist with library projects

Benefits to College and Library

• Benefits College by providing student support• Benefits College by providing students

professional training• Creates source of trained assistance for Library

projects• Allows Library donors and staff to experience joy

of helping and intensively interrelating with students

Step-by-Step Strategies

• Library worked with donor to identify and facilitate giving interest—great giving opportunity for major gift/planned giving prospect

• Library worked with Department of History on posting, selection of student to work with curators in Department of Archives

• Student mentored by professional archivist, completes own processing projects, presents at annual meeting of friends of archives group, where he/she acknowledges donor

From the Land of Enchantment:¡Buena Suerte!