Working with Friends June 2, 2012

New Jersey State Library Association Trustee Institute

Herb Landau, Executive DirectorLancaster Public Library

Lancaster, Pa

Introductions

• Affiliation• Role• Interests• What You Expect to get from this Session

RIDDLE: What do Ringo Starr and public libraries have in common?

We Get By With a Little Help from Our Friends

friend [frɛnd] n

• an acquaintance or associate

• an ally in a fight or cause

• a fellow member of a party, society, etc.

• a patron or supporter • a person known well to another and

regarded with liking, affection, and loyalty; an intimate

Friend or Foe?

Friends may feel:• A lack of a clearly defined role in the library• A lack of cooperation and defensiveness from library staff and

board• A lack of appreciation by library staff and board

Library director and board may feel that Friends:

• Interfere with library governance, management or operations• May be unguided missiles not in tune with library needs and

priorities• Act like an elite group who delegate their work to library staff

Ten Commandments of a Successful Library Friends Group(from Dolnick, Sandy, ed. Essential Friends of Libraries, ALA, 2004)

1. The library director must want a Friends group

2. Library staff must be willing to work with Friends

3. All parties must realize that a time commitment is involved

4. The library must agree which of its resources will be used

5. A committed core group must exist6. The authority to which the library director reports must recognize the

Friends group

7. Communication must be open

8. All involved must realize that Friends do not make library policy9. The library must decide, in discussion with the Friends, the separate

roles and functions it wishes the group to play10. Money raised by the Friends should be disbursed according to the

library’s needs as stated by the library’s director and trustees

Organizing Your Friends Group I.-Defining Purpose

• Define your mission and vision

• Develop a constitution and set of bylaws

• Draft a Memo of Understanding with the library

Organizing Your Friends Group II.-Define Legal Statuse.g. • As an unincorporated arm of the library Board (a

committee)• As a separate 501 ( c )( 3 ) nonprofit organization (a

corporation)• Membership association• Foundation (endowment)

Organizing Your Friends Group III.-Define Leadership, Membership & Structure• Leadership

• Board (Officers) • President• Vice President • Treasurer • Secretary• Committee Chairs

• Committees• Qualifications (Position Descriptions)• Terms of office• Relationship to library management and board

• Membership• Friends vs. volunteers• Recruiting & retention

SELECTING FRIENDS LEADERSHIP

Select your Friends group’s leadership as carefully as you would your board of directors. Employ the same criteria-i.e. their ability to deliver one or more of the “IV Ws”:

1. Work2. Wisdom3. Wealth4. Wallop

Keep Communication Regular, Open and Informative

• Friends should be represented (non-voting) on board of trustees

• Trustees should be represented (non-voting) on Friends board

• Library Executive Director should attend Friends board meetings

• Agendas should reflect ALL of the above with brief reports and

meeting participation. Just being PRESENT is not enough

Organizing Your Friends Group IV.-Define Financial Practices

• How will funds be raised?• Benefit Events• Direct Solicitation• Fee Based Services

• Who receives collected funds?• Who holds funds? • Who invests reserve funds?

• Limits on reserves• Who controls use of funds?• Who pays the bills? • How are funds disbursed? • Who keeps the books, prepares financial reports and pays

taxes? • State & local sales taxes• IRS 1099 annual return• Annual audited financial statement

Friends of the Library Groups Generally Have Three Primary Purposes

• Friend Raising (creating awareness of the library and its needs) • Library Advocacy Ambassadors• Work the Meetings Circuit• Volunteer Recruiting & Training

• Fund Raising• Conduct Benefit Activities & Events • Offer Fee Based Services• Solicit Donations & Grants• Assist in Grant Writing• Solicit Funds for Memorials, Bequests & Naming• Solicit Event or Publication Sponsorships

• Helping Out at the Library• Provide Special Skills • Supplement Library Staff• Library Event Programming

Typical Library Friends Advocacy Activities

• Library Ambassadors• Public• Government• Schools• Business• Other NFPs • Community Groups

• Working the Meetings Circuit

• Education Groups• Literacy Groups• Literary Groups • Chambers of Commerce • Professional Societies • Veterans Groups • Fraternal Orders • Service Clubs (e.g. Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, etc.)

Volunteer Recruiting & Training

• Library Patrons

• Businesses • Other NFPs (e.g. schools, churches, unions,

clubs)

• Community Service Interns

Typical Library Friends Fund Raising Activities1. Benefit Activities & Events

• Book & Craft Sales• Annual Event• Store • Internet

• Adopt-a-Book• Antique Appraisal Fairs• Art Shows • Auctions• Bake Sales• Donor Appreciation Events• Fashion Shows • Flea Markets• Community Leader Receptions• Shopping Mall & Expo Exhibits• Sporting Events• Tastings• Theme Dinners • Tours and Walks• Trips & Excursions

Typical Library Friends Fund Raising Activities

2. Fee Based Services

• Book and Calendar Publishing

• Tuition Based Courses

• Exam Proctoring

• Recycling Services

• Selling “twofer” Coupon Books

• Selling Food and Drink

Typical Library Friends Fund Raising Activities

3. Soliciting Donations & Grants

• Assist Library in Soliciting Donations• Identifying Prospects• Assistance in Mailing• Follow-Up(Telephone & In Person)

• Institutional & Association Soliciting & Partnering• Service Clubs• Churches• Museums• Youth Groups• Labor Unions• Professional Associations • Schools

Typical Library Friends Fund Raising Activities

4. Assist in Grant Writing• Research • Proposal Writing • Expert Advice• Editing

5. Soliciting Funds for Memorials, Bequests & Naming • Books• Equipment• Buildings & Grounds

6. Soliciting Event or Publication Sponsorships

• Auction Catalog Ads• Story Time Refreshments • Newsletter Printing

Helping Out at the Library 1. Providing Needed Special Skills

• Accounting• Computers• Languages• Legal• Marketing• Plant Engineering• Proposal Writing• Strategic Planning

2. Supplementing Library Staff• Shelving• Circulation• Tutoring/Teaching

3. Library Event Programming• Providing Speakers• Obtaining/Donating Supplies• Ushering

Conclusion:

As Ringo said: “Yes I get by with a little help from my friends, with a

little help from my friends.”

In times of reduced library funding, a Friends group can be a valuable

resource to help you get by. But to be effective they need structure, a

clear mission, nurturing and a lot of appreciation for their critical

volunteer support.

x