Raising funds

The Bottom Line

ISSN: 0888-045X

Article publication date: 1 December 2000

165

Keywords

Citation

Fitzsimons, E. (2000), "Raising funds", The Bottom Line, Vol. 13 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/bl.2000.17013dab.002

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2000, MCB UP Limited


Raising funds

Raising funds

Keywords Public libraries, Bonds, Local government, Collection management, Auctions, Fund-raising

Dateline: Spokane, Washington

Libraries have numerous strategies for acquiring the funds needed to provide high quality service to their users. Although rarely a first choice, selling parts of the collection to protect and promote use of other sections of the collections is one way. This is the route the Spokane (WA) Public Library has chosen. The library will auction off 1,630 books, including some valuable art books, hoping to raise at least $500,000 to use to display its Fuller Collection of rare books. The books that are to be sold are from a lesser collection and include some cumbersome volumes for which the library does not have adequate storage or display cases. Although not as valuable as the items in the Fuller Collection, some of the books, folios, and multi-volume sets to be auctioned off are themselves quite valuable. For example, a collection of drawings from the Holy Land by David Roberts, a nineteenth century Scottish artist, has been appraised at $40,000. The proceeds from the auction will be used for library improvements, in particular display cases for the Fuller Collection. Among the prize holdings are a page of the Gutenberg Bible and a first edition of the Lewis and Clark journals. The 1,690-title Fuller Collection is currently accessible only to credentialed researchers, with a few books on rotating displays. The decision to sell the books was not an easy one and took several years. "It would be great if we could keep the whole collection, but public libraries are not museums," said Library Director Aubrey George. "The idea is: We have this, it's not being used, it's not doing anything for the public now and we can use the funds to better display what we do have." Dianne Brown, one of the library trustees, compared the auction to the book sales that the library holds from time to time. "It's a weeding process, but instead of looking at quarter-a-piece paperbacks, you're looking at other sorts of items." The books will be sold through Christie's East auction house prior to the Boston Book Fair, October 13-15 (http://www.spokane.net/news-story.asp?date=070600&ID=s823065).

Dateline: Newtown, Pennsylvania

However, not every auction is tolerated, even when it benefits the library. When the directors of the 240-year-old private Newtown (PA) Library Company decided to auction off two seventeenth century chairs that once belonged to William Penn, the decision was met with strong community protest. To appease the community, the board voted to launch a fund-raising drive to raise the $1 million needed for basic repairs to the library, hiring a librarian, and implementing a new, Internet connection. If they raise the money by year's end, the library will keep the chairs. If not, the chairs will be sold at Sotheby's New York. Library President Philip Hagan told the Philadelphia Inquirer that after announcing the sale he was stopped in shops and on the street by Newtown residents. "People are very passionate about the history of this town," he observed. The chairs, which are maple-and-leather and built in Philadelphia in 1685, were originally used in the county courthouse. In 1812, when the courthouse no longer needed the chairs, the library received them for free (http://www.ala.org/alaonline/news/2000/000710.html).

Dateline: Huntley, IL

The Huntley (IL) Area Public Library District went high tech in selling the library building that it replaced in July 1999. The 1,500 sq.ft building, originally a dentist's office purchased by the library in 1992, was on http://www.ala.org/alonline/news/2000/000612.html).

Dateline: Simi Valley, CA

To support ongoing maintenance, the Reagan Presidential Library has simply decided to name a fund-raiser as its director. R. Duke Blackwood, who will be the fourth director in the library's nine years, is currently a fund-raiser for the University of California. Blackwood has a background as a political consultant with a specialty in fundraising and public relations. He assumed the position on June 19 (http://www.ala.org/alaonline/news/2000/000522.html).

Dateline: San Francisco, CA

Of course, there are always the traditional bond measures and referenda. For example, the Friends and Foundation of the San Francisco Public Library presented a proposal for a $129 million bond measure in November to rehabilitate 19 of the district's 26 branches, rebuild four and add one new branch facility. In addition, the monies would build a $14.8 million, system-wide technical support center to free needed space in the main library and contribute $5 million toward renovating an underground storage area to house the city archives, which the library maintains. Acting City Librarian, Susan Hildreth told San Francisco Chronicle reporters, "The bond measure really would bring the library system into the twenty-first century." The city supervisors must approve the measure by July 28 if it is to be on the November 7 ballot (http://www.ala.org/alaonline/news/2000/000710.html).

Dateline: El Paso, TX

On May 6, El Paso (TX) voters passed a $26 million library bond issue to improve the public library system. In addition to supporting building renovation and new construction, the funds will be used for materials and technology. The library does not provide any public Internet access and such service will now be a top priority in its new endeavors (http://www.ala.org/alaonline/news/2000/000710.html).

Dateline: Minneapolis, MN

On June 7, following a funding plan announced in August 1999, the Minneapolis (MN) Public Library board submitted a request to the city for a referendum in November to raise money for a new downtown library. Although the specific amount has not yet been determined, estimates have been in the $126 million range, depending on the site chosen. An amendment to the proposal left open the possibility of the measure's including up to $29 million for renovated branch libraries or to build new branches. According to the June 8 Minneapolis Star Tribune, recent polling data suggest that the public supports branch improvements more than a new main library (http://www.ala.org/alaonline/news/2000/000710.html).

Eileen FitzsimonsFitzsimons Editorial Services

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