You’ve Got a Friend Friends Groups that Work

Michael Bacon, CFRE & Marion Lee, CFREBacon, Lee and Associates

Texas Library Association ConfereceApril 14, 2010

www.baconlee.com

Libraries…

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends: they are the most accessible and wisest of counsellors,

and the most patient of teachers. --Charles W. Eliot

Dynamics of Friends Groups

Community strengthening: serving as a conduit for a variety of community and library needs

.Programs: teaching reading, computer literacy,

career strategies, ESL, gardening, health, arts and cultural and more.

Increase Card Holders: increasing circulation by educating neighbors about the importance of being a library card-holder.

Friends Groups provide a number of needed services for the library:

Dynamics of Friends Groups

Collection Development: raising funds for books, CDs, videos, periodicals and computer programs that serve neighborhood needs as well as small capital needs. Friends also become the prime recipient of planned gifts.

Volunteer Opportunity: augmenting library staff and receive valuable work experience.

Advocacy: increasing the visibility of the library as a vital part of the community and acting as powerful advocates with city and county governments

Structure of Friends Groups

Frequently sole fundraising arm for central library/branch libraries prior to creation of Library Foundation

Should be incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) Representative member on Library Board Mission should support that of the library Purpose of the organization should be well defined Leadership and membership should be

representative of the community

Structure of Friends Groups

Define dues structure and acknowledgement process

Outline committee structure Above all a good working relationship and

communication structure with the librarians should be in place

Develop fundraising practices: book sales, raffles, etc.

Who should be included?

Make sure you are aware of who will be making the library decisions.

Examples of those who may need to be included: Librarians Members of local neighborhood associations City, County government representatives Rotary Club, Lions Club, Garden Club members Local business owners

Working with Other Stakeholders

Librarians and other staff Library Board members Library Foundation staff and board City/County Government

Classic Obstacles

Library budgetChange in library staffAddition of new entity such as a library

foundationSignificant event in the growth of the libraryLoss or change in mission of the FriendsLoss or change in leadership within Friends

What have you experienced?