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Fun & Funky Funding Ideas
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
In hard financial times, we can never be too ambitious or creative in developing our funding stategies. Let's use this thread as a place to collect ideas on things that have worked for our libraries - and that other folks might be able to borrow.
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RE: "Parking" Meter at White Pine
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
To reply to my own post...
As discussed in this month's library of the month article, White Pine Public Library has a "parking meter" in front of their circulation desk that collects change from the patrons. They use the change to buy big ticket items that aren't usually covered by technology grants. Fabulous idea. I wonder who thought of it?
I know there are more little nuggets out there. Tell, tell...
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RE: Commercial Wish Lists
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
Has anyone ever used "wish lists" in the amazon style to do a Tech Drive for their library?
Check out this [url http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/PR/pr050803buyabookdonors.html ]press release[/url] from the Oakland Public Library about how successful their online collections drive was - and how it solicited donations the world over!
What if DiscounTech (or the like) were to add this type of thing as a service/feature for non profits and libraries. Then people could just get on those wish lists (for the lib's or np's in their community) and purchase items as donations out of the goodness of their hearts...could it work?
Interesting idea, and could also be community specific...
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RE: RE: Commercial Wish Lists
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
Here's the link to a library in NY doing "donate a book" forms from their home page. Not quite the same thing, but a related option...
[url http://www.nassaulibrary.org/emeadow/ ]http://www.nassaulibrary.org/emeadow/[/url]
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RE: RE: Commercial Wish Lists
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
This post has been moved by an administrator. It was originally posted by ATREDDIN on Jun 05, 2003.
Traditional Registries can be set up for libraries as "wish lists" at many online vendors sites, like Amazon.com. If your trustees support this, it requires regular maintenance, but potential great additions to your collections and equipment.
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RE: Book Sales, Raffles, or Auctions
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
This post has been moved by an administrator. It was originally posted by ATREDDIN on Jun 16, 2003.
When facing a fundraising event, sometimes the basics are the best beginnings. Libraries across the country use the traditional book sale, raffles, and/or auctions (including silent) to raise money. The biggest delimma is the logistical planning and finding someone to chair.
[url http://www.brantford.library.on.ca/helpus.shtml ]http://www.brantford.library.on.ca/helpus.shtml[/url]
[url http://www.ci.arlington.tx.us/libraries/ ]http://www.ci.arlington.tx.us/libraries/[/url]
[url http://www.princeton.lib.nj.us/friends/booksale.html ]http://www.princeton.lib.nj.us/friends/booksale.html[/url]
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RE: Friends Group
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
This post has been moved by an administrator. It was originally posted by CCELLER on Jun 18, 2003.
Having a "Friends" group is a great assett as well.
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RE: Fun
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
Okay, here's an idea that I borrowed from the NW Aids Foundation:
They have an annual "Dine Out for Life" event, in which participating restaurants agree to donate some part of their profits from a designated evening. All that people who want to support the cause have to do is go out for dinner. How painless is that? There are donation cards on every table in case they get motivated (after a couple of glasses of wine) to contribute even more. The restaurants love the business, and the patrons have a great time.
So why not have a "Take Your Library to Dinner" event? You would need to enlist the help of local restaurants, advertise with posters and radio spots, but beyond that the initial investment is minimal. I'm not in any position to try this, but maybe someone else will.
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RE: RE: Fun
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
I think that's a good idea.
I'm now at a new library (Lake Villa, IL) and just met a few of the Chamber of Commerce people yesterday. I can see doing this for the library foundation we have, especially if we've a target project.
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RE: RE: RE: Fun
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
If you manage to put this plan into action, I would really like to hear how it worked - for better or for worse.
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RE: Take Your Library to Dinner
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
Betha,
LOVE it. And I'd just love the library excuse to go out to dinner!
I can also vouch for the success of the Dine Out for Life event. It's now a mainstay in our community, everybody gets really into it, and it's a whole bunch of fun.
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RE: RE: RE: RE: Fun
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
I don't know when -- but there's a great need to expand our local history collection and no one in the township currently interested in doing it. I can see kicking off a local history group -- with the mission being to purchase a "planetary" microfilm camera for the library. The idea here is to get church bulletins and such out of basements and on to archival quality film.
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RE: RE: Take Your Library to Dinner
7:26 PM EDT 10/9/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
I learned just today of this event put on by a non-profit children's literacy program. They call it [url http://www.pageahead.org ]Book Plates: Lunching for Learning.[/url] It's the same idea.
It's happening tomorrow (Wednesday), if you're in the neighborhood.
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RE: RE: Friends Group
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
I had little idea how beneficial a "friends group" could be until I visited the website of [url http://www.folusa.org ]The Friends of the Library USA.[/url] I think I found the motherload of fun and funky fundraising ideas.
Scroll down to the "Idea Bank" and just start exploring. My favorite idea is from the Upland, CA Friends Group -- their "Simply Sinful Samples" chocolate tasting bash. People paid to taste a huge variety of chocolate treats, including chocolate enchiladas.
Who says food and libraries don't mix?
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RE: Fun and fundraising
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
We are germinating an idea now: a cookbook!
So far, we are calling it The Hungry Librarian, as we always seem to need snacks. At this stage, we are planning to design a page to be handed out to patrons, and they can decorate the parameter, while offering us a great recipe for the center. It does help to have an artist onstaff...but not necessary. We hope to amass the recipes and sell the books. One staffmember even owns a bookbinder of sorts. Voila! We are targeting Mother's Day as the saletime.
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RE: RE: Fun and fundraising
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
This is a great idea made even better by inviting the community into the project.  Everybody likes a new cookbook, so they should be easy to sell. And it?s an ongoing fundraiser, not just a one shot effort. Our moderator, Jim Swan, has a whole chapter on cookbooks in his book, Fundraising for Libraries. He says there are publishers who specialize in fundraising cookbooks, if the job gets too overwhelming for your in-house bookbinder. Find them on the Internet by searching for "cookbook publisher" & "fundraising" and request a getting started kit for pricing and binding options. Another tip from Jim for how much to charge for your cookbook: "If no one complains about the price, you are probably not charging enough." Remember that the community *wants* to support their library, so capitalize (within reason) on this generous spirit. Bon appetit!
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RE: RE: Fun and fundraising
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
Welcome to the conversation, Joyce! It's good to see you on the board.
You'll have to come back and tell us how your cookbook goes over, and if anybody complains about the price!
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RE: RE: RE: Fun and fundraising
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
We just got the word that our trustees are finally really interested in a Friends group, $3.00 to join, and they can do fundraising. We are starting Cans for Fines soon, continuing thru March.
We just stopped charging for residential library cards, but will continue to charge those free-loading outta towners.
My director tells us she has written 12 grant requests so far, and is like a terrier, searching for more.
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RE: Library Uses Internet to Sell Old Books
12:39 PM EDT 10/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
Here's an [url http://www.abebooks.com/docs/CompanyInformation/PressRoom/techNewsWorldDec12003.pdf ]article about using the Internet to weed & sell old books[/url], and raise a little cash in the process!
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RE: RE: RE: RE: Fun and fundraising
3:03 PM EDT 6/20/04
as a reply to Chrystie Hill.
One of the best and most profitable fundraisers that we had was "Guess who's coming to Dinner" to celebrate the library's anniversary. We and the local museum were able to get the services of the "Young Chatauqua", a group of young people in the state who research and perform in costume historical persons. We charged $10.00/person or $15.00/couple. We also were able to have a local restaurant cater the buffet dinner. The "historical characters" interacted with the diners in character and the diners had to guess who they were. The person who guessed the most correct received a prize. The library was filled to the brim with people of all ages and it was great fun. Absolutely a success.
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