[Publib] Budget Cuts vs Fund Raising

[Judith Turner]

Just wanted to respond to Robin Blum's suggestions about fund raising -- while I agree with Robin that libraries should be more creative when it comes to fund raising efforts, it is rarely an option when the mayor or village manager or CFO announces that the budget request for the upcoming fiscal year has to be cut by x%.

Fund raising, be it via events, booksales, foundation grants or philanthropic donations
is a long-term activity.  It is notoriously difficult to predict the success of these activities when preparing a budget 6-15 months (or whatever) in advance. Furthermore, fund raising requires ongoing effort on the part of the library director and staff, the Board members and the Friends organization, as well as careful cost accounting -- some wildly popular, seemingly successful events wind up consuming more resources than they generate in new revenues.  

Sadly, many cash-strapped municipalities are looking at the cultural organizations they formerly funded at close to 100% as potential money raisers. They refuse to recognize  that in tough economic times, discretionary spending (on fancy parties, memberships and impulse purchases of items of apparel, books and notecards, etc. ) tends to be where most people cut back first, just in response to all the gloom and doom they are hearing.

By all means, be open to the flukes of luck not to mention brillant ideas from staff and publibbers but don't count on the $$$ materializing in the time-frame that the budget cuts are required.

Sorry to be a downer today but lets all hope it's a "Happy '09"  for one and all.

Judy Turner
Whitefish Bay, WI

"Donna Noble has left the library. Donna Noble has been saved." ---- "Silence in the Library"  (Doctor Who, Season 4, Ep. 8)  


--- On Wed, 12/31/08, Robin K. Blum <info at inmybook.com> wrote:
From: Robin K. Blum <info at inmybook.com>
Subject: re: [Publib] Budget Cut lists
To: publib at webjunction.org
Date: Wednesday, December 31, 2008, 9:42 AM




 
 






Your request for
bullet-point budget cut lists made me think; not that it’s –always-
an option or an easy one, but I would advise libraries not to only think about
the bottom line by budget-cutting.   

   

Another viable option
is CREATING REVENUE for the library.  Definitely worth thinking
about.   Get creative.



      
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