Initiative Review Group X Progress Report April 30, 2001

Develop an endowment and fund-raising program to help support collections, staffing, and capital resources.

Members:

Ellen Compton, chair; Norma Mosby-Johnson, secretary; Ann-Marie Candido, Melissa Gatlin, Steve Chism, Michael Dabrishus (liason)

MEETINGS: We have met four times since March 30. We set agendas and did "homework." Meetings lasted approximately one hour each.

ACTIVITIES: Michael Dabrishus was with us for the first meeting. He gave a review of our libraries' gifts and development efforts, past and present, including the University Development Office's upcoming campaign and the Libraries role in it.

Based on Michael's experience in gifts/development/fund-raising, we adjusted the definitions of our charge statement. As we interpret our work, we are considering initiatives for a full-fledged gifts program that certainly includes fund-raising and endowments, but also gifts-in-kind and activities that surround a gifts program. To this end, we refer to "gifts" rather than "fund-raising" in our reports.

We established a "reference box," which is currently kept in Special Collections, where we keep ideas and descriptions of gift programs at other academic libraries.

In subsequent meetings we proceeded to create a list of initiatives for the final report. The initiatives fall into categories as follows: 1)identifiying library needs that would be supported by gifts 2) staffing for a gifts program including a full time gift officer and support staff 3)raising the profile of the University Libraries in both our campus and public outreach 4)donor recognition activities and 5)budget issues. Specific actions, events, and positions were discussed for each category.

Needs included more print and electronic resources. endowments for positions and collections, and expansion of library space. Staffing included the use of certain current employees for specific assignments. Raising the profile and donor recognition included publications, book-sales, cultural events, and a Friends group. Budget concerns included the partnership with Univerity Development to help pay for events, personnel, training, and travel. It was noted more than once that money will have to be spent to make money.

Our work in May will be to pull all the information we have gathered into our final report.