Posts by Kim Horton
52 Fresh Blog Ideas for a Full Year of Content
The idea of starting a blog can be intimidating. Some people fear that writing just takes too much time, that there’s no guarantee that anyone will even read the posts, and that coming up with new ideas on a regular basis is a job in and of itself. It doesn’t have to be this hard.…
Read MoreOnline Resources Every Library Should Consult
As any library director or system administrator will tell you, keeping a public library running entails a bewildering number of day-to-day responsibilities. With so much to do, and so little time left over for “big picture thinking,” it’s quite common to lose sight of what is going on in Libraryworld beyond your own service area.…
Read MoreTrends Shaping Today’s Libraries (Part 4)
(Read our Part 1 of our Library Trends Series!) (Read our Part 2 of our Library Trends Series!) (Read our Part 3 of our Library Trends Series!) ——— Whether you are conducting strategic planning, embarking on a capital campaign, or on the hunt for a new library executive with credentials perfectly suited to the role,…
Read More10 Quick Tips for Energizing Your Annual Campaign
The annual fall campaign remains the cornerstone on which strong fundraising efforts are built. Yet, sending out more or less the same direct mail letter year after year can get stale. Here are 10 ideas for ways to put some new life into your annual fund campaign this fall: 1. Secure a matching gift for…
Read MoreThe Next Wave of Corporate Support
Corporations and businesses can be great supporters and contributors to your Library and fundraising efforts. Today, corporate giving is taking on some new directions and fundraisers are shifting the approach to businesses. Traditionally, many larger corporations have foundations with active philanthropic giving, often with specified areas of focus targeted at community needs. More local businesses…
Read MoreWe’ll be at PLA, Let’s Chat!
If you’re attending PLA this month, make sure to let us know! Library Strategies Director, Stu Wilson, and Principal Consultant, Peter Pearson, will be attending this year’s conference in Philadelphia. Both Stu and Peter would love to chat with you and talk about how Library Strategies can help you advance your library or support organization.…
Read MoreFacets of Diversity: Inclusion as an Asset
Diversity is a major issue today for our country, communities and, of course our libraries. As our service areas are changing and growing, inclusion of individuals from our various communities within our communities is vitally important. Diversity should focus on race and ethnicity, but age, gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, disability, experience, background & expertise,…
Read More5 Simple Ways to Connect Your Boards
Most libraries have multiple boards. To be sure, the governing or funding boards are the most important as they determine the operations and future of the library, but support boards, such as the Friends and Foundation boards, can play a vital for the library as well. It is important to have clear roles and responsibilities…
Read MoreAn IDEA for Building Board Diversity
For today’s libraries, addressing diversity and inclusion is more important than ever. Representation of the cross-section of our communities is important throughout our organizations, including our library, foundation, and Friends boards. An I.D.E.A. process to build board diversity includes Identifying/Informing, Developing, Energize/Empowering, and Activating steps. Step 1 – Identify diversity and inform your board and…
Read MoreIntroducing Beth Burns & Stu Wilson
Greetings! I am writing today to both introduce myself and share some great news about a colleague well known to many of you, Stu Wilson. I recently celebrated my one-year anniversary as president of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, the foundation for the nationally renowned Saint Paul Public Library system and home…
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