Posts by Kim Horton
3 Keys to a Developed Board
All library affiliated boards need to grow and develop on an annual basis. As individual members and as a group, they need regular training, review of policies and responsibilities, and additional perspectives for future planning and directions. Three keys can help you develop your board on a regular basis. Key 1: Board Orientation – Certainly…
Read MoreOur Newest Consultants
With the new year, we are excited to announce two new additions to our roster of experienced consultants. This year Sally Gardner Reed and Christine Watkins will officially join our team. Library Strategies is committed to recruiting the best and brightest library leaders and experts across the county to work with our clients, helping fulfill…
Read MoreBoards are People, Too
Too often we think of our boards – Library, Friends, Foundation, and others – as units that operate as a whole. Yet we all know that boards are made up of diverse individuals with unique perspectives, talents, and interests. It is worthwhile to think often about the “people-side” of our boards, and nurture the needs…
Read MoreIntroducing Library Strategies’ New Director
It is bittersweet that we announce Sue Hall will be retiring as Director of Library Strategies at the end of the month. We are excited for Sue and the new journeys that lie ahead, but will miss her great sense of humor, leadership, and dedication to improving libraries across the country. We are pleased to…
Read More10 Quick Tips for Growing Your Friends & Foundation
1. Diversify activities beyond book sales, into such area as special events, advocacy, PR, etc. 2. Get social – hold “friend-raising” events for different targeted age groups (i.e., the local brewpub) 3. Activate professional development training for your board 4. Increase the “ask” and expectations of your Friends and foundation 5. Move beyond the Library…
Read More10 Tips for a Great Annual Fund
There is one type of fundraising that virtually every Friends or Library Foundation should be doing: it’s called the Annual Fund and it is truly the cornerstone of all fundraising activities. The concept is simple. The Annual Fund is a letter writing appeal to your members and donors (individuals; not corporations) requesting a contribution to…
Read MoreFour Types of Board Members – And Why You Should Recruit Each
When a Friends or Foundation board looks for new directors, it can be tempting to prioritize deep pockets over all else. It’s an understandable impulse. After all, fundraising is a major part of our “raison d’être.” Moreover, as we’ve said before, you should strive for a 100 percent Board donor rate. Even so, board donations…
Read MoreAttracting and Retaining Young Donors
Nearly 85 percent of employed Millennials (age 18-34) donated to a charitable cause last year, according to a recent Millennial Impact Report. That’s impressive in itself – and doubly so when you factor in that America’s youngest working generation is also its largest. Eighty-five percent of Millennials translates to something like 67 million donors! Furthermore,…
Read More10 Traits of a Successful Foundation President
At Library Strategies, we’ve had the privilege of working with countless foundation executives. It’s no surprise to anyone to learn that some of these executives are extremely successful at what they do and others may not be. What sets the really good executives apart from their less successful peers? 1) Passion for the Mission…
Read MoreStrategic Planning for the Folks Who Raise the Money
Friends and foundations need a plan as much as the library does. All too often, however, these organizations operate from year to year with no direction or plan in place. So, it’s time to think about development planning! Development planning is strategic planning for the support organizations that raise funds for their libraries. A development…
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