 Libraries Fundarising Using the
Internet
Libraries and Fundraising - New Articles and Presentations
December 2003 - Saving Ourselves: Alternative
or Adventuresome Funding Strategies Session - Internet Librarian 2003 - Powerpoints Slides - Discussing the declining budgets
and the need for libraries to respond and thrive by fundraising.
February 2003 - An Introduction to
Academic Library Fundraising - OLA SuperConference - Joy McNevin, Development Officer, Queen's University Libraries;
Susan LeBlanc, Advancement Officer, James A. Gibson Library, Brock University. PowerPoint Slides
The Woodland Public Library in California has opened Shop for the Library, a
fundraising venture featuring over 200 merchants. Find out why Woodland started its store (Article Retrieved via Wayback Machine).
Some Examples
Online Fundraising
Since spring 2000, we noticed a growing interest
and demand from librarians to know more about the fundraising opportunities
using affiliate and other revenue-generating programs on the web.
If you are interested in having a workshop or presentation
for your library association, board or staff - contact
us. Peter Scott has given a number of presentations to librarians
on this topic.
Top Fundraising Ideas for Libraries
One of the most reliable affiliate programs on the web is Commission
Junction. You sign-up, get your site approved, and then select from their
2000+ advertisers and services and run their offers on your site.
Find out more:
Commission JunctionText Ad.
Steps to sign-up:
- Go to the CJ site and click on CJ Marketplace Publisher application at the bottom of the page.
- Search for programs that you like, by topic or keyword, and request
specific ads. Each advertiser will review your request and approve or
decline your application.
- Cut the code and paste it into your web page.
- Check your daily statistics and see views, clicks and sales.
Tips to Improve Sign Ups
You'll get more usage of your site if you recommend the service [if you think
it's worthy of course]. For example, there are several search engines and directory
services available for businesses, jobs or email. Consider recommending some that are excellent and pay a small search fee.
Do Libraries Have an Advantage?
Libraries are in a great position to fundraise on the Internet. Why?
- Many library sites have a dedicated following and offer a rich
resource site for their community.
- They are recognized as a trusted place that will provide a
clearinghouse of relevant information. This is a real plus when you
start to look at generating revenue from your web site.
This trust should not be taken lightly. If libraries recommend a particular
bookstore or choose to run banner advertisements, they should have an
"open information policy" and let visitors know up front that some
money will go to the library. You also need to make sure that you're
selecting quality resources or services that benefit your community.
Making Your Site Better - Adding Daily News
| Librarians are usually busy people and can't update their web
site daily. A site with interesting content that changes daily helps to draw
visitors back again and again. This is good for the library and good for fundraising.
Good news - it's easy, fast and free. Every library can add news
headlines such as publishing news or latest book reviews headlines
from New York Times, Salon etc. to their site.
This service is offered by Moreover and
has no graphic banner ads.
Another way to offer news and generate some community interaction, is to
have one or more staff create a library weblog.
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Specialized Search Engine Affiliate Programs
Most of the search engine affiliate programs are gone. Google Adsense and Google site search with
ads are two ways that you can generate money by clickthrus on search results or advertising on your site.
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