FRIENDS OF CANADIAN LIBRARIES
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Saturday June 16, 2001 9 - 10:15
Guest speaker will be Jan Dalmyn. Delegates will learn about the issues and techniques of advocacy, and the Winnipeg experience. Response to this experience, and the outcomes will be discussed by the speaker, the former chair of the Friends of the Winnipeg Public Library. Advocacy tips from Jan Dalmyn
"Little did I know that I had launched the next 6 years of my life!" she said, by way of an introduction. Through her initial efforts to save that branch, and bring together other advocates to save all six branches up for closure, the group formed in 1993 and became known as READ (Residents for the Enhancement and Development of Libraries). Later that year they were invited to merge with the Friends of the Winnipeg Public Library, which dated from 1991. The Friends also had a history of enhancing community awareness and use of libraries, and involved themselves in the 1992 municipal election and made budget presentations during 1993. Jan made budget presentations to Council on behalf of the Friends in 1994 and 1995, which resulted in a "status quo" situation except for a drop in materials acquisition budgets. Jan was invited to plan the agenda and invitees to a "Mayor's Round Table on Libraries". That year she also started writing a column for Quill and Quire, and presented at the provincial library conference. That same year a leaked document revealed 7 branches were under threat of space reductions. Jan toured all seven facilities, spoke with staff, provided information to alerted media, and attended community meetings. A set of recommendation, unanimously adopted by Council, called for increased staffing and materials budgets, planned public consultation, and no further reductions without the recommended enhancements. They continued to be involved in municipal politics during the election with took place within weeks of that vote, and followed with opposition to a budget proposal to allow a $5.00 library membership card fee. Jan organized a delegation to the Minister in the Department of Culture, Heritage and Citizenship, and received assurance the government had no intention of reversing an earlier 1993 position opposing the fee. Jan provided samples of newspaper reports during this period. The headlines were electric - "War over libraries heats up", "Library cuts plan ripped", "Library cost-cutting plan devastating - activists", "Library preservation a key issue", and "Mayoral rivals pledge more for libraries". The public consultation process recommended in 1995 resulted in "The Forward Thinking Review Process", which was a major review of the library situation from March to July of 1996. The group met weekly, conducted polls and focus groups, collected data, and made recommendations which were mainly accepted by City Council, and implemented through the 1997 budget process. In 1998 Jan organized the "Advocates for a Free Public Library", which included the Friends, to once again oppose introduction of a library user fee. The Library hosted a public debate, where the Library Board spoke in favour of the proposed fee, and the Advocates and the Manitoba Library Association spoke against. The media reported those who opposed the fee won the debate, and the provincial government stated they would not entertain a request from the city to allow the fees. 10:30 Surprise Guest - Constable John Kennedy (Winner CLA Stan Heath Literacy Award) Adopt-a-Library Literacy program Once of the memorable moments from Friends' Day at CLA was Michael Colborne's last-minute addition to our program - the winner of CLA's Stan Heath Literacy Award. Constable John Kennedy gave us a 15-minute inspirational presentation. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have partnered with Scholastic Canada Ltd. in a new Literacy Initiative. This Program entitled "The Adopt a Library Literacy Program" is geared towards children of all ages. Through networking with sponsors, items are obtained at no charge to the libraries. These items will then be used to encourage children to visit their local libraries and to sign out books to read. These items include prizes to be used for reading competitions, books so that the children have a wide variety of reading materials, as well as puppet stages, craft supplies. In addition partnerships with sponsors has enabled the libraries to support children's summer reading programs, purchase furniture to make the children's areas more comfortable, and much more. Friends groups can help to initiate this program by proposing and encouraging a partnership between your library, your local RCMP and other municipal police forces. The library and the policing agency join by filling in an online registration form. The program is described on the Internet at: http://www.parl.ns.ca/adoptalibrary/ FOCAL members can help to spread the benefits of this national program across Canada, by sharing with our library community the opportunities this program offers. Follow this link from our home page, and find out more about this program. Request sets of brochures from focal@accessola.com. 10:45 - noon
Speakers: Alanna Keefe, President of Burk & Associates Workshop outline:
We learned successful fundraising is dependent on two things, acquiring
relationships and sustaining them. Developing an extensive donor base and keeping donors longer than a year can
happen by improving methodology. We need to identify our constituents, those who
can support our needs, and look for obvious partnerships which can be made. We
can promote fundraising by demonstrating what we are there for and how we
support the principles of the organization. Some may feel libraries are supported by municipal governments and therefore
don’t need money. We need to articulate what the specific needs are, and how
Friends support those needs. By specifying what is offered, what are the
benefits and what a donor can offer, you eliminate confusion. Donor support can be reinforced. Alanna lists donor walls, plaques, pins and
buttons as some standard methods of acknowledgment. She referred to a recent
survey of 100 donors, who were asked what it is that they need to keep giving,
and to increase their giving. One example in a library setting might be a named
collection or a photo of an ancestor. For those donors who are expecting recognition (and some may prefer to remain
anonymous) they want: Members, who see their membership fee as a donation, want perceived value: Alanna raised a "big bugaboo" in fundraising circles - "How much can you
spend for each dollar you take in?" For capital campaigns the number might be
10%, to cover salary, marketing and acknowledgment costs. Sustainability means
maintaining your existing base of donor support and building on prospects.
Alanna plays a lead role in marketing donor-centred fundraising and as
researcher and author contributed to Thanks!... A Guide to Donor-Centred
Fundraising. Since joining Burk & Associates, her strong writing, marketing
and research skills have been put to task in the areas of client development and
sponsorship research. A long-time advocate for the arts in Manitoba and in Canada, Alanna is
recognized for her unique creativity and imaginative execution of special
events. She is an experienced arts administrator, and former General Manager of
Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers. (Alanna Keefe, Director of Business Affairs,
Burk & Associates ) Friends' issues: During Alanna's presentation she surveyed her audience on their key issues.
It produced this result: Noon - 2 p.m
Keynote speaker Helen Hayles,
Executive Director, Volunteer Centre of Winnipeg. Her topic will be The
Changing Role of the Volunteer in the Millennium.
Helen Hayles,
Executive Director of The Volunteer Centre of Winnipeg Inc. Some key problems she outlined include:
Values promoted by the voluntary sector relate to sharing, caring and belonging. Their economic importance is supplemented by their democratic importance. However, volunteers are taken for granted and not well understood. Our strength is our diversity, in being able to do so many things. Our weakness is this diversity, in that we have no one speaker to represent us. On the other hand, the business, labour and government sectors are well represented.Volunteers do special programs for communities, meet unfilled needs, help communities to help themselves and enhance the social fabric of our life. The issues facing us at a time when governments cannot answer the growing human service and cultural needs include funding, privatization (public vs. private sector involvement) and the need for new and dynamic leadership. Future success in the voluntary sector relates to the following initiatives:
Helen referred to two government resources relating to the volunteer section
2) Caring Canadians, Involved Canadians: Highlights from the 2000 National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating http://www.nsgvp.org/n-2000hr-ca.htm
Webmaster: Jami van Haaften focal@accessola.com
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