Public Library Foundations Beef Up Fundraising Efforts

Many public libraries rely on more than taxes and overdue book fines to stay open. They’ve set up foundations that seek out private donations.

Both the Champaign Public Library and the Urbana Free Library have foundations that raise money to help support them. Both foundations were conducting year-end fundraising campaigns at the end of 2015, using increasingly sophisticated marketing techniques.

For instance, the Champaign Public Library produced an Internet video --- posted on Vimeo --- featuring music, bright graphic designs and onscreen copy inviting the viewer to “be there … for your neighbors … for your kids … for your community” by making a donation to the Champaign Public Library Foundation.

Champaign Public Library director Marsha Grove says the foundation is always seeking new ways to get the word out.

 “They’ve done radio ads, they’ve done billboards that are around town right now,” said Grove. “We even do email to some of our library cardholders. So they’re trying to do anything to let people know the need.”  

The Urbana Free Library Foundation has its own marketing campaign with its own Internet video – this one posted on YouTube.

Urbana Free Library executive director Celeste Choate says the expanded marketing effort seems to be working.

“Last year the campaign brought in just over $20,000 in almost a full year’s worth of donation,” said Choate. “And currently, almost $19,000 have been received, in just the past month and a half.”

Urbana Free Library Board President Larry Jobe says the money they raise doesn’t go towards daily operations, which are still paid for with tax revenue.  Instead, the foundation contributes towards special projects like construction projects and cultural programs.

“The foundation dollars are those additional dollars that the library is able to use to discretionarily take care of some of the things that they may not be able to, particularly in a crisis situation, when you have budgetary issues surrounding the state right now,” said Jobe.   

Foundation money paid a substantial share of the cost of constructing the new Champaign Public Library in the previous decade, as well as the Urbana Public Library addition. Foundation funds also pay for ongoing cultural programs at both libraries.

At the Champaign Public Library, foundation funds contribute to the purchase of new additions to the library collection.

At the Urbana Public Library, the foundation paid for the purchase of property across the street from the library. The property includes an office building (which is leased out to tenants) and a parking lot (used by library employees). Jobe says the property could be used for future library expansion, although nothing is planned at this time.

The Urbana Free Library Foundation is currently raising money for the maintenance of its present library building, including repairs to the porch at the building’s east entrance along Race Street.

The Champaign Public Library Foundation would love to increase its endowment, according to library director Marsha Grove. She says enlarging the endowment is the key to making the most of today’s low interest rates.

“Increase the amount of the endowment will ensure the strength of the library for many years to come,” said Grove.