The term “library development” conjures several different meanings for library professionals. For some, library development refers to the building of library collections; for others, it is any activity related to building the library, itself. For the purposes of this survey, library development referred to the strategic raising of financial support to benefit the needs and priorities related to programs, facilities, projects, and services within a research library.

This survey was designed to investigate the staffing, reporting relationships, and duties of library development programs in ARL member libraries. The results of this survey provide a snapshot of library development programs in research libraries and provide a baseline for institutions as they work to create, refine, or advocate for library development programs in their institutions.

The survey was distributed to the 123 ARL member libraries in March 2006. Ninety libraries (73%) responded to the survey. Eighty-three (92%) reported that they have a formal library development program. Of those institutions, all have a fundraising professional assigned to the program, 76 (92%) use printed giving materials, 71 (86%) use direct mail, 50 (60%) conduct a phonathon, 50 (60%) have a friends organization, and 47 (57%) raise more than $500,000 a year in private support.

The survey asked respondents who had a minimum of three of the following components to complete the questionnaire: a fundraising professional assigned to raise money for the library, printed giving materials, direct mail on behalf of the library’s fundraising priorities, a phonathon on behalf of the library’s fundraising priorities, a friends of the library organization, or a history of private support in excess of $500,000 per year. Eighty respondents met this criterion.

One of the ever-present critical questions within library development is which possible donor prospect pools can be approached on behalf of the library. The majority of survey respondents have unlimited access to current and lapsed library donors, current and retired library employees, and unaffiliated prospects; most have at least limited access to 12 other categories of potential donors that range from donors to other parts of the institution, to current students, faculty, and staff, to alumni, to non-donors. What is surprising is that 15 of 79 respondents (19%) have only limited access to current or lapsed library donors and one never has access to these two groups. Only 11 libraries have unlimited access to both undergraduate and graduate alumni; six never have access to either group. Respondents have the least access to current students, their parents/grandparents, parents/grandparents of alumni, and university trustees. Access appears to be more freely given to institution non-donors—68 of 77 respondents (88%) have at least limited access.

Only eight respondents (10%) report that there is a limit to the number of managed prospects assigned to the library. That number ranges from 100 to 300. One respondent commented, “I don’t know if there’s a limit, honestly. I’d love to have the opportunity to bump up against it and find out.”

This SPEC Kit includes documentation from respondents in the form of mission statements, organization charts, job descriptions, budgets, and policies.

The table of contents and executive summary from this SPEC Kit are available online.

ORDERING INFORMATION

SPEC Kit 297, Library Development
Karlene Noel Jennings and Jos Wanschers • December 2006 • ISBN 1-59407-713-4 • 145 pp. • $45 ($35 ARL members)

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SPEC KITS EXCHANGE INFORMATION

Designed to examine current research library practices and policies and serve as resource guides for libraries as they face ever-changing management problems, each SPEC Kit contains a summary analysis, survey questions with tallies, pertinent documentation from participating libraries, and a reading list and Web site references for further information on the topic.

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2007 SPEC Kit subscription (ISSN 0160-3582): $215 ARL member/$285 nonmember, six issues per year, shipping included (additional postage may apply outside North America).