Acknowledging Friends groups

Most public libraries rely on their Friends groups for fundraising, program facilitation, hospitality, and volunteerism. It is important to acknowledge their contributions both in the moment and then again through an annual event or award. Our annual volunteer potluck and Volunteer Extraordinaire Award have become tired traditions. Thank you gifts to the Friends have historically been frowned upon by some because they didn't raise money just to have us spend it on them. What Friends thank-you traditions has your library found successful?

Mary Jo Finch

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Comments

Joe: Are you attempting to acknowledge the Friends individually (Mary did ...) or collectively (This bookcase provided by the Friends)?
Mary Jo Finch: We already acknowledge individual events or contributions as they happen. In the spring we have always had a potluck event to say thank you in a social setting. Enthusiasm is waning for this, but to make it disappear could be taken as a lack of gratitude. It needs to be replaced with something that makes more sense for us. While I am seeking a "just right for us" answer, the question will hopefully elicit answers that are helpful for other libraries with different needs.

Answer by Jeni

A personal note to the volunteer is always most appreciated.

Comments

Mary Jo Finch: I am sure they would love it (and I would too), but I have about 300 volunteers over the course of a year here, so it would be a challenge to complete. Maybe I can find a way to adapt this. Thanks!

Answer by Jane Nearing

We have a catered dinner celebration annually for all our volunteer groups, including our Friends. Everyone seems to enjoy meeting people from the other groups and hearing about their efforts. A staff committee puts in a fair amount of work to make the event fun and memorable. We always have good representation from the Library Board, the City Manager, Mayor, and Council members. FOL presented the library with an
amazing statue

Comments

Answer by Fisher

My library primarily acknowledges the Friends group with signs/notices/plaques on the items or on the advertising for programs that the Friends have funded. For example, book plates in books they've paid for, signs on the copiers they paid for, signs on the computers they did matching funds with the Gates Grant for. For events/programs, we include a thank you blurb for any and all help on brochures, fliers & posters.

We also give them shout-out space in our quarterly newsletter, thanking them for various efforts, encouraging people to join, and advertising any upcoming events for them.

Comments

Answer by Joe

As a member of a Friends group, I was surprised at the number of Friends that some groups have ... I'd say that we have three classes of Friends:

People who pay the Friends dues (\$5/yr), which for our library is about 100.
Adult volunteers, who typically come in once a week and do a large amount of the work (I think we're down to 7 regulars, with 3 moving away and a death in the last 2 years)
Student volunteers, who are actually managed by the library directly, and not the Friends. (our area has a requirement of volunteer hours for high school graduation; I don't know how many they go through in the course of a year, but they rotate through for the most part).

Our system as a whole has an annual event to appreciate the volunteers, with various gifts given based on how many hours they've volunteered (cumulative, not per year). I have no idea what the gifts are, as I've managed to keep my hours off the books 'til a few months ago.

As I've been processing the book donations for the past \~4 years, I don't know that I'd call it an 'thank you' specifically, but I've been giving a perk to the other volunteers -- any of them can tell me to keep a look out for an author or class of book (eg, Amish romance, cookbooks, author-signed books), and I'll pull them aside whenever one gets donated, so they can get the right of first refusal.

... as for from the head librarian ... in the two since I've been volunteering, both have given the adult volunteers cards and small gifts near Christmas time. The previous one would give gift cards to a bookstore, the current one gave some upscale chocolate bars last year.