There is a lot of discussion lately about associations. One of the most famous pieces of literature to development professionals in the United States is the chapter in Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville titled “On the Use That the Americans Make of Association in Civil Life” where he marvels at the uniquely American practice of organizing around any imaginable topic, activity, ideology or belief system (Putnam, 2000, p. 48). Associations have been a part of the culture in the United States for generations, and the Friends of the Library tradition is a part of that larger tradition. In fact, from 1979 to 2009, the Friends had their own division within the American Library Association (ALA) called Friends of Libraries U.S.A. (FOLUSA). In 2009 it joined with Association for Library Trustees and Advocates (ALTA) to create a new division called United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations.

The merging of the Friends division with the Trustees is an indication of how associations are changing. In his national bestseller Bowling Alone, Robert D. Putnam examines the dramatic decline of participation in associations. He goes into fascinating detail about the rise and fall of the unique and historically powerful structure of associations. Unfortunately, he also shows through meticulous data analysis that the trend towards irrelevance shows no signs of reversing (p. 25). While evidence doesn’t necessarily prove that social bonds are disappearing, it does indicate that we are bonding in different ways.

We were surprised in our research and discussions with colleagues at other universities to discover how many academic libraries have a Friends group. In fact, we hadn’t planned on doing this chapter until we had a lot of people ask us if we were going to include Friends in our fundraising discussion. Only last week, we had a colleague new to her position in a university library reach out on a listserv to get advice on how to better engage her group. The responses were mixed. Many were, as we were, surprised to hear that a university library had one at all. Others chimed in with various suggestions that were all within the realm of minimizing their role. Considering Putnam’s research, it’s fair to assume that most university Friends groups are populated for the most part by baby boomers and that their numbers have been declining ever since the height of participation in groups of that nature since the mid 1970s (p. 45). Even so, as our colleague on the listserv let us know, in some libraries they are going strong and wanting to engage. In her case, she told our group that the volunteers had been working in the business office helping with tasks like filing documents but were looking for a more substantial role. This was the catalyst for the greatest response from discussion group members: a resounding and somewhat panicked “Nooooooo!” There are certainly ways to engage a Friends group in your library if you have one, but we do not feel that it is an appropriate group to leverage for the business of a university library. If that is the situation at your library, we suggest you work with your dean to define a strategy for shifting into a different model.

Within the context of fundraising, a Friends group can offer several benefits. If you have one, it is a great help at donor events to assist with hosting duties and volunteer activities associated with planning. The group can be used for other stewardship activities such as letter writing. However, there is a downside to turning stewardship activities over to volunteers. Stewardship is an opportunity for a development officer to keep a donor on the donor continuum. By passing that opportunity off to volunteers, you are missing the opportunity to develop that relationship. Frankly, neither of us would ever miss the chance to be the main person to interact with our donors! However, if you come into a library that already has a Friends group and are asked to use the group, a little collaboration might be helpful in certain circumstances. But it is imperative that the development officer not lose control of the relationship with the donor and remain very aware of the communication that is coming from volunteers on your behalf and on behalf of the library.

A Dean’s Advisory Council (DAC) is a much better model for volunteers in the academic library. DACs are common on university campuses, and most academic deans have one. They come in all shapes and sizes and are used in a variety of ways. At best, they are composed of members who are already strong supporters of the libraries or are prospects you and the dean hope to cultivate. These are typically prestigious posts for alumni. In a best-case scenario, the deans really use their expertise to obtain advice on many issues facing the leader of an academic library, including fundraising. Connecting prospects with high giving potential to the business of the libraries only engages them more. Through this service, they can be impassioned about the mission of the libraries and understand the funding needs fully.

The Libraries DAC at our university is made up of alumni from all over the country who travel to campus twice a year for two days where they get reports on all facets of the libraries, including fundraising, research, programming, and current initiatives and challenges. Our dean has created a very committed group of diverse alumni, and strong friendships have evolved between the members and the staff and faculty in the library. There have also been significant gifts to the libraries by current and former members. All our members are expected to give an annual gift to the library.

Another opportunity to engage volunteers in a way that is meaningful to them but also of great service to the academic library lies in a short-term model to initiate a new program or collection. These volunteers are brought together to get something accomplished, and once that is achieved, the committee is no longer necessary. These short-term volunteer opportunities are successful because they have a clear mission, and there is no need to make efforts to maintain the commitment or activities once the mission is accomplished. Events and the development of collections are examples of a time to enlist the help of an ad-hoc volunteer committee. A strategic group with a strong network and influence can help archivists, for example, collect materials for a new archive or assist with fundraising for a specific project or initiative.