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The Good, the Great, and the Unfriendly: A Librarian's Guide to Working with Friends Groups
Executive Director of United for Libraries and former Executive Director of Friends of Libraries U.S.A., Reed has decades of experience liaising between Friends groups and the libraries that they support, serve, and (sometimes) exasperate. Her new book cuts to chase of building and maintaining these important relationships, showing not only how to effectively harness Friends’ goodwill and enthusiasm but also sharing tactful techniques for steering an ineffective or unfriendly group down the right path. Her pragmatic approach will resonate with public and academic library directors, volunteer coordinators, and other library staff who work with Friends. Written with knowing humor and focused on getting positive results, this book
provides guidance for developing a Friends group for public and academic libraries;
explains how to merge a Friends group with a foundation;
gives pointers on encouraging Friends to attract new and active members, working with the Friends board to develop leadership skills, and other crucial partnership strategies;
addresses the sticky situation of “unfriendly” Friends, with sage advice on handling Friends who seem unmotivated when it comes to fundraising or advocacy, are uncommunicative, overstep their bounds, and other difficult issues; and
shares fundraising, advocacy, programs, and membership development best practices from Friends groups across the country.
Tailored specifically to librarians’ point of view, this book will inform and empower libraries to work effectively with Friends groups for greater fundraising, engagement, and advocacy outcomes.
provides guidance for developing a Friends group for public and academic libraries;
explains how to merge a Friends group with a foundation;
gives pointers on encouraging Friends to attract new and active members, working with the Friends board to develop leadership skills, and other crucial partnership strategies;
addresses the sticky situation of “unfriendly” Friends, with sage advice on handling Friends who seem unmotivated when it comes to fundraising or advocacy, are uncommunicative, overstep their bounds, and other difficult issues; and
shares fundraising, advocacy, programs, and membership development best practices from Friends groups across the country.
Tailored specifically to librarians’ point of view, this book will inform and empower libraries to work effectively with Friends groups for greater fundraising, engagement, and advocacy outcomes.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2017
3 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 17, 2022
Most public Libraries have a "Friends of the Library" stakeholder initiative.
Some are good. Some are great. Some are...less than ideal.
The book addresses each of these in turn, including how to recruit them, maintain them, and give them incentive to continue to be a Friend of the Library.
While we hope not to have problematic relationships with the fundraisers and contributors to the library, the book does address the "how to deal with x" situations from the "Unfriendly" sort of Library Lovers.
The last two chapters give many real examples of annual incentive programs from libraries' showing their "love" for their Friends' Group.
One of my personal favorite chapters involved the "how to recruit them" and what sort of ROI they receive for financially contributing to the library. I know some of them would definitely intrigue me.
Reed does a great job of keeping it quick, concise and no fluff or nonsense. She gets straight to the point. She also written MANY books on fundraising and financing with Friends' Groups as one of the primary source topics for her writing. There is definitely something that a library can glean from a page out of this book.
Some are good. Some are great. Some are...less than ideal.
The book addresses each of these in turn, including how to recruit them, maintain them, and give them incentive to continue to be a Friend of the Library.
While we hope not to have problematic relationships with the fundraisers and contributors to the library, the book does address the "how to deal with x" situations from the "Unfriendly" sort of Library Lovers.
The last two chapters give many real examples of annual incentive programs from libraries' showing their "love" for their Friends' Group.
One of my personal favorite chapters involved the "how to recruit them" and what sort of ROI they receive for financially contributing to the library. I know some of them would definitely intrigue me.
Reed does a great job of keeping it quick, concise and no fluff or nonsense. She gets straight to the point. She also written MANY books on fundraising and financing with Friends' Groups as one of the primary source topics for her writing. There is definitely something that a library can glean from a page out of this book.
January 11, 2021
So it took me forever to flip through this book. My library struggles with fundraising and currently does not have a friends group. Since I started it has been my goal to start up a FG, however it's been close to 4 years and no such luck. This book had some good tips on starting up a Friends Group, but overall it felt like it would be better information for bigger libraries in a larger community than mine.
May 28, 2019
An excellent primer for librarians who are hoping to start a Friends group, find better ways to work with an existing group, or combine a group with a Foundation. For Friends, it offers a wide range of resources, including MOUs, guides to increasing membership, and fundraising ideas from all over the country. An added bonus is the fact that this book addresses not only Friends for public libraries, but their role in academic libraries, as well.
PSC - Your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading challenge (2017 - book with career advice)
PSC - Your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading challenge (2017 - book with career advice)
December 1, 2017
Highly informative and useful guide to establishing Friends of the Library Groups.
April 5, 2019
All examples and content is American in focus. Lightweight considering the topic; was hoping for more.
October 22, 2022
I want this for my library's collection.
April 28, 2017
I think that this is a worthwhile read for anyone that is involved with a library friends group. It would also be an excellent primer for someone tat is interested in creating a friends group at their institution, regardless of type.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews