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Friends report: membership fundraising under way, bookstore online sales steady
Summary
Friends of the Library leaders reported more than $10,000 raised toward a $25,000 membership goal, reviewed bookstore operations and online sales (roughly $12,000 net annually after expenses), and discussed outreach and a spring anniversary/fundraising plan.
Rachel Gerty, Friends board president, briefed the group on membership and fundraising: the Friends set a $25,000 membership goal for the year and have raised a bit over $10,000 so far, with a membership renewal campaign and at least one fundraising event planned before June.
Lucian, who oversees bookstore operations, described how online sales that began during COVID evolved into a consistent revenue stream. He said the Friends have taken a strategy of listing higher-value items online and that, after expenses, online sales are providing about $12,000 per year to library programs. The bookstore’s monthly gross varies widely but the online channel now yields a more predictable net contribution.
Board members and Friends volunteers raised operational issues: large volumes of donated books, limited storage space for preparing sales, volunteer capacity constraints, and the difficulty of accepting card payments on city property because of state and city requirements. Volunteers said awareness of the bookstore remains uneven and discussed strategies such as promoting sales through the newsletter, social media and partner channels.
The group reviewed a joint outreach calendar for the year and discussed forming a small volunteer committee to plan a spring celebration tied to National Library Week and the library’s 20th anniversary; several members volunteered to join an ad hoc planning group.
