In A Nutshell

The Westerly Public Library is one of the busiest libraries in Rhode Island. Co-located with a landmark garden, Wilcox Park, the Library is operated by the Memorial and Library Association of Westerly. Dramatic increases in library usage in recent years, particularly online research and cultural programs, motivated the Association to announce a major campaign in June 2006 to raise $7,000,000. The funds will support updating of the library’s interior and also address deterioration of the Park. The Westerly campaign is deliberately designed to attract investment from both the public and private sectors. With strong community and political support, the Library has already received significant donations and pledges; they are in the “quiet phase” of the initiative.  

Background

Westerly, Rhode Island

Westerly Public Library is located in southern Rhode Island, near the border with Connecticut. Like many libraries in New England, Westerly is operated under the aegis of a non-profit association—the Memorial and Library Association of Westerly. It is co-located with Wilcox Park, a landmark of landscape architecture, also operated by the Association. 

The organization’s mission is to “stimulate the intellect and imagination by providing access to literature, information, nature and the arts.”

The Westerly Library’s service area is approximately 24,000, with some increase in the summer months. The Library has one of the highest loan records in the state and with visitors to the Art Gallery, musical programs in the auditorium, public meetings, community events, lectures, civic discussions, and the school’s Westerly Is Learning programs held at the library, the library hosts the greatest number of visitors of any library in the state.

21% of the Library’s overall budget of $1,904,600 is provided by the Town of Westerly, 15% by the state, and the remainder derives from private sources.

The Westerly Library building has had three additions since it was built in 1894, including an Art Gallery and a Children’s Room. A particularly special asset is the Hoxie Gallery, an integral part of the Westerly Library, with programming that fulfills the Association’s mission. Although the room is called a gallery, it is in reality a vital community area and cultural center that will always remain as an open space within the library building. Programs and exhibits draw in diverse audiences.

The Growth Challenge

The most recent addition to the Westerly Library was in 1992. Since then, according to the Library’s Campaign Case Statement, there has been a “dramatic increase in use and expectations of library service have expanded.”   

As one example of increased demand, in 1994 the library did not even count use of public access computers; in 2004 use was about 1,600 per month; in August 2006, monthly use of the Internet was 4,073. Online research, school projects, and searches for job and career information, or health information, are only some of the ways in which Westerly’s patrons are using public access computers to the maximum. Some of the Library’s interior spaces are “bulging at the seams.” 

Other issues helped motivate the Trustees’ decisions to carry out a campaign. The building was no longer compliant with the Americans for Disabilities Act. The Library’s rare and original documents and photos were stored in a below-ground level making them vulnerable to damage and destruction and relatively inaccessible to staff and researchers. The Library could not accommodate increased programming for children and teens—a strong community need.

Advocacy Goal

The campaign goal is $7,000,000, to be dedicated to updating spaces and making the library a more user-friendly environment and repairing key aspects of the Park. The goal was decided on with advisement from a Fund Consultant who worked with the Association’s Board in the early phases of campaign planning. 

Library improvements will include:

• A ground floor Children’s Room with a new doorway connecting to a story garden in Wilcox Park
• A new, secure climate-controlled space for original documents and photographs
• Wireless technology throughout the building
• A computer lab to “meet the constant demand and also to provide a space for training sessions”
• Changes in restrooms and entrances to comply with ADA regulations
• Improvements in public meeting spaces
• New work space for library staff
• Restoration of key features of the original main reading room

Advocacy Strategies

The Westerly campaign is taking place under the aegis of the Trustees of the Memorial and Library Association of Westerly. The Trustees determined early on, especially after consultation with a fund development specialist, that a substantial campaign would be feasible in Westerly. 

Public Sector Investment and Private Fundraising

The Westerly campaign was deliberately designed to raise $4,000,000 from private donations and $3,000,000 from state and local funds. This public-private partnership approach is similar to campaigns undertaken by other non-profit libraries in Rhode Island recently. The Association is seeking funds from federal, state, town, foundation, corporate and community sources. 

The public-private approach seems to be paying off already. The Association has received multiple grants during its “quiet phase.”

• A Save America’s Treasures Grant of $147,000 and a matching grant of $150,000 from The Champlin Foundations, an organization that funds projects in Rhode Island

These funds are allocated for the park repairs.

• Two local foundations, The Alfred M. Roberts, Jr. Charitable Foundation and The Lattner Foundation each contributed $250,000 in support of the library.


• A donation of $100,000 from a private individual was matched by a grant from the Rhode island Historical Preservation and heritage Commission.



• The Washington Trust Company has made the largest corporate donation of $125,000.

The Library has also applied for a matching grant of $2,500,000 through the state’s Office of Library and Information Services.   

The Westerly campaign is also seeking funds from local corporations and community sources. To date, the over all amount raised is $2,700,000.

Getting the Work Done

A fundraising consultant helped write the original case statement that was given to a select group of people interested in the Library or Park. They indicated in writing how much they would give to the campaign. From that financial feasibility study, the consultant determined that the Westerly Community would support a capital campaign for $4,000,000. 

The Capital Campaign Steering Committee is chaired by a very popular state senator. He was influential in securing a Save America’s Treasures grant from the federal government.

The fund consultant suggested some successful tactics to gain momentum for the Campaign at the outset. He asked the Executive Director to be the first donor to the campaign—at 10% of her salary. The President was asked next, and then the two of them solicited the rest of the Board members and recruited division chairs. The donations helped motivate others in the library family.

The Westerly Public library has over 200 Incorporators who act as advocates for the library in the community, serve on sub-committees and donate to the annual fund and events throughout the year. A husband and wife team chaired that division which  pledged to raise $500,000. They have succeeded.

Westerly has a number of distinct “shoreline” communities that were asked to from divisions. One had donated the entire children’s area in a previous campaign. That group decided to do it again and pledged to raise $750,000. There are two other divisions who have been formed to begin soliciting in the summer of 2007.

Challenges

The first challenge was describing a very complicated project to community members who thought the Library was perfect just the way it was. The Executive Director and the Facilities Manager took many people on tours of the library and pointed out the problems and described the solutions. It was a member of the Steering Committee who suggested that a virtual tour of the building was worth the investment. This was a helpful tool, that showed potential donors what the needs were for renovation.

Breakthrough

The virtual tour was a breakthrough in helping volunteer solicitors approach potential donors. The publicity on the major donations and grants listed above generated interest and encouraged everyone to keep on asking. According to Executive Director Kathryn Taylor, “It became easier because the donors were curious about the changes.”