Effective Date: 11/97
Reviewed and Revised Date: 01/2023
Policy
The Ela Area Public Library District (Library) welcomes sponsorship from local business, corporations, families and individuals. The aim of sponsorship is to obtain funding or in-kind support to provide services and equipment that may not otherwise be available.
Guiding Principles
The following principles will guide the Library in the solicitation and acceptance of gifts, grants or support to enhance or develop library programs and services:
- All gifts, grants and/or support must further the library's mission, goals, objectives and priorities.
- All gifts, grants and/or support must safeguard equity of access to library services. Sponsorship agreements must not give unfair advantage to, or cause discrimination against sectors of the community.
- All gifts, grants and/or support must protect the principle of intellectual freedom. Sponsors may not direct the selection of collections or require endorsement of products or services.
- All gifts, grants and/or support must ensure the confidentiality of user records. The library will not sell or provide access to library records in exchange for gifts or support.
- All gifts, grants and/or support must leave open the opportunity for other actual or potential donors to have similar opportunities to proved support to the library.
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Procedures
Recognition and Acknowledgement
The library will ensure that each sponsor receives acknowledgement and to the degree that the donor is willing, public recognition. The library will determine how recognition will be given. The following guidelines will be used in providing acknowledgement to and recognition of sponsors:
- A letter of acknowledgment for gifts of money and in-kind support will be sent to all sponsors and a copy will be placed on file.
- Any special recognition agreements will be stipulated in the letter.
- Public acknowledgement of sponsorship in the library's promotional materials will normally be restricted to a statement of the sponsor's name and a display of logo. Such acknowledgement will not take precedence or have prominence over the library's own logo or promotional material.
Acknowledgement of sponsorship may also take the following forms at the library's discretion:
- Launch of a special program or media campaign to announce the gift.
- Sponsor's name on promotional materials.
- In all cases, the type and scope of donor recognition required by the donor will be weighted against the benefit to the library.
