Friends of the Libraries Support Library Development

By Gerald D. Saxon

The Friends of the UTA Libraries organization was chartered in 1987. Since that time the Friends have evolved into an organization that sponsors from five to six programs a year, underwrites awards for library staff who have excelled in their jobs and faculty who have integrated library resources and/or staff into their classrooms, supports the Adopt-A-Journal Program and other library development initiatives, and builds bridges between the community and the University Libraries. All said, the Friends have provided support for the Libraries that would have not been there otherwise. The organization now includes 300 members.

"Libraries are quiet places. They are places of refuge and solace as well as for study and research. Libraries have always been the center of college campuses geographically and academically. To keep libraries at the center of our lives they always need our support."
......................Allan Saxe

While most people know the Friends through their outstanding programs, I want to focus this article on the membership levels in the organization and how they benefit the library. The levels are: UTA Students, $10; Friends level, $45, spouse an additional $20; Patron level, $100, spouse gratis; Benefactors, $250, spouse gratis; Library Circle level, $500, spouse gratis; and Corporate Partners, $750.

According to Friends president Charles Deur, the levels are designed to meet the diverse needs and income levels of members and potential members and to give people several options when they are thinking of joining or renewing memberships. The Friends' long-term goal is to assist the University Libraries in developing resources and services in a meaningful way. In order to do this, however, the Friends must increase the number of people in the organization at the levels above the basic Student and Friends levels.

"A great library is the heart of every great university, and to support the library is to invest in the foundation of the higher education teaching-learning process."

........................Dennis Reinhartz

Deur pointed out recently that the Friends hope to increase the number of members in the organization's upper levels because the fees generated by those members do more than cover the costs of memberships. These dues actually allow the Friends to build their budget so that their funds can be invested in library resources, services, and program initiatives. Many mature Friends organizations across the country contribute annually to their libraries, and we are positioning the UTA Friends to do the same thing says the Friends president

For those interested in joining the Friends, please contact Betty Wood at 817-272-7421 or email bwood@uta.edu. The Friends website can be found at http://library.uta.edu/friends/.