Ethical Issues in Academic Library Fundraising

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Ethical Issues in Academic Library Fundraising

• Johnny Burleson
• Associate Vice Chancellor for Development,
  University Advancement
• Mary Reichel
• University Librarian, Ph.D.
• Appalachian State University
• Design by Lynn Patterson
• April 2009

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Ethics in Fund Raising

• As the importance of fund raising has increased,
  so have ethical dilemmas
• Ethical behavior is a professional necessity that
  strengthens the credibility of the fund raiser
  and the institution

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Organizations

• CASE
• National Society of Fund Raising Executives
• American Association of Fund-Raising Counsel
• Association for Healthcare Philanthropy
• Association of Fundraising Professionals

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Ethical Codes and Standards

• Codes and statements
• Offer guidance on basic issues
• Raise awareness of the ethical dimensions of any
  decision or activity
• Derived from lessons of practical experience
  rather than from philosophers, moralists or
  ethicists

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Donor Centered Ethics

• Donor Bill of Rights adopted in 1993
• Ten-point document that details what donors
  should expect from organizations soliciting them
  for donations
• CASE Statement of Ethics adopted in 1982

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Higher Education Fund Raising

• Fundraising in academic institutionsexamples of
  ethical issues
• Corporate Donors
• Athletic Boosters
• Discredited Donors 

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Academic Library Fundraising

• Ethical Issues
• Donations to Book and other collections
• Donated Art
• Named Buildings and Spaces
• Donor relations

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Collection Donations

• Collections unrelated to institutional and
  library missions
• Special treatment requests
• Separate rooms

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Donated Art

• Conflicts with official or unofficial
  institutional policies or standards
• Who judges quality?
• Commissioned pieces

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Donated Art

• Controversial pieces
• Sensitive topics

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Named Buildings

• Named Building Demolished
• What happens to name?
• Moving Names or Renovations

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Named Spaces

• Named Spaces within the Library
• And changing space needs

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Management of Donor Relations

• Stay Donor Centered

 
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Spotting Ethical Issues

• Some issues are pretty obviousfinancial gain
  from donor to administrator or fund raiser
• Some are arrangements which would clash with long
  held library values like intellectual freedom
• Some are gut reaction

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How to handle

• Value system clashes
• Decision making process
• Communicating decision
  to various constituencies

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Dont Accept the Puppy
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Additional Questions/Comments