Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1995 21:01:45 -0800
From: jessea@uclink2.berkeley.edu (Jessea NR Greenman)
Subject: Library Project -- another PFLAG how-to success story!!!

[The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project notes: this is another in our
series of messages on book donations.  PFLAG again
models for us a thorough-going, sound, and ultimately
successful project.  Our only additional thought
is to check at least once a year to make sure the books
stay on the shelves despite changes in library staff
and administration!!!]
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" I don't know whether this is too dated for usefulness, or too long, but
thought I'd pass it on anyway. Mitzi's thoughts triggered my memory.
   Jeaneileen (JEANEILEEN@aol.com) (Jean Eileen Durgin-Clinchard, Ph.D.)

"FYI re: Library Projects:

"In 1989 PFLAG Cornhusker (Lincoln, NE) sought and received a grant from Woo=
ds
Charitable Fund ( a local foundation), the Imperial Court of Nebraska, and
in-kind support from the Nebraska Library Commission and the American Red
Cross Chapter, to donate a set of 8 books on AIDS and Homophobia to 68 publi=
c
libraries across the state of Nebraska. The needs assessment had been done b=
y
the NE Library Commission when they asked in a newsletter if libraries were
interested in more resources about HIV/AIDS.

"Bouncing off of that expressed need we first brainstormed with people at th=
e
commission to secure their support, as well as in-kind clerical help in
mailing the books out and professional support to advise us. The local
Chapter of the American Red Cross agreed to use volunteers to copy certain o=
f
their AIDS education tapes for those libraries who requested them. The
libraries were charged only for the cost of the blank tapes.

"The libraries needed to submit a request to be the recipient of these free
books. We did end up having to call some librarians to seek their interest,
but generall they stated that they just hadn=EDt gotten around to making the=
ir
requests and thought they had missed the deadline. We also gave them the
opportunity to identify the type of card cataloging system they used and the=
n
ordered the cataloging materials so that all they had to do was shelve the
books when they arrived. (We didn=EDt want books sitting around waiting unti=
l
someone could get to them.)

"The next work was deciding which books and the cheapest way to get them. Th=
e
final list chosen was reviewed by several community people involved in AIDS
education and on the County AIDS Task Force. Many phone calls were made to
publishers seeking the best possible prices since we were buying in quantity
for a special project, not for competitive resale. Most were very
cooperative. When the books were shipped we did a press release to all the
media, weekly newspapers and local radio stations around the state, and even
to the local Mayor=EDs councils to announce the gift.

"The key to our success, I believe, was that this project involved planning
collaboratively with the library Commission, the Red Cross, PFLAG, and the
funders. If we were to undertake this now I believe I would consider going t=
o
state Associations of Social Workers, Psychologists, educators, Early
Childhood Educators, etc. These, and other organizations, all have positive
resolutions about serving gay and lesbian youth. The Foundation that made th=
e
major grant ($5,000) and the gay organization ($1000) were given the credit
due them.. Most of the librarians also put their own announcements in their
local newspapers about new books in the libraries. As a result of this
project I was asked to make a presentation to the state and national library
associations.

"The books selected were: The Quilt Book; AIDS: the Women (Reider & Ruppert)=
;
The Walking Wounded (Beverly Barbo, which the author had printed especially
with a frontispiece crediting us); When Someone You Love Has Aids (Martelli)=
;
Borrowed Time (Paul Monette); The Band Played On (Shilts); Beyond Acceptance
(Griffin); and Parents Matter (Muller). A criteria for selection was the nee=
d
to inform about AIDS and the impact of homophobia in ways that would be
likely to appeal to people in our predominantly rural state.

"A personal note: the packing and shipping of the books was a nitty gritty
piece that the library commission took on as part of their in-kind support. =
I
would not have taken it on if we had had to do all that as well.  Another
important note is that I had established personal credibility  and
relationships with some of the people involved in helping us to implement
this project prior to developing it as a proposal.  I had never written a
grant before, but I learned, with help!"
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AND, additional REALLY HELPFUL info from a former librarian...
"Another FYI from someone who used to work in the periodicals section of
a library:  most of the importart library journals (including Library
Journal, American Libraries, and School Library Journal--I hope I
have the names right) are indexed in the electronic database InfoTrac.
To find out if a book which you are interested in donating has been
reviewed in one or more of those journals, you can search for the title
of the book on InfoTrac. You might want to pass this along to your
correspondents to let them know that finding out whether a book has
been reviewed in the appropriate journals may be easier than they think
(although of course I make no promises about how the next steps will
turn out).
Tina W."

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YOU MAY RE-POST.  Jessea Greenman <jessea@uclink2.berkeley.edu>
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