Building the Dream Campaign Team

Building new libraries or renovating old ones doesn't have to be a dream. It can be a reality when you develop a strong campaign. To ensure success, library directors must choose their team players carefully and select a variety of skills and personalities to reach all ends of the community. If you're putting together a major fundraising effort, you need to start searching for the right campaign chairpersons.

Organization is key to developing a successful campaign, and the central committee chair must be masterful at organization, motivation, and delegation. This person will be the leader of the central committee, which comprises chairs from all other committees. The chairperson will also build a large campaign committee and maintain the direction of the operation.

The central committee chair's role may seem overwhelming, but remember that he or she will only organize the campaign, not run it. This is where delegation and motivation skills come into play. The chair will drive the campaign committee and oversee and encourage campaign efforts.

This position does require a significant time commitment. Choose someone who is dedicated to the success of the campaign, hardworking, and well liked by the community. Effective leaders of other organizations or businesses make excellent candidates. If popular and charismatic individuals are interested but cannot dedicate a large amount of time, they can always serve as honorary chairs.

The central committee is responsible for specific elements of the campaign. Members take care of tracking money, fundraising, publicity, data entry, legal, secretarial, and all other pertinent campaign tasks.

When seeking out a treasurer, look for a classic number-cruncher who is well-organized and highly knowledgeable about finances. He or she will be responsible for keeping the books, budgets, and assets along with paying the bills and filing necessary paperwork. The workload for this position is typically light throughout the campaign. The ability to use computer programs will greatly decrease labor and increase accuracy. Consider someone who has previously served as a campaign treasurer.

A fundraising chair raises cash and in-kind donations before and during the process. This job requires a confident and extroverted person who feels comfortable talking with businesspeople and community members in order to solicit sizable funds of $500 or more. This person should be able to target industries and potential large donors. He or she also must be able to organize volunteers to solicit smaller donations. The responsibilities are not extremely time-consuming, but they do require strategic planning and delegation. Look for presidents of leading businesses and leaders of large organizations. In short, choose someone people won't refuse.

The publicity chair must be a creative and motivated individual. This person will be responsible for providing information to the community, piquing interest in the campaign, and encouraging a positive vote. He or she oversees two subcommittees: information and events. The information committee's role is to disseminate campaign information to the community through press releases, door hangers, brochures, advertisements, flyers, and signs. These are designed and printed prior to the campaign kickoff. While there are a number of publicity materials to create, it is not as time-consuming as it appears. Once you have developed an informative brochure, use it as a template for developing all other materials.

The events committee plans activities throughout the operation, starting with the campaign kickoff. To attract the greatest number of participants, plan the launch as part of another community or sporting event, such as the opening high school football game or the fall festival. Other events might include town meetings, coffees/teas, and speeches at local clubs or at other similar gatherings. The events committee is solely responsible for planning these affairs. The information committee will provide the events committee with speakers and all necessary materiel, including slides, multimedia presentations, and training.

Before the campaign inauguration, the information committee maintains the bulk of the burden. However, both subcommittees are busy once the campaign is underway.

In order to oversee two subcommittees successfully, the publicity chair needs strong management skills in addition to a clear understanding of media and advertising. This person must be able to coordinate numerous tasks simultaneously. Look for a business leader in the public relations, marketing, advertising, or journalism fields. An individual who has publicized successful events in the past, such as political, sporting, or charity functions, is another likely candidate.

The data chair also claims an integral role in running a successful campaign. This person will manage information and establish a database of voters. He or she will also train volunteers to update the database throughout the push. The database can be used to determine which strategies are working, when you have enough votes, and where you need to target more time and money. Sorting data into fields will aid each of the campaign committees. For instance, sorting by supportive community members can identify who should receive yard signs and "remember to vote" phone calls. This person will also oversee the construction of the campaign's web site. This position typically requires a few hours per week. Look for an individual who possesses strong computer and organizational skills, for example, someone who has developed and managed a successful database for a business or organization.

The campaign legal advisor should always be an attorney. He or she will provide guidance on legal issues and prepare documents regarding the bond issue. The time commitment is minimal. The firm that represents your library on other issues may volunteer to do this work pro bono. If not, ask its leading competitor.

The secretary must be well organized and willing to commit time and energy to the drive. Clerical skills are a must. He or she will record meeting minutes and coordinate all campaign gatherings and announcements. This position demands a significant time commitment because the secretary should attend all official campaign assemblies.

If your library covers a large community, either in population or in square miles, you may want to consider developing regional committees as well. Regional committees can reach all aspects of larger communities because they are responsible for focusing on designated areas. Employing resources from the central committee, each regional committee targets its own area and campaigns according to its particular needs. For instance, holding a luncheon in a residence may be appropriate for a less-populated area, while using the high school's auditorium may be better in a heavily populated area.

Choose an organized and dedicated regional chair for each area. This person will be responsible for coordinating campaign efforts to gain support from voters for the bond issue. The chairperson will also organize the area committee and subcommittees to place phone calls or distribute literature door-to-door. Choose some-one who is exceptionally skilled at strategizing and is single-minded about winning all voters in his or her area.

Once you have decided which community member is best for each position, it's time to ask that individual to become a chairperson. Invite him or her to meet you for coffee or lunch. Do not begin by asking if the person is in favor of the campaign; instead, assume that he or she is a library supporter. Remember that persistence pays. Ask reluctant candidates what would persuade them to take on the position, then respond by explaining ways in which the library and community will benefit from the bond issue. Also, be sure to stress how the prospective chairperson would aid this cause.

Each of these people plays a vital role in the strategy. By choosing chairpersons based on time availability, public image, skills, and personality characteristics, your library can kick off a successful and well-organized campaign and begin building dreams.