Library Advisory Board

The old saw among librarians is a truism that turns out to be true: libraries are financial black holes. When you think about it, this only makes sense. When did knowledge stop accumulating? At what point may a library no longer collect information? Which aspect of the body of collective wisdom should not be in a library?

Of course, the answers to these questions are obvious: never, never, none. But there is also another obvious point; no library can do this alone. In order to do all that a library should do well it cannot rely entirely on its annual budget. Today, even a two million dollar budget is much too small. In the decade of the nineties alone, library costs increases 145%! External fund-raising is the only possible solution.

Dacus understands this and in 1999 it began the arduous task of assembling a Library Advisory Board, the first such board in the library's 100+ year existence. The Library Advisory Board, made up of 11 members, seeks to help the library secure funding an identify potential donors. If you click on the various buttons on the left, you'll see a number of very ambitious needs this group is working on. Our eleven members (and we're recruiting more each year) are laypersons, physicians, principals, business persons and teachers. the Library Advisory Board's mission is a simple one:

1. To contribute, insofar as each member is able, to the library fund and/or projects
2. To alert the dean and/or development liaison of prospects (people, companies, foundations, etc.) that may be able to help with the library's larger financial outreaches
3. To write, call, or meet with potential fund-raising prospects as each members feels comfortable in doing so.
4. To advise the library on various outreaches and programs
5. To advise the library on community needs for the wider Rock Hill Community

Since its creation in late 2000, and its first meeting in the fall of that year, the board, working with library administration and university officials, has helped increase the library coffers by more than $100,000. More than $400,000 in grants are pending in foundations across the country.

The gratifying aspect about serving on the library's board is this: when you help the library, you do not help one student, program or career,  you help every student, every program, and every career. Moreover, you help all of Rock Hill for Dacus serves this community as well as its students, faculty and staff.

We know we cannot do this alone because we are missing a very key ingredient: YOU. If you're interested in helping us, please call (803)323-2131 and ask for the Dean of Library Services.

For more information, please at the library.

Winthrop University Development