Greetings Judy: Clearly your executive director is not understanding the nature and psychology of fundraising and donations. Part of the reason we announce donations is for the competition. Donors think "If my friend Y gives that much, I'll give more." Donation amounts are routinely published in Federation newsletters, organizational newsletters, and congregational newsletters. People like the honor of being able to see their name. A donor may request anonymity, but most don't. Every Shabbat morning when people are called up to the Torah and we make a mi-shebarah we announce the amount unless the person requests not to. Some congregations auction honors. This is competitive and brings in a lot of donations for the congregation.
Personally, I think announcing the amounts divides people into the "have" and "have-nots." However, my opinion is in the minority and I keep this opinion to myself.. On the practical side, if the library puts book plates to honor the donor, then the library could have a rule such as "Every $20 entitles the donor to one bookplate, unless the book is of higher value." Sometimes families use a book donation for a centerpiece at a bar or bat mitzvah celebration. The celebrant works with the librarian for the selection of the books. I hope this helps, Shabbat shalom <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail__;!!KGKeukY!m8YXuX0tLhdX-Xf3OFI_TeBKXhhFY5Pi5dDrqz9ruAKOTiV1ilV8QRxgweb4AmLUYA0BxHpnoMHgPws$ > Virus-free. https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.avg.com__;!!KGKeukY!m8YXuX0tLhdX-Xf3OFI_TeBKXhhFY5Pi5dDrqz9ruAKOTiV1ilV8QRxgweb4AmLUYA0BxHpn9HeRRmY$ <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail__;!!KGKeukY!m8YXuX0tLhdX-Xf3OFI_TeBKXhhFY5Pi5dDrqz9ruAKOTiV1ilV8QRxgweb4AmLUYA0BxHpnoMHgPws$ > <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> On Fri, Apr 16, 2021 at 1:06 AM Judy Petersen via Hasafran < [email protected]> wrote: > Hi, > My synagogue has a new Executive Director. She is very supportive of > the Library and wants to professionalize the synagogue's systems, which is > great, but we're butting heads on one particular issue. > Currently, when I receive a donation to the library, I'm told the > name of the person and the amount. Since I don't have a budget, I use > these donations to purchase books, usually for the children's library, and > I book plate the books that I purchase with the name of the donor. If I > don't know the amount, I don't know how many books to purchase. > My executive director proposes to give me a budget (YAY!) that would > include book purchases (YAY again!). However, she feels the amount of any > donations to the Library going forward should be confidential and should be > used to offset my allotted budget. My feeling is that I should continue to > have the authority to spend any donations over and above my budget how I > wish, that donations directed to the Library shouldn't be used to offset > the budget, and that the amount (usually in the neighborhood of $18-$60) > does not need to be confidential. > I have my monthly meeting with her next Tuesday. It would be great > if some synagogue librarians could weigh and let me know how the question > of confidentiality of donations is handled at your synagogue. > Many thanks, > > Judy Petersen > Library Director > Congregation Har Shalom > Fort Collins, CO > > > > __ > Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual > author > and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries > (AJL) > ================================== > Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: > [email protected] > To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: > https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran > Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: [email protected] > Ha-Safran Archives: > Current: > > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran*40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html__;JQ!!KGKeukY!m8YXuX0tLhdX-Xf3OFI_TeBKXhhFY5Pi5dDrqz9ruAKOTiV1ilV8QRxgweb4AmLUYA0BxHpnNWjcgEI$ > > Earlier Listserver: > > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran*40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html__;JQ!!KGKeukY!m8YXuX0tLhdX-Xf3OFI_TeBKXhhFY5Pi5dDrqz9ruAKOTiV1ilV8QRxgweb4AmLUYA0BxHpn5jhwgMs$ > > AJL HomePage > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.JewishLibraries.org__;!!KGKeukY!m8YXuX0tLhdX-Xf3OFI_TeBKXhhFY5Pi5dDrqz9ruAKOTiV1ilV8QRxgweb4AmLUYA0BxHpnuSBY7bg$ > > -- > Hasafran mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran > -- Daniel D. Stuhlman Chicago, IL dstuhlman at gmail.com Blog: Kol Safran <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://kol-safran.blogspot.com/__;!!KGKeukY!m8YXuX0tLhdX-Xf3OFI_TeBKXhhFY5Pi5dDrqz9ruAKOTiV1ilV8QRxgweb4AmLUYA0BxHpnu94L0Rw$ > LinkedIn profile.https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-d-stuhlman-b49a187/__;!!KGKeukY!m8YXuX0tLhdX-Xf3OFI_TeBKXhhFY5Pi5dDrqz9ruAKOTiV1ilV8QRxgweb4AmLUYA0BxHpnvfqZM3Q$ <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-d-stuhlman-b49a187/__;!!KGKeukY!m8YXuX0tLhdX-Xf3OFI_TeBKXhhFY5Pi5dDrqz9ruAKOTiV1ilV8QRxgweb4AmLUYA0BxHpnvfqZM3Q$ >
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