Fundraising Policy
The Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Cedar Rapids Public Library are important groups that depend on gifts, donations, and fundraising as the primary source of income for the support of library programs and activities. The Library Board of Trustees endorses and encourages those efforts. The intent of this policy is to recognize the Foundation and the Friends as the only groups permitted to conduct fundraising activities on any library premises and to provide guidance for the use of those facilities.
Areas of the library to be used for Foundation and Friends fundraising purposes should be carefully chosen with consideration given to high visibility without interrupting traffic flow. Structures erected for these purposes must be portable and compatible with the design of the building. Signage used to direct potential customers and guests, or to promote the fundraising events, should conform to established library signage practices and guidelines. The Library Director and the appropriate board committee will be consulted concerning plans for fundraising activities on library premises.
Fundraising events held by Foundation or Friends, under the sponsorship of the library, are for the benefit of these non-profit organizations and/or the Library and are not intended to represent competition with private enterprise. In the event of theft or damage to materials or structures used for fundraising, the library, its officers, and its employees will be held harmless.
The exceptions to this policy include those described in the Meeting Room Policy or authors who sell books or media at the library on behalf of their publishers, bookstores or other distributors and who make a public appearance, talk, and/or have a book signing under the sponsorship of the library and its programming strategy. In these situations, proceeds from materials sales will not be directed to library support groups.
Adopted: 03/30/89
Revised: 10/29/92, 01/06/00, 12/05, 02/04/2016, 11/07/19, 02/02/2023
Reviewed: 2013