Friends of Tennessee Libraries

Presentations from the 2024 Annual Conference of Friends of Tennessee Libraries


Engaging the Business Community to Extend Your Reach

Mandi Handy of the Charles Ralph Holland Memorial Library tells the story of a charming little bookworm that was the key to engaging local businesses to help the library and its Friends group extend their reach.


Tailoring Fundraising to Your Community

Kelly Medford, president of Friends of the Lewis County Public Library, knows that there is no one-size-fits-all fundraiser for Friends groups. In this presentation, she shares her group’s experiences: what has worked, what didn’t work, and what worked for a while.

Download a copy of Kelly’s handout with some ideas for “quiet” fundraising using buy-back companies here.


SOLD! Using Online Auctions to Maximize Profit

Three Friends — Kelly Medford (president of Friends of the Lewis County Public Library), Dee Barham (past president of the Blount County Friends of the Library), and FOTL President Kathy Dooley-Smith — outlined the pros and cons of three different auction platforms.

Download a comparison of the three auction platforms here.


Top 10 Ways to Amplify Friends’ Message

FOTL President Kathy Dooley-Smith shares 10 ways Friends groups can amplify their message.

Download Kathy’s list here.


The More, the Merrier: Recruiting, Retaining, and Revitalizing Membership

Dee Barham, past president of Friends of the Blount County Public Library, has some great ideas to help Friends recruit and retain members.

Download Dee’s handout here.


Egg-cellent Friends: Fundraising Beyond Book Sales

Michael Hale, assistant director of the White County Public Library, cracks the case of the library’s egg-cellent fundraising event.


A Conversation with Avery Cunningham, author of The Mayor of Maxwell Street

Avery Cunningham discusses her debut novel with Mary Katherine Rooker, community engagement and outreach coordinator at the John P. Holt Brentwood Library.