ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 208 / C&RL News for the Conservatory’s recital hall. Publicity was handled by the Conservatory’s publicity departm ent. Promotional flyers, which encouraged donations from those not attending, w ere m ailed to C onservatory alum ni and the Friends of the L ib rary . N ew spaper an nounce­ ments along w ith radio and television appearances by concert perform ers and th e Conservatory li­ brarian not only advertised the concert, but also promoted and publicized the library. Additional exposure was obtained at the concert, where four display cases highlighted the Conservatory Library collections, and handouts about the library were distributed. “Encore ‘88” was a great success. An audience of over 200 people attended, and the L ibrary received over $600. T he program an d perform ers w ere given rave reviews, and most im portantly, enthusi­ asm was generated for “Encore ‘89.” W ord will spread concerning future concerts which should become better attended over the years. The ap­ pearance of a “big name” alumnus would also in­ crease ticket sales significantly. In retrospect, the money raised may not seem to justify the hours of preparation, b u t there are sev­ eral benefits other th an financial. The Conserva­ tory Library received considerable exposure and publicity which is always welcome, and could pay future dividends. The relationship between the Li­ brary, Conservatory, and Development Office was strengthened through this experience. The Con­ servatory benefited by h ig h lig h tin g impressive alumni who can be the school’s best advertising. Alumni were given an opportunity to perform at their alm a m ater, gain exposure, and convincingly demonstrate the value of their education. A new audience, largely draw n from the community, was introduced to the Conservatory and its m any offer­ ings. Only in retrospect was it realized how many people had benefited from this concert. Plans are being m ade for “Encore ‘89.” A newly- established Encore Concert Com m ittee, consisting of the Conservatory librarian along w ith represent­ atives from the University Development Office, the Conservatory’s Publicity and Stage Manage­ m ent Offices, and the Conservatory Alumni Asso­ ciation, will oversee the organization of the next concert w ith hopes of smoothing out details. A cal­ endar tim etable will be created so th at each year’s committee is certain of all deadlines. The Conserv­ atory’s Library Committee will continue to assist in obtaining performers and assembling the program . Only w ith this university-w ide cooperation can these concerts become a reality. W hile music librarians should consider estab­ lishing such a concert, librarians in other disci­ plines can also involve their faculty in fundraising events. D epartm ents in any of the perform ing arts possess obvious possibilities. But w h at about de­ partm ents not norm ally associated w ith raising money at public events? There could certainly be a poetry reading presented by the English depart­ m ent, an art exhibit given by the a rt departm ent, or a financial advising workshop sponsored by the business departm ent. Well-known speakers in any subject can generate interest and raise significant funds. Such a speaker could be an alumnus or just a friend of the library and university. There is no denying th at fundraising events take detailed planning, require large amounts of time, and can cause several headaches. But librarians should not underestim ate the positive image of li­ braries in the minds of faculty as well as the general public. D uring the initial planning of “Encore ‘8 8 ,” it was u n c e rta in w h e th e r th e necessary university-wide support would be received. In dis­ belief, a music professor stated emphatically that anyone not supporting the library and this concert would surely be opposed to the flag and apple pie. Sympathetic supporters are probably out there, but it is a librarian’s responsibility to tap this re­ source through his or her own initiative. Fundrais­ ing through a concert or other event will take con­ sid erab le e ffo rt an d c re a tiv ity , b u t its m any rewards can make it all worthwhile. Merchandising library services B y L u e lla B o s m a n T e u to n Coordinator, Library Services South Florida C om m unity College Returning to the library profession after eight years in the business world has given me a new per­ spective. Librarians tend to look on our professions as service-oriented only, forgetting th at we must also promote and “sell” our product. W ith funds being cut at m any colleges and universities, librari­ ans must be constantly dem onstrating the value of lib rary facilities and services. In the business world, if the public is not convinced of a product’s w orth they will not buy it. The end product in li­ brary services is not always visible to adm inistra­ tors. The services provided by libraries are often March 1989 / 209 taken for granted and not valued until they are gone. Once lost, money and staff are not easily re­ covered. W e as librarians must promote our exper­ tise, services, and library m aterials as valuable products. Constant reinforcement is essential to continued support by administration and staff. How does merchandising fit into the library’s picture? W ebster’s N inth N ew Collegiate Dictio­ nary defines merchandising as “sales promotion as a comprehensive function including m arket re­ search, development of new products, coordina­ tion of m anufacture and marketing, and effective advertising and selling.” A survey will aid in determining w hat services and materials patrons are aw are of and using. It will also allow an opportunity to ask for suggestions and ideas for new services. After conducting your market research, form a roundtable to discuss new ideas and suggest ways of implementation. Make sure all library staff are aware of new services. Nothing creates a worse impression than staff who are not informed of changes and additions to li­ brary services. Be open to new ideas. Try new methods of li­ brary promotion. O ur bibliography rack in the stu­ dent center has proven an excellent way to encour­ age students to come to the library. Students are draw n to the rack by brightly colored subject bibli­ ographies covering areas of study taught on cam­ pus. This method allows us to reach students who might otherwise never make use of the library. Educate adm inistration, instructors, and stu­ dents on the availability of new services and m ate­ rials. Actively prom ote class usage of the library. Speak to local civic and business groups regarding library services offered. Groups such as these are an excellent source of additional funding. Promote, promote, promote! Keep in the public eye at all times. W hat is valued is not easily eliminated. ■ ■ Questioned imprints: A preliminary report The A n tiq u arian Booksellers’ Association of America has been increasingly concerned w ith the growing num ber of questioned im prints which have been recently reported by a variety of recog­ nized experts. For this reason they are publishing a list of imprints questioned to date. At the Novem­ ber 12 meeting of the Board of Governors an ABAA Committee on Questioned Imprints was appointed for th e purpose of com piling p e rtin en t details about such imprints and, where possible, obtain­ ing copies of them. Members of the committee are Jennifer Larson (chair), John Curtis, Elisabeth W oodburn, Thomas Taylor, and Dorothy Sloan. The resulting register of questioned imprints will include in its scope any printed item which is a re­ print, facsimile, or fabrication th at might be mis­ taken for a genuine original. The list is available from the ABAA, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10021, but it represents only the beginning of an ongoing project. Additional bibliographical in­ formation, locations, or corrections regarding any item on the list would be appreciated. The Committee is using the term “fabrication” to refer to an im print of which no genuine copies are presently known. On the advice of legal counsel the phrase “alleged fabrication” is used in the list. The term “facsimile” will be applied to an exact copy of a genuine original. The term “reprint” in­ dicates an im print which in general follows the ap­ pearance of the original but is not an exact im ita­ tion. O w ners of questioned im prints of w hich recognized originals exist are advised to take steps to authenticate their copies, if possible by com pari­ son w ith a genuine copy. Only in the case of alleged fabrications should all copies be treated w ith suspi­ cion. The ABAA hopes th at anyone who has knowl­ edge of any questioned im print will report it to them. Plans to make the results of this process gen­ erally available are being formulated. Inquiries about individual items are welcomed by the Com­ mittee and should be addressed to Jennifer S. L ar­ son, C hair, ABAA Questioned Im prints Commit­ tee, c/o Yerba Buena Books, 882 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94108; (415) 474-2788. Any infor­ m ation regarding the source of any questioned im­ print on the list should be referred to John R. Curtis J r . , C h a ir, ABAA E th ics C o m m itte e , T h e Bookpress, L td ., P.O . Box KP, Williamsburg, VA 23187. In regard to library thefts, ABAA president Mi­ chael Ginsburg has appointed Barbara Rootenberg the ABAA’s national security officer. Rootenberg will be in charge of the establishment of a new se­ curity system for rare book and manuscript thefts. If you w ere a victim of a th e ft, please notify Rootenberg at P.O. Box 5049, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403. Copies of reported losses will be mailed m onthly to all m em bers of the ABAA and the IL AB. Prom pt notification will protect members from receiving stolen property unw ittingly and m ay lead to the recovery of the m aterial by its rightful owner. ■ ■