Southern Ontario Library Service

Funding Development Resources

Sponsorship Policies and Guidelines

General Resources / Specialized Resources

General Resources

• Canadian Library Association - CLA Position Statement on Corporate Sponsorship Agreement in Libraries Approved by Executive Council ~ June 21, 1997

Specialized Resources

Barrie Public Library

CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP/SPONSORSHIP POLICY

The Barrie Public Library’s policy is built on the position statement passed at the Canadian Library Association’s annual General Meeting on June 21, 1997.

The Canadian Library Association believes the following principals are important in developing sponsorship policies and agreement. The Barrie Public Library agrees with these principles and has a responsibility to:
 

• Demonstrate that sponsors further the library’s mission, goals, objectives and priorities, but do not drive the library’s agenda or priorities.
   

• Safeguard equity of access to library services and not allow sponsorship agreements to give unfair advantage to, or cause discrimination against, sectors of the community
   

• Protect the principle of intellectual freedom and not permit sponsors to influence the selection of collections, or staff advice and recommendations about Library materials. nor require endorsement of products or services.
   

• Ensure the confidentiality of user records by not selling or providing access to library records.
   

• Be sensitive to the local political and social climate and select partners who will enhance the library’s image in the community

  1. DEFINITION

  A corporate partnership is a contracted and written agreement designed to benefit both partners. It gives ongoing recognition through public awareness for a specific period of time. The partnership is a commercial venture built around a program, service or function of the Barrie Public Library. In all likelihood, there will be a marketing benefit or trade-off for corporations involved.

  2. PARTNER PROFILE

  Only companies and organizers deemed appropriate and compatible with the policies, goals, mission, vision and values of the Barrie Public Library will be considered. The Board of Directors will ultimately determine, on a case-by-case basis if necessary, whether a partnership is in the best interest of the Library.

3. THE PROCESS

Partnerships and sponsorships should be sought out and developed by the Marketing Coordinator under the direction of the Director of Library Services. In due course they would be brought to the attention of the Fundraising Committee for possible recommendation of the Board of Directors.

4. NEGOTIATIONS

STEP I

The first step in any partnership negotiation is attempting to understand all aspects of your partner.

The evaluation by staff should cover the nature of their business and interests to determine eligibility and the prospects of a successful and amicable relationship. A report to the committee level would proceed to flush out:

• nature, product(s) and/or service(s) of the company

• information on the company’s history and ownership

• principals of the firm and with whom the Barrie Public Library would work

• level of the company at which the partnership has been approved

• their advertising or communications representative or agency

• rationale for the company’s interest in the Barrie Public Library

• the program around which they wish to create a partnership relationship

• the partner’s expectations of the Barrie Public Library

STEP 2

• willingness of the partner to enter into a long-term agreement

• willingness of the partner to consider a test market program before an all-out launch

• financial commitments for the duration of the contract

• details of the specific promotion on which the partnership would be based

• all responsibilities and commitments of the Barrie Public Library to live up to the partnership

• approval for the partnership has been obtained from someone with signing authority from the company

5. SUPPORT 0F PARTNERS BY THE BARRIE PUBLIC LIBRARY

5.1 The partner becomes the favoured provider of goods and/or services to the Barrie Public Library.

5.2 The company has exclusive marketing rights to promote their involvement with the Barrie Public Library.

5.3 The Barrie Public Library shall not knowingly enter into a partnership agreement with a direct competitor of an existing partnership.

5.4 The Barrie Public Library shall provide feedback on a regular pre-determined basis as to the effectiveness of the partnership.

Formal recognition (donor categories and naming opportunities within the Library follows the donor recognition and categories as defined in the 1996 Capital Campaign).

6. TERMINATION 0F A CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP

The Barrie Public Library reserves the right to terminate an existing partnership should any of the following occur:

6.1 The partner uses the Barrie Public Library name outside the parameters of the partnership association and without prior consent.

6.2 The partner develops a public image inappropriate to Barrie Public Library’s service and/or objectives.

Brampton Public Library

The Brampton Public Library encourages individuals, business firms, and community organizations to become sponsors of Library programmes, services and events. These sponsorships wiIl benefit the community by allowing the Library to maintain or increase its level of service.

DEFINITION

Sponsorship is defined as a mutually beneficial exchange whereby the Library receives funds, products or in-kind services from a sponsor who, in return, benefits from community recognition and advertising or promotional opportunities.
 

SPONSORSHIP APPROVALS

The Library reserves the right to refuse any sponsorship opportunity that is deemed inappropriate or unsuitable to the advancement of the mission and objectives of the Library. The Library will only enter agreements with sponsors whose products or services

· are legal for children
· sponsorship agreements must be approved by the Library Director.

I. Sponsors must have no expectation of having any impact on the policies and operating procedures of the Library.
 

2. Sponsorship agreements shall have a set time period and all obligations on the part of the Library and the sponsor shall end upon the termination of the agreement unless otherwise specified within the agreement.
 

3. Where a sponsorship agreement Iimits the Library`s ability to enter into other sponsorship agreements or Library initiatives, the conditions of such an agreement shall clearly define the nature and extent of exclusivity, and the time period during which the exclusivity is to be granted.
 

4. Any public use of the name, images and logos of the Library, its Friends or other affiliated organizations, must be approved by the Library Director.

· Sponsors shall be provided with a level of recognition commensurate with their contribution. Recognition shall be in conjunction with, but not limited to, the programmes and services which are supported by the sponsor.

CHARITABLE TAX RECEIPTS

Revenue Canada states that charitable tax receipts may not be issued for sponsorships where the sponsor receives a benefit such as advertising or promotion in return for the donation. However, since the sponsor may deduct these sponsorship expenditures as a business expense the tax deductibility is not lost.

Kitchener Public Library

The Kitchener Public Library’s sponsorship policy has been developed within the framework provided by the Canadian Library Association’s Position Statement on Corporate Sponsorship Agreements (June 21, 1997). A copy of the Position Statement is attached.

Purpose

The purpose of sponsorships is to increase the ability of the Kitchener Public Library to deliver service to the community, and to provide enhanced levels of service beyond core levels that are supported by municipal taxes and the provincial grant.
 

Definition

A sponsorship is a mutually beneficial exchange whereby the sponsor receives value in return for cash and/or services-in-kind that are provided to the Library.
 

Official receipts

Charitable tax receipts are not issued to sponsors, since the sponsor is receiving a benefit (such as advertising or promotion) in return for the donation.
 

Sponsorship approvals

AIl sponsorship agreements must be approved by the Library Board.

The Kitchener Public Library Board has the right to refuse any sponsorship opportunity which is deemed inappropriate or incompatible with the mission, goals or best interests of the Library.

Written agreement

Acceptance of a sponsorship will take the form of a written agreement signed by representatives of the sponsoring organization and the Chief Executive Officer of the Kitchener Public Library. The written agreement wiIl define the terms of the sponsorship and any recognition to be provided to the sponsor.
 

The sponsorship agreement must have a set time period. AIl obligations on the part of the Library and the sponsor will end upon termination of the sponsorship agreement, unless otherwise specified within the agreement.

Conditions of sponsorship

Sponsors must have no expectation of having any impact on the policies and operating procedures of the Kitchener Public Library.
 

Sponsorships cannot be made conditional on Library performance outcomes.

The Library wilI only enter into agreements with sponsors whose products or services are legal for children.
 

Sponsorships do not automatically imply exclusive endorsement of products by the Kitchener Public Library. Individual sponsors may not limit the Library’s ability to seek other sponsors, unless this is agreed to in the sponsorship agreement.
 

Where a sponsorship agreement limits the Library’s ability to enter into other sponsorships, the parameters of such an agreement shall clearly define the nature and extent of the exclusivity and the timeframe over which the exclusivity is to be granted.
 

Any use of the name or logo of the Library, its affiliated organizations, special collections and services, programs and departments must be approved by the Manager of Planning and Partnership Development.
 

There shall be an annual accounting of the financial benefits and cost of sponsorships.

Sponsorship Termination

The Library reserves the right to terminate an existing sponsorship should conditions arise during the life of the sponsorship that result in it conflicting with this Policy, or no longer supporting the best interests of the Library.

Sponsor Recognition

Sponsors shall be provided with a level of recognition commensurate with their contribution. Recognition shall be in conjunction with, but not limited to, the programs or services which are supported by the sponsor.
 

The nature of the recognition shall be approved by the Library Board, based on recommendations from staff, and be embodied in the sponsorship agreement.

Markham Public Library

Definition

A sponsorship is defined as a mutually beneficial exchange whereby the sponsor received value in return for cash or products- or services-in-kind provided to the Library. Tax receipts are not issued to sponsors.

Sponsorship Acceptance

The Library Board is responsible for determining whether it will enter into a sponsorship based on its assessment of the best interests of the Library. Such decisions will be made on an individual basis. The Board reserves the right to refuse any sponsorship it deems inappropriate or unsuitable to the Library’s mission, goals, policies and best interests. These include, but are not limited to:
 

• Providing universal access to Library collections, facilities, staff, and other resources;
• Encouraging exploration of the broadest range of ideas, information, knowledge and culture;
• Providing equity of access to library services;
• Protecting the principle of intellectual freedom;
• Ensuring the confidentiality of client records;
• Maintaining the integrity of Library purchasing and materials selection practices;
• The Board will only entertain sponsorship opportunities with companies whose products are legal for children;
• Sponsorships must comply with the Town of Markham and Library policies on conflict of interest;
• Sponsorships cannot be made conditional on Library performance outcomes;
• Sponsorships do not automatically imply exclusive endorsement of products by the Library.
• Where a sponsorship agreement limits the Library’s ability to enter into other sponsorships, the parameters of such an agreement shall clearly define the nature and extent of the exclusivity and the time frame over which the exclusivity is to be granted.

Written Agreement

Acceptance will take the form of a written agreement signed by representatives of the sponsoring organization and authorized representatives of the Library. This agreement will define the terms of the sponsorship and any recognition to be provided to the sponsor.
 

Any public use of the name or logo of the Library, its branches and other affiliated organizations, special collections and services, programmes and departments must be approved by the Board.

Sponsorship Termination

The Board reserves the right to terminate an existing sponsorship should conditions arise during the life of the sponsorship that result in it conflicting with this Policy or no longer supporting the best interests of the Library.

Nepean Public Library (former)

Policy: Sponsorships

The Nepean Public Library is a public institution funded primarily by taxes from the local and provincial governments. However, the Library actively encourages the business community, as weIl as service and other organizations, to become sponsors. The purpose of sponsorships is to increase the Library’s ability to deliver service to the public, and/or to provide enhanced levels of service beyond the core levels funded by taxes.

Definition of Sponsorship

A sponsorship is defined as a mutually beneficial exchange whereby the sponsor receives value in return for cash and/or products and services in kind to the Library. OfficiaI receipts are not issued to sponsors for their contribution to the Library. Sponsorships afford opportunities for participating organizations to raise their profile and enhance their image within the community. A sponsorship partnership gives the outside organization ongoing recognition through public awareness for a defined period of time while providing financial or other benefits to the Library.

Sponsorship Principles

1. Goals and objectives of sponsoring organizations must be compatible with the Library’s goals, objectives, policies and by-laws; and support the Library’s commitment to the community.

2. Acceptance of all corporate sponsorships will remain the decision of the Library Board on a case-by-case basis.

Scope and Limitations of Sponsorships

1. The Board shall enter into sponsorship agreements determined to be in the best interests of the Library. The Board reserves the right to refuse any sponsorship opportunity deemed to be inappropriate to the mission, goals and best interests of the Library. The Board reserves the right to terminate existing agreements should conditions arise during the life of the agreement that no longer support the interests of the Library or conflict with the Sponsorship Policy.

2. Sponsorships do not automatically imply exclusive endorsement of products by the Library. However, the Library will not normally enter into an agreement with a direct competitor of an existing sponsor. Where a sponsorship agreement limits the Library’s ability to enter into other sponsorships, the parameters of such an agreement shall clearly define the nature and extent of the exclusivity and the time frame over which the exclusivity is to be granted.

3. There shall be an annual accounting of the financial benefits and costs of sponsorship.

4. Agreements shall be in writing. All such agreements shall be developed and/or evaluated by the Library Board’s Fundraising and Sponsorship Committee.

5. Sponsoring organizations must have no expectations of having any impact on any values, policies, goals, objectives, services or operations of the Library.

6. Any public use of the name and/or logo of the Library, its Friends, service outlets and other affiliated organizations, special collections, resource collections, special services, programs and departments must be approved by the Board.

Recognition

1. The Nepean Public Library supports a formal Recognition Program for sponsors to acknowledge their contributions. Form and content of such recognition shall be approved by the Board, based on recommendations from staff, and appropriate elements of this recognition shall be embodied in the agreement.

2. The Library will use its best efforts to collect feedback, and statistical data where possible, on the effectiveness of the recognition program for sponsors.

3. Sponsors shall be provided with a level of recognition commensurate with their contribution. Recognition shall be in conjunction with, but not limited to, the programs or services which are supported by the sponsor.

Approved by Board Motion: 1164/99 Revised: April 28, 1999

Approved by Board Motion: 934/96 Date: July 17, 1996

Toronto Public Library

DRAFT
Policy Sponsorship

Date of Board approval October 25, 1995

The Toronto Public Library actively solicits and encourages the business community, service clubs and other organizations to become sponsors of Library events, programs and services which wiIl benefit the community by allowing the Library to increase the level of service it can provide to the people of Toronto.

Scope

A sponsorship is defined as a mutually beneficial exchange, whereby the sponsor receives a benefit of reciprocal value in return for providing cash andlor products and services in kind to the Library. Official receipts will not be issued to sponsors for their contribution to the Library.

Sponsor Acceptance

1. The Toronto Public Library reserves the right to refuse any sponsorship opportunity which is deemed to be inappropriate or unsuitable to the advancement of the mission and objectives of the Toronto Public Library.

2. The Toronto Public Library will only entertain sponsorship opportunities with companies whose products are legal for children.

3. Sponsorship agreements, which are valued at $ 10,000 or less, shall be approved by the CEO and reported to the Board at its next meeting.

4. Sponsorship agreements with. values in excess of $ 10,000 shall be presented to the Library Board for approval.

Conditions of Sponsorship

1. The sponsor must have no expectation of having any impact on the policies and practices, such as materials selection or purchasing, of the Toronto Public Library.

2. Where a sponsorship agreement limits the Library’s ability to enter into other sponsorships, the parameters of such an agreement shall clearly define the nature and extent of the exclusivity, and the time frame over which the exclusivity is to be granted.

3. Any public use of the name and/or logo of the Toronto Public Library, its Friends and other affiliated organizations, branches, special collections, resource collections, special services, programs, and departments, must be approved by the CEO.

Sponsor Recognition

1. Sponsors shall be provided with a level of recognition commensurate with their contribution. Recognition shall be in conjunction with, but not limited to, the programs or services which are supported by the sponsor.

Related Policies

Donations Policy

Fundraising policy

Friends of the Library Policy

Naming Buildings, Branches and Rooms Policy

Public Notice boards, Posters and other Advertising in Libraries Policy

Waterloo Public Library

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The Waterloo Public Library encourages sponsorship from the business community, service clubs, and other organizations in order to enhance collections, programs, events and services.

DEFINITION 0F SPONSORSHIP

Sponsorship is the provision of funds, goods, or services to the Library in the interest of charity and for promotion of the sponsor’s name, product or service.

PROCESS

1. The Library will promote its willingness to receive sponsorship, and may on occasion solicit specific sponsors.

2. A review of each sponsorship opportunity will be conducted by the Chief Librarian’s Office as directed by this Policy Statement.

3. An agreement will be drawn up and signed by both the Library and Sponsor. The agreement will include project details, timing, limitations, invoicing, and formal recognition of the sponsorship.

4. Sponsorship agreements previously approved by the Board and under $1 0,000 are negotiated and signed by the Chief Librarian. Agreements of $1 0,000 and over must be approved by the Board and signed by the Board Chair and Chief Librarian.

5. Any changes to an agreement must be approved by both parties.

ACCEPTANCE OF A SPONSOR

1. The Library reserves the right to refuse any sponsorship that is deemed to be inappropriate or unsuitable to its mission or values. The Library wilI only entertain sponsorship opportunities with companies whose products are legal for children.

2. The sponsor must have no expectation of influencing Library policies and practices, such as material selection or purchases.

3. Any depiction of the sponsor`s name, logo or advertising on the Library’s premises, promotion, or official documents must be approved by the Chief Librarian and Board. The Library’s name and logo may only be used by the Sponsor with prior written permission of the Chief Librarian and the Board. The Library wiIl provide a sample of its logo which is not to be altered without its approval.

4. Individual Sponsors may not limit the Library’s ability to seek other sponsors unless this has been agreed to in writing. Where a sponsorship agreement limits the Library’s ability to enter into other sponsorships, the parameters of such an agreement shall clearly define the nature and extent of the exclusivity, and the time frame over which the exclusivity is to be granted.

RECOGNITION

Sponsors wilI be formally recognized and acknowledged by the Library as set out in the original agreement.
 

The Library will provide a level of recognition appropriate to the contribution received from the sponsor. The type and duration of recognition wiIl be described in detail in the agreement.

Approved by the Library Board

 Board Chair ________________________