This policy describes naming rights for and donor recognition of major donations given for the benefit of the Flathead County Library.
Naming rights carry no power of direction or implied direction to the Flathead County Library on matters of personnel appointments, policies, operations, capital improvement decisions, or any other library processes or activities.
Flathead County Library adheres to Flathead County’s Advertising Policy. In the event of a conflict between this policy and Flathead County’s Advertising Policy, the Advertising Policy takes precedence.
Naming Opportunities and Donor Recognition
Naming rights and donor recognition opportunities are available for library facilities and portions of facilities, such as special use and other library areas, rooms and outdoor spaces, as well as furniture, equipment and fixtures, library vehicles, and anything else used in the administration of library services.
Recognition is intended for individuals and entities who have made qualifying donations to the library or the library foundation.
Administration of Naming Opportunities
The Flathead County Library Board shall have sole responsibility for approving the naming or renaming of library facilities and/or portions of facilities.
As the primary fundraising entity, the 501(c)(3) library foundation shall develop qualifications for naming opportunities and administer naming agreements.
Naming qualifications and proposals shall be submitted to the library director, who will review and forward all such proposals to the Flathead County Library Board for approval at a regular board meeting.
The library director and select members of the library leadership and staff may provide limited support to the library foundation in informing and soliciting donors and developing formal naming agreements.
When gifts have been pledged or made to qualify for a naming right, the donor-designated name(s) shall be submitted to the Flathead County Library Board for approval at a regular meeting of the Board.
Naming rights and donor recognition opportunities shall be fulfilled only after a donor’s commitment has been documented through a gift agreement that includes a payment schedule and revocation terms.
Plaques, signage and other recognition displays shall be installed in appropriate locations as approved by the Flathead County Library Board. They shall be consistent with the library’s overall design requirements and specifications.
The naming agreement shall specify the visual format of the chosen name.
Appropriate Use of Naming Opportunities
No naming rights or donor recognition opportunities are permitted that refer to individuals currently employed by the Library, Flathead County, or the State of Montana; political candidates and organizations; or current elected officials.
Naming rights and donor recognition of a commercial enterprise are permitted only if the proposed name is appropriate to the public setting of the library.
Modification of Naming Agreements
Naming agreements may be modified if 1) the named facility, room, indoor space or outdoor area is substantially renovated, expanded, sold or designated for another use; 2) the named piece of equipment, furniture, fixture or vehicle is sold, destroyed, removed or abandoned; or 3) a named entity requests a change. Any change shall be approved by the Flathead County Library.
Any existing naming right can only be revoked by the Flathead County Library Board.
Naming Formats
The library administration and library foundation shall develop formats for naming rights and donor recognition. These formats shall include signage specifications. Requests for words of recognition other that the name of the individual or entity are subject to the approval by the Flathead County Library Board.
When a proposal involves the use of the name of a deceased person, approval is contingent on the agreement of that person’s next of kin. In the event the person made a bequest in his or her will, the Library Director and Board will obtain approval from the deceased person’s representative in compliance with the will’s directives.
The donor’s choice of a name may be used with the donor’s permission in library signage and other references to the named area in library publicity materials and other documents.
Duration of Naming Opportunities
The duration of naming rights and donor recognition opportunities shall be determined at the time of the donation and included in the formal naming agreement subject to the following criteria:
- Library facilities, rooms, interior spaces and outdoor areas: naming rights will remain in place for twenty years unless otherwise approved by the Flathead County Library Board.
- Equipment and furnishings: recognition will remain in place for the duration of the sponsored item’s useful life. The donor may renew the naming right, if the donor replaces that item.
Definition, Guidelines, and Responsibilities
Flathead County Library allows for naming and donor recognition opportunities to acknowledge substantial gifts or donations to the Flathead County Library and the library foundation.
Definitions
- Financial contributions include outright gifts of money, securities, real estate, personal property, in-kind donations and endowments.
- Naming opportunities refer to titling of library areas inside or outside library buildings.
- Donor Recognition acknowledges philanthropic contributions to support vehicles or equipment used in the delivery of library services, technology, enhancements, fixtures, furnishings and equipment, or general contributions to a library or foundation capital campaign.
- Facilities include special use areas (i.e., children’s, teens, reading areas, technology centers, business services; history, studios); meeting and study rooms; and designated outdoor areas such as kiosks and material return structures.
- Library vehicles may include vehicles used in the direct delivery of library materials and services.
Responsibilities
The Flathead County Library Board is responsible for establishing policies related to naming rights and donor recognition.
All naming rights proposals related to library buildings or facility areas must be approved by the Flathead County Library Board before commitments are made to any prospective donors.
If the Flathead County Library Board solicits donations independently of the Foundation, it shall be solely responsible for all agreements, and the enforcement of compatibility with the library foundation/Library Board approved protocols for naming rights and donor recognition adopted by the Board. Tax receipts are not issued for financial contributions or in-kind products or services donated directly to the Flathead County Library Board or Flathead County.
The library director is responsible for the management of naming rights and recognition for the Flathead County Library in compliance with Board policy and in coordination with the library foundation.
The library director and select members of library leadership and staff may provide limited support to the library foundation in its efforts to solicit donors, obtain appropriate Flathead County Library Board approvals, and develop formal naming rights and donor recognition agreements with potential donors.
The library foundation has responsibility for accepting and disbursing financial contributions made to the foundation related to naming and donor recognition opportunities and for administering naming rights agreements.
Adopted: 5/23/2024
David Ingram, Chair
Library Board of Trustees