This document provides several methods for libraries to generate alternative revenue streams with minimal effort. These include: 1) Setting up a PayPal donation button on the library's website to allow patrons to donate via credit card. PayPal then deposits the funds directly into the library's account. 2) Partnering with Kroger stores through their community rewards program, where patrons purchase gift cards from the library that provide 5% of grocery purchases back to the library. 3) Selling used books in good condition on Amazon or Half.com, where the library earns a portion of each sale after fees, providing a way to earn money from weeded collections.

1. How to Develop
Alternative Revenue
$treams For
Your Library
(or, For a Few Dollar$ More)
By Mary Rayme
Pioneer Memorial Public Library
Randolph County, Harman, WV

2. Does your library need money?
(If not, this presentation is not for you.)

3. • Methods we will explore today bring money into
your library from your locale and (potentially) from
all over the country.
• With a minimum investment money can be earned
for your library in continuous streams that don’t
require a lot of work.

4. PayPal
Ever heard of it?
Do you use it?

5. How secure is PayPal?

6. • Place a donation button on your website.
• This allows your patrons to donate any amount
that they wish via credit card.
• PayPal sends you a notice and the cash is
directly deposited into your library’s bank
account.
“I tried being reasonable, I didn’t like it.”

7. Have you ever heard of the Kroger
Community Rewards Fundraising
Program? (Or, Kroger Cares.)

8. • There are about 46 Kroger stores in
West Virginia.
• You can set up a gift card program that
you and your patrons may use to benefit
your library.

9. • Patrons purchase a Kroger gift card from the
library for $5.
• Every time you go to the Kroger load up the
gift card with more cash at the customer
service desk.
• Five percent of all groceries purchased goes
back to the library or nonprofit of your choice.

10. • Pluses: You don’t have to do a lot. Promote
the cards to your patrons. Watch the cash roll
in.
• Negatives: Patrons have to remember to go to
the Customer Service desk to refill their cards
when they spend all the cash on groceries.
“They say marriages are made in Heaven,
but so are thunder and lightning.”

11. Better World Books - pluses
• Keeps books out of dumpsters
• They resell books for you on 50+ Internet
outlets
• Your library gets 15%, plus 5% donated to a
charity. (BWB has 4-5 charities from which
you may choose.)
• BWB pays for your books to be shipped:
at least 6 boxes, and up to 25.

12. Better World Books - minuses
• You don’t get as much profit as if you sold
yourself on Amazon or half.com.
• You have to pack up books and ship them.

13. Google Adsense – Using Blogs
• Start a blog for your library.
• Blogger.com is a great place to start and
it is free.

14. Link to your blog on your library website

15. Post blog entry links on your library’s FaceBook
page.
(And remember: Blogs have
nonmonetary value in that
they help communicate
with your patrons, and
promote your library.)

16. Google AdSense
• Apply for a Google Adsense account once you have a handful of
blog entries.
• By linking Google AdSense to your blog, Google places ads on your
blog pages.
• If and when someone clicks on an ad from your page and buys
something, your library gets a cut.
• You can edit certain content of your ads.
So, for example, I have removed all ads for dating and alcohol from
my library’s AdSense account.
• Write your blog entries with a meaningful link, source materials, and
good SEO.

17. What is SEO?
• Search Engine Optimization is all about
getting Google to rank your pages better
• The better your page ranking, the closer to the
top of a Google search your review will go.
(which means more pages hits)
• Learning to write with good SEO is all about
understanding how people search the Internet

18. More Blog Ideas • Amazon
Associates
• Become an Amazon Associate by reviewing books with
embedded links.
• Every time someone buys a book based on your link
your library gets a share of the profit.
• Patrons or friends may write book reviews for the
library.
• Use good SEO to write
your reviews
“Let's not go and ruin it by thinking too much.”

19. Using SEO – An Example
• If you are writing a book review of Janet Evanovich book
you will want to include phrases like:
• American mystery writer
• Funny mysteries
• Good beach read
• Even using a keyword with a misspelling may yield page hits,
such as “Evanovitch”
• These are all phrases that Internet searchers would use to look
for a book like those of Janet Evanovich.

20. Google Analytics
• Google Analytics won’t garner any income but it
can show you which blog entries are the most
popular.
• Use Google analytics to track your blog traffic
including page hits and bounce rate.
• Analyzing these stats may help you become a
better blog writer, which in turn, could generate
more income and page hits.

21. Google Analytics - Example

22. Sell Books on Amazon
• Books that are donated that you don’t want to
add to your collection
• Books that are weeded out of your collection
but are still in Good condition (at least)

23. Selling on Amazon • How to get started
• Invest in bulk bubble mailers.
• Seller obligations
– Mail sales quickly, within 1-2 days
– Mail via Media Mail
– Get delivery confirmation for books sold over $40 or
so…
• Tweak inventory once a week or once a month

24. Selling on Amazon - Pluses
“I would never have been able to pass the
Bill Clinton-Gary Hart test. No one short of
Mother Teresa could pass.”
• Reimbursed $4 for shipping
• Profit goes right into bank account
• Keeps books out of dumpsters
• Creative book recycling

25. Selling on Amazon - Minuses
• Amazon take a 20-30% cut
• Customers may be unaware they are not
buying direct from Amazon and are more
likely to ask for returns
• Have to go to Post Office regularly.
• Book inventory takes up space and has to be
managed well.

26. Other Selling Venues
• Half.com is another place to sell books online
• Half.com makes a much smaller cut than
Amazon. The catch is that they are not as a big a
name and therefore you are less likely to sell here.
• You can list the same books on both Amazon &
Half.com, you just have to be vigilant about
deleting sold inventory.

27. Tips for selling books online
• Most books have little to no resale value.
• It can take years to hone your book buying and
book selling skills.
• Nonfiction generally sells better than fiction
• Bestsellers usually have little or no resale value
• Small press/academic press books may sell better
• Textbooks that are more than a year or two old probably have no
resale value
• Don’t sell large, heavy books. You lose money in shipping.
• Don’t sell books that are marked in or are in questionable condition.

28. One Fiscal Year –
Pioneer Memorial Library
• Amazon (selling used books) = $1,000
• PayPal = $0 – easy to set up a donation button
• Kroger = $500 – easiest method
• Google Adsense via library blog = $8, first year
• Amazon Associate = the more reviews you have the
more income potential you have. Volunteers can write
reviews which garners cash, engagement, and free PR.

29. Create Products for Sale
• CafePress.com is a great place to create items for sale.
• People buy library-themed or region-themed
merchandise directly from CafePress.com
• CafePress creates the products and mails them.
• Your library gets a chunk of change.
• You don’t need space for inventory, CafePress does this
for you.

30. The Last Word
There are many other ways to set up
revenue sources using the Internet.
Be creative with ways that you use to promote
your library and make money all at the same time.
The work you spend may be well worth it…
for a few dollar$ more.