Associates Fee Change

The Library Associates will be increasing its membership and borrowing fees beginning July 1, 2002. Our borrowing fees have remained unchanged since 1992, while information resources have become increasingly more expensive. For example, the average amount a research library spent on a single journal escalated from $87 in 1986 to $284 in 2000-an increase of 226%! Books increased by 66% over that 14-year period. (See ARL graphs.) By contrast, the U.S. inflation rate for the same timeframe was 57%.

The Library Associates Program is the Lauinger Library's Annual Fund. We have relied on your yearly contributions to help accommodate the rising cost of information. This year, thanks to your generosity, we were able to add $250,000 to our acquisitions budget. We hope to sustain this amount annually so that our collections can complement Georgetown's growing programs in teaching and research. Your continued support has never been more important.

With a minimum gift of $100, as a Library Associate at the "Friend" level you will receive invitations to all Associates events and the quarterly Library Associates Newsletter. At the "Contributor" level of $200 and above, you will also receive a personalized Georgetown University Library Card, giving you borrowing privileges at both the Lauinger and Blommer Science Libraries. At the $1,000 and above "Patron" level, you will in addition be invited to post-event dinners with our speakers.

We want to be able to maintain the high level of Associates programming, while also continuing to meet the research needs of the Georgetown community. You have been a critical part of our past; we hope you will continue to be a part of our future. Thank you warmly for your support.