40+ New Revenue Sources for Libraries and Nonprofits. By Edmund A. Rossman III. Chicago: ALA, 2016. 248 p. Paper $65 (ISBN 978-0-8389-1438-0).

Drawing on the many similarities between public broadcasting and public libraries, 40+ New Revenue Sources for Libraries and Nonprofits is a compelling volume designed to help libraries stay afloat despite dwindling funding. Appropriate for library directors, development specialists, branch managers, and librarians tasked with securing funding, Rossman’s work advocates that libraries should not merely increase their revenue streams, but diversify their income, to remain sustainable well into the future.

The book is conveniently divided into two parts. Part one sets a foundation for readers’ revenue-generating endeavors by including background information about public broadcasting, including the efforts of PBS and NPR to remain solvent. Libraries that find themselves on the precipice of similar budgetary crises will find hope via practical anecdotes of success through diversification. Part one also offers a handy toolkit to help librarians overcome the obstacles of public relations law, ethics, and contracts. Newer marketing channels, such as crowdfunding and social media, are covered in depth. Part one’s final chapter details best practices for securing funding via grants.

Part two, comprising two-thirds of the book, gives in-depth insight into forty-two different methods of generating income for your library. A useful summary matrix provides quick reference.

These mini-chapters are conveniently organized into categories such as books and materials (for example, community book sales and raffles), naming rights (for example, meeting rooms), and sponsorships (for example, tutoring programs and vending machines). Each mini-chapter is comprehensive and guides readers from the project’s inception to its completion. In essence, part two functions as a menu for public library personnel, enabling leaders in the organization to choose the revenue sources that best fit their needs and their communities.

With a strong emphasis on community partnerships and mutual benefit, 40+ New Revenue Sources for Libraries and Nonprofits is a compelling resource for those tasked with generating non-governmental income for their library. The easy-to-digest foundational chapters and quick-hitting mini-chapters will be especially valuable to fundraising novices, but all public library officials can benefit from the book’s practical insights. Essential for the library on the brink of financial struggles, this volume is highly recommended.—Joshua Jordan, Librarian, Del City Library, Del City, Oklahoma