To the dismay of faculty and community supporters, the $80,000 annual funding for the Association of the Stanford University Libraries (ASUL) was terminated this past month, following an unclear decision by the University.

An established organization for the past 34 years, the ASUL, which is affectionately known as the “Friends of the Library,” served as a support organization to the University’s libraries. Its responsibilities included hosting a number of programs, lectures and workshops that were free and open to the public.

While relying partly on member dues, the ASUL’s major source of funding was the $80,000 yearly subsidy granted by Michael Keller, University librarian and director of academic information resources. In a May 24 statement issued to the group, Keller warned its members that, on Aug. 31, the University would end the funding that had been granted for more than 10 years. In its place, he urged the ASUL to raise an endowment.

Twenty associates of the ASUL responded to the letter in late August with an appeal to University President John Hennessy and Provost John Etchemendy. Citing a lack of time to raise the necessary funds, as well as the miscommunication and misguidedness of the University decision, ASUL members urged Hennessy and Etchemendy to reconsider. They have not yet received a response.

Andrew Herkovic, director of communications and development for Stanford University Libraries, said that the University had given the organization enough time to make new financial arrangements.

“We gave them five years to accumulate an endowment that would then support them indefinitely,” Herkovic said, adding that the group had failed to raise the money within the first two years and the University was aware of its ongoing financial problems.

“There was no sustainable business plan to continue and we regretfully decided to pull the plug because it was not viable to continue,” Herkovic concluded.

One member, who was granted anonymity out of a concern for overemphasis on their role in the group, acknowledged that volunteer organizations can be a potential challenge for universities, but many models of successful support organizations like the ASUL do exist at college campuses across the country.

The member also noted the ASUL’s frustration over the lack of help from the University in raising funds and the suddenness of the decision to revoke the ASUL’s charter. The organization was, in effect, “asked to commit suicide,” the ASUL member said.

In an email to The Daily, English Prof. Bliss Carnochan, a member and co-signer of the letter, said that there was a lack of communication over the decision between the University and associates of the ASUL.

“The decision could have been better prepared for and communicated, if it was believed necessary, far more thoughtfully,” he said.

Herkovic agreed that there was some miscommunication but said the University did attempt to notify all associates.

“We issued a letter to all members in May informing of our intention to close [the ASUL] down, unless someone came up with a viable plan,” he said. “But due to a systematic, clerical screw up, we printed exactly half of the 400 letters [needed to be sent]. Half the people never received the letter at all.”

The letter publicized a June meeting to discuss alternative options. Because of poor attendance, no specific plans were agreed upon. A follow-up letter was sent, reporting the pending cut-off in funding.

“Everyone received the second letter which said, in fact, the game was over,” Herkovic said. “I can understand why it seemed pretty sudden to the members, but our analysis and the disclosure about how dead in the water the endowment campaign was came late in the spring.”

Despite their own demands and hopes of a different outcome, ASUL members said the group is unlikely to continue its library support in the future.

“ASUL will probably not be reconstituted,” Carnochan said. “I think the community in particular will be the poorer. The University’s relationship to the community should be handled with more sensitivity and care.”