ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


10 /  C&RL News

Of banks, books, and balls: 
The Lobo Library credit card

By Lynn T rojah n  and Linda K. Lewis

An affin ity c a r d  benefits UNM 
libraries a n d  athletics

F our hundred years ago, John Locke said, “A sound mind in a sound body is a short 
but full description o f a happy state in this 
world.” The mind/body connection led to a 
happy state at the University of New Mexico 
(UNM) as well, when academics and athletics 
joined forces to benefit “Lobos” both off and 
on the playing field.

The fruitful partnership between Lobo ath­
letics and the Lobo libraries began in July 1994. 
The inception of the Intel Scores for Scholars 
Program, in which the Intel Corporation con­
tributes acquisitions money to the libraries for 
every home score in football and basketball, 
inspired an abundance of joint programs. The 
most notable collaboration is UNM’s basket
ball coach, Dave Bliss, serving as chair o f the 
UNM Library Annual 
Fund Campaign. The UNM libraries support 

every academ ic unit on 
cam pus; the libraries 
support everyone.

It d id n ’t ta k e  a 
rocket scientist to real­
ize that libraries and 
athletics can help each 
other, as they have at 
other universities. The 
UNM libraries provide academic credibility to 
athletics, and Lobo athletics provide visibility 
and excitement to the libraries. This very new 
relationship at UNM, and the ensuing dollars 
and respect garnered by both entities, led to 
one of UNM’s most important strategic part­
nerships: the First State Bank Lobo Library Credit 
Card.

The nuts an d bolts
First State Bank is the only locally owned and 
managed major bank system in New Mexico. 
It is a bank that stresses New Mexico first, and 
its employees are actively involved in the com­
munity. One First State Bank employee who 
is a member of the board of the Lobo Club 
(the community support organization for UNM 
athletics), presented the idea o f an “affinity 
card” to help support athletics. It was a project 
that would also help First State Bank launch 
its first Visa/MasterCard in the New Mexico 
market.

Banks began developing affinity credit cards 
in the 1980s as a way of expanding their cus­
tomer base. These credit cards are targeted to 
a specific group of people who share common 
interests. Affinity cards supporting charitable 
organizations, universities, societies, and even 
fans of country music have been issued in re­
cent years. The groups may receive part o f the 
card’s membership fee and a percent of the 

amounts charged. The 
bank benefits by gain­
ing new customers. Al
though some universi­
ties and their alumni 
groups have had affin­
ity cards for several 
years, UNM may be the 

first library with its own card.
From the beginning, First State Bank in­

tended that the card support academics as well 
as athletics. Its first thought was that the card 
could help provide scholarship money. When 
athletics brought up the idea of the libraries, 
the program began to have focus. James E. War­
den, a senior vice-president at First State, said,

Lynn T rojahn is d ir e c to r  o f  d ev elo p m en t a n d  p u b lic  rela tion s a t  the University o f  N ew M exico (UNM), 
e-m a il: ltro ja h n @ u n m .ed u ; L in d a  K. Lewis is collectio n  d ev elo p m en t o ffic e r  a t  the University o f  New M exico, 
e-m a il: Uewis@unm.edu

mailto:ltrojahn@unm.edu
mailto:Uewis@unm.edu


Ja n u a r y  19 9 7 /  11

“The intention from day one was to bring aca­
demics into the mix. Earmarking money to the 
libraries really made sense. Scholarships help 
many students in New Mexico, but the UNM 
libraries support every academic unit on cam ­
pus; the libraries support everyone.”

At this point, athletics brought the idea to 
the university’s Purchasing Department. Given 
that many banks support athletics, it was im­
portant to give all local institutions the chance 
to bid on this proposal. At the same time, Mike 
Alden, the associate director of Lobo 
athletics, and Jack  Harney, 
the d irecto r o f the 
Lobo Club, ap
proached the 
lib ra r y  as 
partn ers for 
th e a ffin ity  
c a rd . W hy 
would athletics 
ask the libraries 
to  b e  p a rtn e rs 
and actually split 
some of this hard-
earned money? The 
d e c is io n  w as a c ­
tually a smart one; 
it i n c r e a s e d  t h e  appeal o f 
t h e  c a r d ,  a n d  s o  increased the profit 
for all parties.

An affin ity for the lib rarie s
In the last few years, the UNM libraries have 
d eveloped an active fundraising program. 
There have been traditional approaches, such 
as telephone and mail campaigns to alumni, 
friends groups, and parents of students, as well 
as appeals to corporate donors. One o f the 
more unusual efforts has been a Valentine’s 
Day Sock Hop, complete with music, cars, and 
costumes from the 1950s. The libraries have 
been willing to try new approaches to fund­
raising, and have sought new partners to sup­
port the library programs. This innovative at­
titude led to the willingness to join the affinity 
card program.

After the bid process was complete, First 
State Bank came out the winner. It was the 
bank willing to put in the marketing money 
and man-hours to have the credit card be suc­
cessful. On the UNM side, major administra­
tive support was needed. After the dean of 
the libraries approved the library involvement, 
proponents of the plan needed the approval

of UNM’s provost, the chief academic officer 
o f the institution.

Then-UNM provost Mary Sue Coleman (who 
is now president of the University of Iowa) was 
a great library supporter. She realized that for 
the libraries to succeed in their fundraising, risk 
and entrepreneurship were of paramount im­
portance. She not only approved the libraries’ 
partnering with athletics and F irst State 
B a n k , sh e accepted the idea 

that an application 
form  fo r the 
cre d it card  b e 
sent to all fac
ulty and staff of 
the university.

If the credit 
card had ben
e fite d  o n ly 
athletics, the 
offer would 
never have 
gone to all 

UNM e m
ployees. With 

the broader scope of the 
libraries a n d  academics, the credit 

card appealed to a much larger audience. War
den knew that bringing in the libraries “brought 
in a structured and growing market or donor 
base. So many people had an affinity to the 
libraries that the libraries would attract affinity 
card prospects.” The solicitation for the card 
invited potential credit card applicants to choose 
between their $25 initiation fee going to the 
libraries or to athletics; the majority o f UNM 
employees chose the libraries. In addition, 1% 
of the debt charged to the cards each month is 
divided betw een the libraries and athletics, 
helping both groups.

In other words, by involving the libraries, 
athletics picked up hundreds of UNM employ­
ees who have an affiliation with the librar­
ies— which is why they applied for the credit 
card— who are now, through their monthly 
debt, giving to both the libraries and athletics.

The credit card design also contributes to 
an affinity with the libraries. A picture of 
Zimmerman Library, UNM’s flagship library and 
a premiere example o f New Mexico Pueblo 
Style architecture, was painted by a local ad­
vertising agency to adorn the credit card. The 
image o f the most recognizable building on 
campus makes this beautiful credit card a piece 
o f art that cardholders are proud to use.



12 /  C&RL News

The sw e e t sm ell of success
First State Bank divided the mailing list o f p
tential applicants into four groups: Lobo Clu
members, season ticket holders for athleti
events, library friends group members, an
UNM employees. Almost 20,000 people wer
approached, with the solicitation targeted t
the specific group. For example, Lobo Clu
members were asked to apply by the pres
dent o f the Lobo Club, and UNM employee
by the dean of the libraries. First State Ban
paid for all graphics, print materials, adverti
ing, and mailing. It also contribu ted  eac
applicant’s $25 initiation fee to the fund.

Between January 1996 and October 1996, th
following occurred:

• 1,000 individuals, or 60% o f those soli
ited, applied and were preapproved for Lob
Library Credit Cards. This is a phenomenal r
sult for a project that depended solely on d
rect mail. Even with telemarketing, which wa
not a component o f this campaign, affinity card
usually produce only a two to three perce
response rate.

• O f those 1,000 individuals, 60% aske
that their initiation fee go to the libraries, for 
total o f $15,000.

• After ten months o f use, there is an ave

o
b 
c 
d 
e 
o 
b 
i­
s 
k 
s­
h  

e 

c­
o 

e­
i­
s 
s 

nt 

d 
a 

r­

age b a la n c e  o f d eb t from  th e se cards o f 
$593,329. Therefore, each month $5,930 will 
be split between the libraries and athletics. That 
amount will probably continue to increase as 
cardholders continue to use their cards.

• The libraries received $15,000 plus a po­
tential $2,500 each month for a projected total 
contribution o f $40,000 for the first year of this 
program.

A  strategic p artn ersh ip  w o rk s
For an affinity card, these results are extraordi­
nary. Why has this strategic partnership worked 
so well?

• First State Bank is a local bank that is 
willing to try new ideas and to spend money 
to have the product be exceptional. O f course, 
First State B an k has also b en efited  by re­
ceiving positive publicity and goodw ill for 
this project, as w ell as acquiring new  cu s­
tom ers.

• The program partners two campus insti­
tutions, each o f which has a loyal base o f sup­
port both on and off campus.

• The Lobo Library credit card is not com ­
peting with the UNM Alumni Association affin­
ity cards or other funding projects on campus. 
There is some overlap betw een the alumni and 
the audience targeted by this card, but it is not 
enough to be significant.

• There is a great working relationship 
among the bank, athletics, and the libraries that 
nourishes the ability to work through issues 
and problems, creating a situation in which all 
parties win.

Jack  Harney, director o f the Lobo Club, con­
tinues to be excited about the partnership. 
There are a few detractors o f the program, but 
Harney reminds the naysayers that “without the 
libraries’ partnership we would not have the 
ongoing success that this credit card provides 
on a monthly basis. The libraries brought in 
hundreds o f applications and a loyal base of 
support— it’s a match made in heaven.”

This type o f project is not for the faint of 
heart. It has involved delicate maneuvering 
among all parties concerned. The project de­
manded that administrators on campus take 
risks— a notion that can be completely anti­
thetical to bureaucracies and the political cli­
mate at a university. We had the right players, 
committed to the right goals, who were will­
ing to go out on a limb to make a difference. 
The First State Bank Lobo Library credit card is 
an unequivocal success. ■



Ja n u a r y  1 9 9 7  /  13