An examination of characteristics related to success of friends groups in medical school rare book libraries.

Friends of the library groups traditionally have been considered effective sources of funding for libraries. Empirical evidence was sought to determine the accuracy of this belief for medical rare book libraries. Characteristics of the medical rare book library and of the friends group were examined to identify those which are correlated with successful friends groups. Correlations were found between the amount of money contributed by the friends group and the age of the friends group, the librarian's participation in forming the group, and the amount of money spent by the library on the friends group. Recommendations are made toward a goal of larger donations from friends groups of medical rare book libraries and toward more effective management of those funds.