My own experience: I did get permission from my collections manager to pursue this purchase. Though they (The Docent Educator Online) were only half-way to their goal just days before the deadline, they made it! So, as a contributing partner, we'll receive a print version of the newsletter and know that we were instrumental in their effort to provide the newsletter online (we'll all have free access to that).
As a collection development tool, Kickstarter remains to be viewed with caution here. Our current policy is that the decision to participate or not in any particular campaign has to be made by our Associate University Librarian for Collections, not by an individual selector. Aside from the somewhat risky nature of Kickstarter, I think their concern is that sometimes there may be a (real or perceived) political aspect (meant in the broadest sense) to the campaign.
best,
Rebecca
--
Rebecca Price
Architecture, Urban Planning & Visual Resources Librarian
Museum Studies Liaison
Art, Architecture & Engineering Library
2396 Duderstadt Center
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2094
734.647.5274