The Swarthmore Public Library is a center of community life, offering educational, informational, recreational, and cultural opportunities for people of all ages. The Library is a dependable source of reliable information and of challenging ideas that enlighten and enrich, and of materials in many formats that enhance leisure time and expand knowledge of current events. The Library encourages the love of reading and the joy of learning and offers assistance people need to find, evaluate and use electronic and print information resources that help them live successful and rewarding lives.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
85¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 33 volunteers and 7 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $27K a year · 8% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
85%
of spending
Looks good: 85% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$62K
to officers and key staff · 18% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 18% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
22 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 21.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$352K
+7% vs prior year
Spent
$333K
To programs
85%
Net assets
$600K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$352K
FY2024▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$348K
FY2021$306K
FY2022$310K
FY2023$330K
FY2024$352K
Expenses
$333K
FY2024▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$289K
FY2021$300K
FY2022$292K
FY2023$297K
FY2024$333K
Net assets
$600K
FY2024▲ +4%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$529K
FY2021$535K
FY2022$553K
FY2023$578K
FY2024$600K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Exemption reinstated (2010-05-15). Per the IRS revocation list. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Nov 2016.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

85 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 85% · $282K Management & general 15% · $51K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

11 people listed on the 990; $62K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Library Director (thru 2024)
$61,526Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Abigail Cengel’s $62K as Library Director (thru 2024) is at the 53rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 1612 $100K–1M education nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Abigail Cengel$61,526$46,814———
Amber Osborne———$51,755$51,608
Abigal Cengel——$35,262——

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Swarthmore Public Library Assoc executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Provides educational, informational, and recreational opportunities for all ages.

Questions for Swarthmore Public Library Assoc

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $282K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The library provides education and educational materials by making its collection of books, periodicals, museum and park passes, movies, and music accessible to borough, delaware county, and pennsylvania residents free of CHARGE.THE library also offers award-winning programming for children, including multiple, age-appropriate…

$282Kprogram expense

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$352K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$310K
Investment incomeLn 3$26K
Other incomeLn 4–11$11K
Money outPt IX
$333K
Ln 25
Programscol B$282K
Managementcol C$51K
Owns and owesPt X
$600K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$600K
Total assetsLn 16$600K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$310K
Government grantsLn 1e$258K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$6K
Investment incomeLn 3$26K
Other incomeLn 4–11$11K
Gains on assetsLn 7$19K
Total revenueLn 12$352K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$122K
SavingsLn 2$477K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$600K
Total assetsLn 16$600K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$600K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 57
VolunteersI 633
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$578K$600K
Total assetsLn 16$578K$600K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$578K$600K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$66K$66K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$104K$104K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$11K$11K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$6K$6K
Payroll taxesLn 10$57K$57K
Accounting feesLn 11c$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$35K$35K
Office expensesLn 13$7K$7K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$43K$38K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$333K$282K$51K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $352K$333K$19K$600K 990 PDF
FY2023 $330K$297K$33K$578K 990 PDF
FY2022 $310K$292K$18K$553K 990 PDF
FY2021 $306K$300K$6K$535K 990 PDF
FY2020 $348K$289K$59K$529K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $352,098 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $306,825$309,729
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $6,408$5,715
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $12,501$25,724
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $4,523$10,930
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $330,257$352,098
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $230,267$244,250
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $67,021$89,012
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $297,288$333,262
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $32,969$18,836
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $352,098 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$258,032
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$51,697
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$309,729
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $5,715$5,715
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $6,412$6,412
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $19,312$19,312
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $8,366$8,366
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,564$2,564
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $8,279 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $34,090$352,098
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $333,262 across 9 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $66,381$66,381
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $103,866$103,866
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $10,696$10,696
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $5,910$5,910
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $57,397$57,397
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $3,875$3,875
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $35,165$35,165
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $6,606$6,606
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $37,537 · Management $5,829$43,366
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $281,787 · Management $51,475 · Fundraising $0$333,262
Part X · Balance sheet $599,855 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $273,014$122,385
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $304,691$477,470
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $577,705$599,855
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $452,705$599,855
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $125,000$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $577,705$599,855
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $577,705$599,855
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $599,855 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$352,098
XI-2 Total expenses$333,262
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$18,836
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$577,705
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$3,314
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$599,855

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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