irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2025
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $9KTHE MORGAN OPERA HOUSE PRESENTS LOCAL AND NATIONAL ARTISTS, MUSICIANS AND PERFORMERS TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS.
named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
Early literacy initiative encouraging parents to read 1,000 books to their children before kindergarten, with milestone rewards and tracking tools.
Chess Club
Monthly gathering for players of all ages and skill levels to play chess and build community.
Dungeons & Dragons for Kids
Four-session summer campaign for children ages 8–13 introducing tabletop roleplaying games through character creation and collaborative storytelling.
Graphic Novel Book Club
Summer book club for ages 10–13 focusing on graphic novels, featuring discussions, crafts, and snacks.
Morgan Opera House Events
Hosts performances by local and national artists, musicians, and performers including family-friendly shows, magic acts, and theater productions.
Southern Cayuga Book Club
Monthly adult book club meeting at the library or Opendore, discussing selected titles from January through December.
Summer Reading Program
Annual literacy program for children, teens, and adults featuring reading challenges, events, and incentives like ice cream certificates and prize drawings.
activities · 16 groups
What they do
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Public Access to Digital and Physical Library Collections 3 activities
- Acquires and maintains library book collectionContinuously acquires and adds new books to the library’s collection to support community reading and learning needs.
- Provides access to digital books and magazinesOffers library cardholders access to eBooks and audiobooks through the Libby platform, and over 5,000 digital magazines via OverDrive.
- Provides digital services assistanceOffers in-person, email, and printable instructional guides to help patrons use digital services such as downloading eBooks and audiobooks on various devices.
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Literary Events & Workshops 2 activities
- Hosts Southern Cayuga Book Club meetingsHosts monthly book club meetings from January through June for the Southern Cayuga Book Club.
- Hosts graphic novel book club for childrenOrganizes a monthly graphic novel book club for children aged 9–12 that includes book discussions, activities, and snacks.
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Early Literacy Promotion 2 activities
- Offers weekly storytime for young childrenProvides weekly storytime sessions featuring stories, songs, fingerplays, and early literacy activities for children from birth through kindergarten.
- Runs 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten programOperates the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten initiative for children from birth to age five, allowing families to register and track reading progress via paper logs or a mobile app, with rewards at every 100 books and a celebration, free book, and Wall of Fame recognition upon completion.
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Recurring Craft and Fiber Arts Groups 1 activity
- Hosts Fiber Friends Group for fiber artsRuns a weekly Fiber Friends Group that supports fiber arts activities for participants of all ages.
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Children's Themed Birthday Parties 1 activity
- Hosts children's events with themed activitiesOrganizes dinosaur-themed events for children featuring tea, dessert-making, crafts, and balloon sculptures, along with weekly arts and crafts programs during the summer.
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Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 1 activity
- Hosts geology-related educational programs for children and adultsConducts geology talks for children and adults, including geode cracking activities and distribution of rocks for personal collections.
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Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
- Hosts monthly art clubProvides a monthly art club where participants learn about and create various forms of art.
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Youth & Community Chess Education 1 activity
- Hosts monthly chess clubOrganizes a monthly chess club open to players of all ages and skill levels.
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Summer and Seasonal Reading Programs 1 activity
- Operates summer reading programs for children, teens, and adultsRuns summer reading programs including reading logs for children (20 days), activity completion, attendance at library programs, and prize drawings for teens and adults based on books read.
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Live Music Performances & Concerts 1 activity
- Presents performances through The Morgan Opera HouseHosts performances by local and national artists, musicians, and performers, including children's programs, via The Morgan Opera House.
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Home Delivery and Curbside Pickup Services 1 activity
- Provides after-hours book returnOperates a book drop on the north side of the building for patrons to return materials outside of regular library hours.
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Library Operations and Program Support 1 activity
- Provides core library services to Aurora residentsDelivers library services including book lending, reference assistance, and digital access to residents of Aurora, NY, as part of the Finger Lakes Library System.
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Regional Library Resource Sharing 1 activity
- Provides interlibrary loan servicesOffers interlibrary loan services to support participation in book clubs and other reading programs.
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Public Access Technology Services 1 activity
- Provides public technology and printing servicesOffers free high-speed internet access via public computers and Wi-Fi, along with printing, scanning, copying (15 cents per page), and fax services.
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Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Publishes community newsletterProduces and distributes a community newsletter titled "The HUB" covering events and news in Southern Cayuga.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Hosts Dungeons & Dragons program for childrenOffers a 4-session Dungeons & Dragons program during the summer for children ages 8–13.
- Hosts travel talk seriesOrganizes a travel series featuring presentations on various global destinations for community members.
- Organizes mini gem and mineral saleHosts a mini gem and mineral sale following geology talks, with proceeds supporting library operations.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$185K
Contributions & grants$133K71%
Program service revenue$17K9%
Investment income$6990%
Other revenue$35K
expenses
Total expenses$223K
Program expenses90%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$80K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$930K
Cash$365K
Investments$257K
Liabilities$0
Net assets$930K
Liquid reserves33.4 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -35.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
board members · 7
- DAVID ECKHARDT — PRESIDENT
- DENNIS LOONEY — VICE PRESIDE
- LARS PETERSON — DIRECTOR
- LORI KNOPP — TREASURER
- MARY JO GUNDERSON MAY — SECRETARY
- SUSAN DEAN — DIRECTOR
- THEA MILLER — DIRECTOR
relationships · 26
Who they work with
- Auburn Public Theater Funder — Funds the REV Summer Youth Tour performance through Statewide Community Regrants (SCR) Local Arts Funding.
- Claire Morehouse Partner — Co-presenter on a talk about architectural styles and stories of Aurora, NY.
- Community Foundation of Tompkins County Funder — Administers the Bernard Carl and Shirley Rosen Library Fund, which provides funding for storytime programs.
- Community Foundation of Tompkins County Funder — Provides funding support through the Rosen Library Grant.
- Cream at the Top Partner — Provides ice cream prizes and sponsors weekly ice cream drawings for the library's summer reading program.
- Culler Fund for Tompkins County Funder — Funds the Great and Powerful Dave the Magician performance.
- David Mould Partner — Presenter of a travel vignettes talk titled 'First Encounters- Four Travel Vignettes'.
- Dr. Millis Partner — Provides geology talks and donates materials for events at the library.
- FLLS Outreach Mini-Grant Funder — Funds the Dungeons & Dragons for Kids program.
- Finger Lakes Library System Network — Member library within the Finger Lakes Library System, receiving support and services.
- Finger Lakes Library System Network — Member of the Finger Lakes Library System, enabling interlibrary loan services.
- Finger Lakes Library System Network — Member of the Finger Lakes Library System, which provides access to shared digital resources.
- Hazard Library Partner — Co-administers the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program with Aurora Free Library.
- Hazard Library Partner — Collaborates on communication and coordination for the Southern Cayuga Book Club.
- Hazard Library Partner — Cosponsors the "Dinosaurs Rock" event and collaborates on summer reading certificate distribution.
- JobNow Partner — Partner providing live job assistance and employment resources.
- Mango Languages Partner — Partner providing language-learning resources to library patrons.
- Morgan Opera House Partner — Collaborates to share information about cultural events in the community.
- OverDrive Partner — Partner platform used to provide digital eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines to patrons.
- ProQuest HeritageQuest Partner — Partner providing genealogical research resources including census records and historical books.
- Robert LoMascolo Partner — Co-presenter on a talk about architectural styles and stories of Aurora, NY.
- Rosen Library Fund Funder — Funds the Graphic Novel Book Club, Dino Explorers Book Club, and Dinosaurs Rock events.
- Sir James Partner — Balloon sculptor providing entertainment at the library's event.
- The Morgan Opera House Partner — Collaborates with Aurora Free Library to present performances for the community and children's programs.
- Tumble Books Partner — Partner providing a curated collection of children's e-books.
- Village of Aurora Government — Provides funding for the REV Summer Youth Tour performance.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Choice-Based Engagement for Inclusive Participationmethodology: choice_based_engagementBy offering multiple pathways to participate in programs—such as varied formats, tracking methods, and inclusive definitions of engagement—the library increases participation and supports diverse learning styles and family circumstances, because lowering barriers and affirming all forms of literacy exposure fosters sustained involvement.
- Community-Centered Learning Through Shared Activitiesmethodology: community_centered_learningBy using recurring, socially engaging formats like crafts, games, and art in shared community settings, the library fosters ongoing participation and connection because structured, collaborative experiences build belonging and support lifelong learning as a communal practice.
- Themed and Interactive Programming to Drive Engagementmethodology: themed_engagementBy integrating imaginative play, interactive science, and culturally relevant themes into library activities, the library boosts engagement among children and families because experiential and age-tailored content makes learning feel like play and strengthens retention and interest.