irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $964KEXHIBITIONS & PUBLICATIONS.EXHIBITIONS PROGRAM. IN FY 2024 THE GROLIER CLUB EXHIBITION PROGRAM SPONSORED 7 EXHIBITIONS OF RARE BOOKS AND MANUSCRIPTS, 3 IN THE GROUND FLOOR HALL, AND 4 IN THE SECOND FLOOR GALLERY; ALL WERE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, FREE OF CHARGE. CATALOGUES WERE PRODUCED OR MADE AVAILABLE BY THE CLUB FOR 3 OF THE 3 GROUND FLOOR SHOWS, AND 1 OF THE 4 SECOND FLOOR SHOWS. THESE EXHIBITIONS DREW A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 7,024 VISITORS. ABOUT 63 SEPARATE NOTICES AND REVIEWS OF GROLIER EXHIBITIONS APPEARED IN LOCAL AND NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS IN THE COURSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR. 24 OF OUR 55 EVENTS, INCLUDING 14 TOURS AND 8 LECTURES WERE HELD IN CONNECTION WITH EXHIBITIONS IN FY 2024; APPROXIMATELY 33,858 HITS WERE RECORDED BY THE EXHIBITION PAGES OF THE GROLIER CLUB WEBSITE DURING THIS PERIOD.THE PUBLICATIONS PROGRAM. IN FY 2024 THE GROLIER CLUB PUBLICATIONS PROGRAM PRODUCED OR SPONSORED 6 PUBLICATIONS, 4 OF WHICH WERE CONNECTED WITH GROLIER CLUB PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS OF RARE BOOKS AND MANUSCRIPTS. APPROXIMATELY 840 COPIES OF GROLIER CLUB PUBLICATIONS--NEW AND BACKLIST TITLES--WERE SOLD IN FY 2024, EITHER ON-SITE AT THE CLUB, ONLINE DIRECTLY FROM THE CLUB THROUGH ITS WEBSITE, OR ONLINE AND OTHERWISE THROUGH OUR DISTRIBUTOR, CHICAGO DISTRIBUTION CENTER.
- #2 $630KMEMBER SERVICESADMINISTRATION OF SERVICES FOR APPROXIMATELY 800 MEMBERS.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Exhibitions Program
Sponsors 7 annual public exhibitions of rare books and manuscripts in the Ground Floor Hall and Second Floor Gallery, open free to the public with curator-led tours and related events
Library Research Services
Provides access to a specialized library for research purposes by appointment, supporting scholars and collectors in the field of book history
Public Events
Hosts lectures, panel discussions, symposia, and guided tours connected with current exhibitions and book history topics
Publications Program
Produces and sponsors scholarly publications, including exhibition catalogues and books on bibliography and book history, sold on-site and through distribution partners
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Hosts public exhibitions of rare books, prints, and works on paperOrganizes and presents approximately seven public exhibitions annually, with three in the ground floor gallery and four in the second floor gallery, all free of charge. Exhibitions cover diverse topics including book arts, literature, graphic arts, and collecting, and are accessible both in person and online after physical closure. The organization has hosted over 1,000 exhibitions since 1884, including recent shows such as "Black Brilliance: An American Chronicle" and "Risings: The Irish Literary Revival and the Making of a Nation."
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Literary Events & Workshops 1 activity
- Hosts public lectures, tours, and educational programmingOrganizes and hosts public lectures, panels, curator-led tours, and festival-style programming related to exhibitions, such as readings and performances for "Risings: The Irish Literary Revival." In FY 2024, the organization held 24 events including 14 tours and 8 lectures, with materials and recordings accessible online. These events are promoted and registered via Eventbrite and are free and open to the public.
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Literary and Cultural Publishing 1 activity
- Produces scholarly publications and exhibition cataloguesProduces an average of six to seven publications annually, including exhibition catalogues, scholarly monographs, bibliographies, facsimiles, limited-edition fine bindings, and commemorative albums. Since 1884, the organization has published over 500 books and catalogues, with recent examples including a catalogue for the "Risings" exhibition and titles in the "Grolier Hundred" series such as "One Hundred Books Famous in Medicine."
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Specialized Research Library Access 1 activity
- Provides public access to a research library on book history and bibliographyMaintains a 100,000+ volume research library focused on the history and study of books, printing, and bibliography, including rare bibliographies, printing histories, and a teaching collection spanning from the Gutenberg Bible to modern private press editions. The library is accessible to non-members by appointment for scholarly research and includes a 60,000-volume archive of antiquarian bookseller and auction catalogues for historical trade research.
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Event Venue Rental Services 1 activity
- Rents historic spaces for private eventsOffers historic library spaces and a working kitchen for rental events, including the Exhibition Hall (up to 90 guests), Rare Book Room (up to 50), Morris Room (up to 55 with terrace), Dutch Kitchen (up to 25), Phillipps Room (up to 8), and Council Room (up to 22 for meetings or 35 for dinners), supporting events such as receptions, dinners, and board meetings.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Develops and maintains digital exhibitions and online resourcesProduces seven new digital exhibitions per season, each featuring selections from physical exhibitions and videos of related programming. Has launched over 30 digital exhibitions online, including pilot projects such as "Lasting Impressions" (2004) and "Aldus Manutius" (2015), serving as a permanent research resource for approximately 2,000 monthly users, including students and researchers.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$2.59M
Contributions & grants$1.86M72%
Program service revenue$202K8%
Investment income$474K18%
Other revenue$52K
expenses
Total expenses$3.48M
Program expenses82%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$1.23M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$29.11M
Cash$500K
Investments$16.68M
Liabilities$60K
Net assets$29.05M
Liquid reserves59.2 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue -34.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ERIC J HOLZENBERG | DIRECTOR (9/1/23-1/31/24) | 40 | $187K |
board members · 22
- ALAN M KLEIN — VICE PRESIDENT
- ALVIN A PATRICK — COUNCIL MEMBER
- BASIE G GITLIN — SECRETARY
- BEPPY L OWEN — COUNCIL MEMBER
- BRUCE J CRAWFORD — COUNCIL MEMBER
- CATHERINE VANDERPOOL — COUNCIL MEMBER
- CHERYL HURLEY — COUNCIL MEMBER
- DAVID SOLO — COUNCIL MEMBER
- DECLAN D KIELY — COUNCIL MEMBER
- EVE M KAHN — COUNCIL MEMBER
- GEORGE SPERA — COUNCIL MEMBER
- GRETCHEN ADKINS — COUNCIL MEMBER
- MARIE C OEDEL — COUNCIL MEMBER
- MICHAEL T RYAN — COUNCIL MEMBER
- PJ MODE — VICE PRESIDENT
- RHIANNON KNOL — COUNCIL MEMBER
- ROBERT DANCE — COUNCIL MEMBER
- SARAH BUTLER — COUNCIL MEMBER
- SIMON C W HEWETT — TREASURER
- SUSAN J TANE — COUNCIL MEMBER
- WILLIAM HIGGINS — COUNCIL MEMBER
- WILLIAM P STONEMAN — COUNCIL MEMBER
relationships · 19
Who they work with
- Acriel Foundation Funder — Provided a $25,000 grant to support the development of the Grolier Club's online exhibitions program.
- American Printing History Association Partner — Co-presents lectures and symposia with the Grolier Club.
- American Trust for the British Library Partner — Co-presents lectures and symposia with the Grolier Club.
- April Rose Partner — Events Manager responsible for handling rental inquiries and event coordination at the Grolier Club.
- Bibliographical Society of America Partner — Co-presents lectures and symposia with the Grolier Club.
- Chicago Distribution Center Partner — Distributor for Grolier Club publications, handling online and other sales.
- Constant Contact Partner — Used for distributing the organization's weekly newsletter.
- Dieu Donné Partner — Collaborates with Dieu Donné to present an exhibition celebrating 50 years of innovation in hand papermaking.
- Embassy of the Free Mind Partner — Co-presents the exhibition "Rivers of Free Thought" with the Embassy of the Free Mind and the collection of J R Ritman.
- Eventbrite Partner — Partner platform used for registration and dissemination of exhibition tours and public events.
- Eventbrite Partner — Platform used for registration of exhibition-related events and curator-led gallery tours.
- New York Public Library Network — The Grolier Club's collection context includes institutions like the New York Public Library, which absorbed the Astor Library and holds related materials.
- Not specified Partner — Collaborates with members of the book collecting and rare book professional community to identify and sponsor new candidates.
- Oak Knoll Books Partner — Former distributor for Grolier Club publications, used in prior fiscal years for online and other sales.
- PayPal Partner — Platform used to process credit card and bank transfer donations
- Rare Book School Partner — Co-presents lectures and symposia with the Grolier Club.
- The New York Public Library Partner — Collaborates with The Grolier Club on the "Risings" exhibition, providing access to materials from the Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection.
- University of Chicago Press Partner — Liaises with the Club’s distributor regarding stock levels, metadata, royalties, and sales channels.
- Wild Carrot Letterpress Partner — Partnered with the Grolier Club to print Keats' Letters From a Walking Tour in 1995.
strategies · 4
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.
- Community-Driven Stewardship Through Member Engagementmethodology: cultural_stewardship_through_communityBy involving members in curating exhibitions and requiring sponsorship for new membership, the Club fosters a self-sustaining community of bibliophiles that preserves and advances scholarship in book history through shared expertise and selective, values-aligned participation.
- Cultural Elevation of Books as Artmethodology: cultural_elevation_of_printed_materialsBy exhibiting books and prints alongside traditional fine art forms like painting and sculpture, the Club elevates their cultural status, fostering public appreciation of printed materials as artistic and historical objects of equivalent value.
- Exhibition-Centered Education and Outreachmethodology: exhibition-based_educationBy organizing thematic public exhibitions and producing linked scholarly publications, the Club promotes the study and appreciation of book arts, extending access beyond members to a broader audience through free, educational programming and digital expansion.
- Scholarly and Artistic Excellence in Publishingmethodology: scholarly_and_design_excellenceBy producing high-quality publications that emphasize both scholarly rigor and excellence in design and production, the Club advances the book arts as a field where intellectual and aesthetic values are mutually reinforcing.