COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

EMPIRE STATE LIBRARY NETWORK
BELLPORT, NY · EIN 201226986 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B70 · Education · Small ($100K-$1M) · esln.org
revenue
$758K
expenses
$737K
net assets
$1.1M
employees
0
volunteers
9
program ratio
97%
mission · from form 990

A MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION FORMED TO SERVE LIBRARIES, ENABLING THEM TO IMPROVE SERVICES TO THEIR USERS, AND TO SERVE AS A COMPONENT OF THE NEW YORK STATE-WIDE LIBRARY NETWORK.

profile · synthesized from sources

Membership organization supporting libraries across New York State by enhancing resource sharing, improving access to materials, and providing professional development. Offers services including a statewide delivery network for physical items, a shared digital collection for academic libraries, and training webinars on topics like HR, grant writing, and technology. Serves as a component of the New York State-wide library network.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $69K
    ALL OTHER PROGRAMS FOR MEMBERS, EDUCATION, ETC.
  2. #2 $0
    12NY - TO SUPPORT THE IMPROVEMENT OF NEW YORK STATE WIDE INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Conservation and Preservation Grant Writing Workshop
Workshop to assist cultural institutions in preparing applications for New York State Conservation/Preservation Discretionary Grants
ESLN Services Webinar Series
Series introducing member libraries to ESLN services such as Empire Archival Discovery Cooperative, New York Heritage Digital Collections, and Ask Us 24/7
Empire Library Delivery
Statewide delivery service that streamlines the sharing of physical library materials—including books, periodicals, and AV items—among libraries in New York State through a courier network
Human Resources and Management Webinar Series
Training series for library staff and supervisors covering leadership transitions, hiring practices, employment law, and employee benefits
New York Academic OverDrive Joint Collection
Shared digital collection allowing academic libraries in New York State to pool resources and provide equitable access to ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Regional Library Resource Sharing 3 activities
    • Operates a 24/7 virtual reference chat service
      Runs a real-time research and information assistance service staffed by librarians across New York State and multiple time zones, providing ongoing support to library users and staff.
    • Supports resource sharing among member libraries through statewide delivery and cooperative systems
      Operates the Empire Library Delivery program, which bundles and transports library materials across New York State. Provides delivery bags, label templates, and requires monthly reporting of shipment statistics from participating libraries.
    • Supports statewide information infrastructure development
      Works to strengthen and improve New York State’s library and information systems through coordinated services, shared platforms, and technological integration.
  • Library Staff Professional Development 2 activities
    • Provides educational programs and services to improve library operations
      Delivers ongoing educational initiatives and operational support to member libraries to enhance service delivery and professional capacity across New York State.
    • Provides training programs and professional development for library staff
      Offers workshops, webinars, and events on topics including leadership transitions, HR practices, hiring, employee separations, and knowledge documentation for library professionals across New York State. Includes a nine-part webinar series in 2022 detailing organizational services and professional development offerings.
  • Professional Job Board & Career Placement Services 1 activity
    • Aggregates and disseminates library job postings across New York State
      Maintains a centralized platform for collecting and sharing job opportunities in libraries throughout the state to support workforce development and hiring.
  • Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
    • Builds capacity for grant writing and project funding in cultural institutions
      Hosts workshops and provides training to support applicants for preservation and conservation grants, including the Conservation/Preservation Discretionary Grant Program, and offers tools such as a Grant Writing Kit Workshop.
  • Archival Digitization and Preservation 1 activity
    • Creates and maintains centralized finding aids for archival holdings
      Develops and manages a unified online repository that enables discovery of archival materials across New York State through a single portal, enhancing access to distributed collections.
  • Educator Conferences & Professional Development Events 1 activity
    • Hosts events and symposia to promote resource awareness and collaboration
      Organizes gatherings such as the PILLARS Symposium and other educational events to introduce educators and library professionals to teaching resources and foster collaborative learning.
  • Local History Archival Access 1 activity
    • Provides access to shared digital collections and research portals
      Aggregates and provides access to digital collections, historic newspapers, and institutional repositories through a centralized research portal that includes content from over 260 libraries, museums, and archives across New York State.
  • Literacy Program Funding 1 activity
    • Provides grants to support member library programs
      Funds initiatives and projects run by member libraries through a formal grant program aimed at enhancing library services and capacity across New York State.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Facilitates cooperative purchasing and group licensing for member libraries
      Negotiates and coordinates statewide group licensing and discounted access to services, subscriptions, and tools—including the RDA Toolkit, Candid Foundation Directory, and journal databases—for member libraries.
    • Offers expert legal and archival advisory services to member libraries
      Provides guidance on employment law, intellectual property, contracts, civil rights, and archival practices including preservation, processing, digital projects, and acquisition. Services are available to member libraries and library councils across New York State.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$758K
Contributions & grants$693K91%
Program service revenue$12K2%
Investment income$53K7%
Other revenue$183
expenses
Total expenses$737K
Program expenses97%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$6K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$1.19M
Cash$407K
Investments$772K
Liabilities$65K
Net assets$1.13M
Liquid reserves19.2 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -3.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 9
  • KATHLEEN GUNDRUM — Trustee
  • LAURA SCHIEFER — Trustee
  • MARY-CAROL LINDBLOOM — Secretary
  • MEG BACKUS — VICE CHAIR
  • NATE HILL — Trustee
  • RYAN PERRY — Trustee
  • SHERYL KNAB — Trustee
  • TESSA KILLIAN — Chairperson
  • TIM SPINDLER — Treasurer
relationships · 27

Who they work with

  • CAPITAL DISTRICT LIBRARY COUNCIL Network — Regional library council and member of the Empire State Library Network.
  • CENTRAL NY LIBRARY RESOURCES COUNCIL Network — Regional library council and member of the Empire State Library Network.
  • Candid Partner — Partnered to provide access to the Candid Foundation Directory for member libraries.
  • Councils of the Empire State Library Network Network — Collaborates with multiple library councils within the Empire State Library Network to staff the 'Ask the Archivist' service.
  • Custom Courier Solutions Partner — Vendor contracted to provide courier services for Empire Library Delivery
  • IDS project Partner — Represented on the ELD Advisory Council and involved in managing the statewide delivery service
  • LONG ISLAND LIBRARY RESOURCES COUNCIL Network — Regional library council and member of the Empire State Library Network.
  • METROPOLITAN NY LIBRARY COUNCIL Network — Regional library council and member of the Empire State Library Network.
  • NORTHERN NY LIBRARY NETWORK Network — Regional library council and member of the Empire State Library Network.
  • NYS Library Councils Network — Collaborates with the nine regional library councils in New York State, whose members are eligible to participate in ESLN projects and services.
  • New York State Government — Part of the New York State-wide library network.
  • New York State Library Government — Collaborates with Barbara Lilley of the New York State Library’s Division of Library Development to deliver grant writing workshops.
  • New York State Library Partner — Represented on the ELD Advisory Council
  • Northern New York Library Network Partner — Manages the New York Academic OverDrive Joint Collection on behalf of the Empire State Library Network.
  • Onondaga County Public Libraries Partner — Amanda E. Perrine, Executive Director of Onondaga County Public Libraries, led an HR training session.
  • RDA Co-Publishers Partner — Collaborates with RDA Co-Publishers to provide access to the RDA Toolkit for libraries in New York.
  • ROCHESTER REGIONAL LIBRARY COUNCIL Network — Regional library council and member of the Empire State Library Network.
  • Reference and Research Library Resources Councils Network — Nine multi-type library systems that comprise the Empire State Library Network.
  • Russell Sage College Partner — Designated recipient for excess, worn, or damaged ELD bags
  • SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL LIBRARY COUNCIL Network — Regional library council and member of the Empire State Library Network.
  • SOUTHEASTERN NY LIBRARY RESOURCES COUNCIL Network — Regional library council and member of the Empire State Library Network.
  • SUNY and CUNY Libraries Partner — Represented on the ELD Advisory Council and Practitioners Group, collaborating on delivery operations
  • Syracuse University’s iSchool Partner — Amanda E. Perrine, instructor at Syracuse University’s iSchool, co-presented an HR training webinar.
  • WESTERN NY LIBRARY RESOURCES COUNCIL Network — Regional library council and member of the Empire State Library Network.
  • Western New York Library Resources Council Partner — Hosts the Ask the Lawyer service submission portal and collaborates on delivering legal guidance to members.
  • Western New York Library Resources Council Partner — Provides the ESIE platform as a service through collaboration with the Empire State Library Network.
  • library councils in NY Partner — Co-sponsors workshops, webinars, and events with regional library councils across New York.
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.

  • Centralized Discovery Through Digital Aggregation
    methodology: centralized discovery platform
    By consolidating geographically dispersed digital collections and archival finding aids into unified online platforms, the organization improves discoverability and research usability, because centralized access overcomes fragmentation and increases the visibility and utility of distributed holdings.
  • Resource Pooling for Equitable Access
    methodology: equitable_access_through_content_pooling
    By aggregating digital content and licensing resources across member institutions, the organization ensures equitable access to materials regardless of individual library size or budget, because shared ownership and consortium-based purchasing reduce cost barriers and prevent duplication.
  • Statewide Collaborative Network Model
    methodology: statewide_collaborative_network
    By organizing library services through a decentralized but coordinated statewide network of regional councils, the organization enables shared infrastructure and equitable access to resources, because collaboration across diverse institutions amplifies reach and efficiency beyond what individual libraries could achieve alone.