named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Children's & YA Library
Specialized collection and programming for children and teens, including curated reading lists, author events, and educational resources.
Events & Author Talks
Series of public lectures, panel discussions, and readings featuring authors, historians, and public intellectuals.
Exhibitions Program
Curated displays of rare books, manuscripts, and artifacts from the library’s collections, open to members and the public.
New York City Book Awards
Literary awards program honoring books about New York City or by local authors, with categories in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Young Cartoonists Awards
Program that fosters young artistic talent by recognizing original cartooning and illustration by local students.
Young Writers Awards
Annual literary competition for middle and high school students in the New York City area, encouraging original writing and recognizing emerging young authors.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Industry and Community Recognition Awards 1 activity
- Administer the New York City Book AwardsHosts the annual New York City Book Awards to recognize outstanding literary works by authors connected to New York City.
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Archaeological and Cultural Conservation 1 activity
- Conserve and preserve rare historical materialsPerforms detailed conservation of rare items, including disbinding, surface cleaning, washing in de-ionized water, mending with Japanese paper and wheat starch paste, flattening creases with a heated spatula, and resewing into signatures to ensure structural integrity, as demonstrated in the treatment of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense pamphlet.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Host exhibitions on literary, historical, and cultural themesOrganizes and hosts public exhibitions such as "Black Literature Matters," "Women Get the Vote," "Collective Witness: A Library for a Young Country," and "Margaret Armstrong and Her Bookbindings," featuring rare historical materials, curated displays, and multimedia elements including slideshows of Revolutionary-era quotes.
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Literary Events & Workshops 1 activity
- Host writing and intellectual life programs for membersHosts monthly writing life workshops with authors such as Carol Weston, operates member writing mentor programs, supports young writers to sustain literary culture, and fosters community through intellectual programs including talks, seminars, and book clubs.
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Guided Historic Site Tours 1 activity
- Offer public building toursProvides docent-led tours of the library building on weekends during summer 2026.
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Public Access to Digital and Physical Library Collections 1 activity
- Provide public and member access to library facilities and collectionsOffers public access to the first-floor reading room, exhibitions, and events, including Day Passes for broader access. Provides members full building access, borrowing privileges, and use of technology-free and quiet reading rooms designed for focused work.
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Local History Archival Access 1 activity
- Provide reference and research support servicesOffers reference librarian assistance for catalog navigation and collection searching, maintains Special Collections of rare books and historical documents, and provides interlibrary loan services and digital resources such as NYC Marriage & Death Notices (1836–1868) to support member research.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Expand and curate specialized library collectionsAdds hundreds of new titles annually to the Children's & Young Adult collection, acquires and highlights works by or about LGBTQ+ individuals, and established the Robert E. and Judith O. Rubin Book Stack to support collection development.
- Support literary engagement through curated programming and collectionsCurates and promotes reading recommendations by subject (e.g., pets and zombies), publishes annual lists of most circulated and favorite books, issues seasonal previews of forthcoming titles, and maintains physical and digital displays (including LibGuides and lobby shelves) to support discovery and engagement with the collection.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$31.41M
Contributions & grants$3.40M11%
Program service revenue$805K3%
Investment income$27.17M86%
Other revenue$40K
expenses
Total expenses$4.02M
Program expenses77%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$2.42M
Grants paid out$11K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$62.74M
Cash$240K
Investments$56.37M
Liabilities$1.25M
Net assets$61.50M
Liquid reserves168.9 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +774.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAROLYN WATERS | HEAD LIBRARIAN | 40 | $176K |
| SARA E HOLLIDAY | HEAD OF EVENTS | 40 | $149K |
| CHRISTOPHER HENRY | BUILDING SUPERINTENDENT | 40 | $141K |
board members · 22
- ADA PELUSO — BOARD MEMBER
- ADRIENNE INGRUM — BOARD MEMBER
- BYRON BELL — BOARD MEMBER
- CAROL COLLINS MALONE — BOARD MEMBER
- CHARLES G BERRY — BOARD MEMBER
- ELLEN M ISEMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- ELLIOT S OROL — BOARD MEMBER
- EMILY MADISON — BOARD MEMBER
- FRANCESCA STANFILL — BOARD MEMBER
- GEORGE LK FRELINGHUYSEN — CHAIR
- GRETCHEN RUBIN — BOARD MEMBER
- JEAN PARKER PHIFER — BOARD MEMBER
- JEANNETTE WATSON SANGER — BOARD MEMBER
- JOHN SCHWOLSKY — BOARD MEMBER
- LISA W HESS — BOARD MEMBER
- RALPH S BROWN JR — BOARD MEMBER
- ROBERT A CARO — BOARD MEMBER
- SUSAN ROBBINS — SECRETARY
- THEODORE C ROGERS — BOARD MEMBER
- TIMOTHY N WALLACH — TREASURER
- WARREN ST JOHN — BOARD MEMBER
- WILLIAM G BARDEL — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 9
Who they work with
- Carol Weston Partner — Author and facilitator leading monthly writing life workshops at the library.
- Carolyn Waters Partner — Organizes daytime and evening programs at the Library.
- Historic Mount Vernon Partner — Collaborated on the return of a rare book borrowed by George Washington in 1789.
- Jimmy Kimmel Live Partner — Referenced as a source of cultural commentary influencing staff reading choices.
- Mount Vernon Partner — Provided a replacement volume of a historically missing book in 2010.
- New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Provided funding for the "Collective Witness" exhibition and 2026 exhibition program.
- PBS Partner — Collaborates on cultural content related to puzzle-themed programming, including The Puzzle Lady series.
- Robert E. and Judith O. Rubin Partner — Donors whose support enabled the creation of the Rubin Book Stack
- Robert Sanford Partner — Co-authored a blog post highlighting library resources and collections.
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 and Civic Engagement through Curated Content and Historical Narrativesmethodology: civic-engagement-through-historical-exhibitionsBy using curated exhibitions, themed programming, and historical collections to connect literature and local history with broader civic narratives, the library strengthens community engagement and public understanding, because contextualized storytelling fosters relevance and participation.
- Curatorial Selection and Conservation as Cultural Stewardshipmethodology: curatorial collectingBy applying review-driven selection, thematic collecting, and conservation practices that prioritize both significance and aesthetic integrity, the library preserves and promotes cultural memory, because intentional curation ensures long-term access to historically and artistically valuable works.
- Intellectual Freedom through Immersive Reading Environmentmethodology: immersive-literary-environmentBy creating a tranquil, timeless, and screen-free physical environment dedicated to books, the library fosters intellectual freedom and sustained engagement with reading and writing, because such spaces reduce distractions and support deep, autonomous thought.
- Member-Led Participation and Mentorship Modelmethodology: member-led mentorshipBy empowering members to lead book clubs and serve as writing mentors, the library increases engagement and literary development, because peer-led and participatory formats build ownership, trust, and sustained involvement.