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URBAN LIBRARIANS UNITE INC
BROOKLYN, NY · EIN 453803373 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B19 · Education · Small ($100K-$1M) · urbanlibrariansunite.org
revenue
$188K
expenses
$180K
net assets
$52K
employees
3
volunteers
75
program ratio
69%
mission · from form 990

URBAN LIBRARIANS UNITE IS A PASSIONATE GROUP OF URBAN LIBRARY PROFESSIONALS AND ADVOCATES WORKING TO BUILD COMMUNITY CENTERED 21ST CENTURY LIBRARIES.

profile · synthesized from sources

Urban Librarians Unite is a nonprofit organization of library professionals and advocates focused on improving the well-being and working conditions of urban library workers. It conducts research on workplace trauma, operates a peer support network for library staff, and engages in advocacy around library funding and policy. The organization serves library workers nationally, with a focus on community-centered, trauma-informed practices.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Libraries Serve Refugees
Online resource hub providing curated tools and guidance for library workers supporting immigrant and refugee communities.
Library Worker Support Network (LWSN)
Peer-led, trauma-informed support groups for library workers, offering general and affinity-specific sessions (e.g., queer workers, Black workers, managers, rural workers) to provide community and connection.
Urban Librarians Conference
Annual conference for urban library workers focused on professional development, advocacy, and community building.
Urban Library Trauma Study (ULTS)
Research initiative investigating how public library workers in urban centers experience trauma, leading to recommendations for peer support and systemic change.
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Library Staff Professional Development 2 activities
    • Host annual conference and community events for library workers
      Organizes an annual, community-driven conference for frontline urban library workers, featuring sessions led by practitioners on serving diverse communities; also hosts monthly meet-ups, knitting groups, and volunteer sessions to foster connection and idea-sharing among library staff nationwide.
    • Provide professional development resources and training
      Offers webinars, workshops, guides, and a lending library focused on nonprofit management, urban libraries, mental health, and public service topics to support the professional and personal growth of library workers.
  • Free Expression Defense & Advocacy 1 activity
    • Advocate for library funding, policy, and worker rights
      Engages in advocacy through street theater, online campaigns, teach-ins, coalition building, and public recognition efforts such as National Library Workers Day; actively opposes threats to federal and municipal library funding (e.g., IMLS cuts, NYC budget reductions) and harmful legislation like H.R. 7661.
  • Peer-Led Mental Health Support Groups 1 activity
    • Operate the Library Worker Support Network
      Hosts monthly peer-led, trauma-informed support meetings for library workers, including general and affinity-specific groups (e.g., queer, Black, managerial), with participation from over 195 members across 35+ U.S. states and Washington, D.C. The program launched in 2024 and reports high participant satisfaction, with 98% feeling heard and 100% reporting a safe and respectful environment.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Conduct research on urban library worker experiences
      Conducted the Urban Library Trauma Study using participatory action research to investigate trauma among urban public library workers, published findings, and used results to inform the development of the Library Worker Support Network and related programming.
    • Develop tools and resources for library advocacy and immigrant support
      Created and maintains the Libraries Serve Refugees online resource hub and produced practical guides such as the Drag Story Hour Planning and Safety Support Guide; developed advocacy tools including the NYC Elected Official Database and the NYC Budget Zine to educate and mobilize library workers.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$188K
Contributions & grants$180K96%
Program service revenue$8K4%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$180K
Program expenses69%
Admin / overhead26%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$114K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$878K
Cash$874K
Investments$0
Liabilities$826K
Net assets$52K
Liquid reserves58.4 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +440.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
LAUREN COMITO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $46K
board members · 8
  • BRANDON JEFFRIES — TRUSTEE
  • CHRISTIAN ZABRISKIE — TRUSTEE
  • DJAZ ZULIDA — TRUSTEE
  • JENNIFER MANLEY — CHAIR
  • LAUREN BRADLEY — TRUSTEE
  • RICCI YUHICO — TRUSTEE
  • ROSEMARY KILADITIS — SECRETARY
  • SCOTT JARZOMBEK — TREASURER
relationships · 7

Who they work with

  • American Library Association Partner — Collaborates with the American Library Association to oppose legislation threatening libraries.
  • IMLS Government — Referenced as a source of funding and as an agency undergoing structural changes affecting the library field.
  • Mayor Mamdani Administration Government — Engages with the administration in advocacy efforts around library funding.
  • The Mellon Foundation Funder — Provided a grant enabling expansion of advocacy campaigns and monthly events for library workers in 2023.
  • The Mellon Foundation Funder — Provided a one-million-dollar grant to Urban Librarians Unite over four years.
  • The People’s Plan Partner — Co-hosted a teach-in at BPL Central Library in Brooklyn to address library budget cuts.
  • Urban Library Trauma Study Partner — Developed the Library Worker Support Network based on findings and recommendations from the 2022 Urban Library Trauma Study.
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.

  • Grassroots, Peer-Led Support Model
    methodology: peer_led_support
    By organizing library workers through peer-led, trauma-informed networks, we produce stronger community resilience and professional engagement because shared lived experience fosters trust, reduces isolation, and increases the relevance and accessibility of support.
  • Participatory Action Research to Center Worker Voice
    methodology: participatory_action_research
    By using emancipatory and participatory action research frameworks, we produce more valid and actionable insights on occupational trauma because the research process itself centers the lived experiences of urban library workers, empowering them as co-creators of knowledge and change.
  • Worker-Centered Advocacy Through Narrative Change
    methodology: worker_centered_advocacy
    By challenging dominant narratives around public spending and repositioning library workers as essential urban infrastructure, we produce greater political and public support for libraries because shifting cultural perception precedes policy and funding change.