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SUFFOLK COUNTY LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

BELLPORT, NY · EIN 237373317 · Form 990EZ · FY2025 · Micro (<$100K) · scla.net
revenue
$53K
expenses
$55K
net assets
$99K
employees
mission · from form 990

TO SUPPORT AND TO PROVIDE QUALITY LIBRARY WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, PUBLICATIONS, CONFERENCES, ETC. TO MEMBERS IN SUFFOLK COUNTY NY.

profile · synthesized from sources

Suffolk County Library Association (SCLA) is a professional membership association supporting library staff across Suffolk County, New York. It advances library services through continuing education, advocacy, and professional development programs. The organization hosts conferences, awards, and workshops, and supports initiatives related to intellectual freedom, diversity, and library workforce advancement.

named programs · 8 · from sources

What they call their work

Continuing Education/Professional Concerns Committee
Organizes continuing education activities, maintains a database of professional development hours, and promotes recognition of library staff contributions.
Excellence in Library Service Award (ELSA)
Recognizes dedication to public service by library staff in Suffolk County through an annual award presented at the SCLA dinner.
Intellectual Freedom Committee
Monitors and responds to censorship threats, educates members on intellectual freedom issues, and represents SCLA in related county, state, and national activities.
Legislation Committee
Advocates for library interests at the state level, informs members about relevant legislation, and organizes Advocacy Day trips to Albany.
Library Employees of Color (LEOC) Committee
Provides support and professional development opportunities for BIPOC library workers in Suffolk County.
Long Island Library Conference
Co-plans and promotes an annual conference with the Nassau County Library Association to support professional development for library workers.
Long Island Library Pride Alliance
Supports LGBTQIA+ library workers and promotes inclusive services and education around LGBTQIA+ issues.
SCLA Scholarships
Administers two scholarships: the Preparing New Librarians Award for MLS students and the Continuing Education Award for library support staff pursuing career-enhancing coursework.
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Free Expression Defense & Advocacy 1 activity
    • Advocacy for intellectual freedom and legislative action
      Engages in advocacy efforts including monitoring censorship threats, supporting librarians facing intellectual freedom challenges, conducting legislative outreach with state lawmakers, sponsoring a legislative breakfast, and organizing an annual Advocacy Day trip to Albany. Also advocates for young adult services and uncensored access to information.
  • Recognition and Awards Programs 1 activity
    • Annual awards and recognition programs
      Administers multiple annual awards recognizing excellence in library service, including the Excellence in Library Service Award (ELSA), the Library Directory Associates (LDA) Award for contributions to Long Island libraries, the Suffolk Library Marketing Award (SLMA), and the B.E.S.T. Award for teens. Activities include promotion, nomination processing, selection coordination, and presentation at the annual dinner or conference.
  • Community Event-Based Giving Programs 1 activity
    • Community outreach and partnerships
      Organizes charitable initiatives such as toy drives and family support campaigns in collaboration with organizations like Toys for Tots and Habitat for Humanity. Also conducts outreach to library schools, distributes informational materials, and serves as a liaison between academic programs and Suffolk County libraries.
  • Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 1 activity
    • Conferences and collaborative programming
      Co-plans, promotes, and financially manages the annual Long Island Library Conference with the Nassau County Library Association, hosts programming at the NYLA conference, and organizes the annual dinner meeting with speaker arrangements, logistics, and ticket sales.
  • Professional Networking Events 1 activity
    • Networking and member engagement events
      Hosts regular networking opportunities for library professionals, including an annual Broadway Day outing (limited to 30 participants), spring mixer at Blue Point Brewery, summer kick-off event focused on brain health, and gatherings for teen librarians to discuss programming and engage in crafts. Also maintains a Listserv and produces a quarterly newsletter and monthly summaries for member communication.
  • Organizational Governance & Leadership Development 1 activity
    • Organizational governance and strategic planning
      Manages internal governance procedures including board nominations, constitution and bylaws review, archival recordkeeping, and strategic planning. Also leads marketing, membership growth initiatives, and sustainability planning for SCLA.
  • Library Staff Professional Development 1 activity
    • Professional development workshops and training
      Offers ongoing workshops, seminars, webinars, and hands-on training sessions for library staff in Suffolk County on topics including technical services, book repair, technology programming on limited budgets, and civil service exam preparation. These programs support skill-building and professional growth across library roles.
  • Industry-Specific Student Scholarships and Competitions 1 activity
    • Scholarship programs for library education
      Funds scholarships for individuals pursuing careers in librarianship, including the Continuing Education Scholarship for support staff and the Preparing New Librarians Scholarship for Suffolk County residents enrolled in MLS programs. The organization administers outreach, selection, fundraising, and award presentation.
  • Organizational DEI Capacity Building 1 activity
    • Support for underrepresented library workers
      Provides dedicated forums and professional development opportunities for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ library workers through committees focused on racial equity, inclusion, and advocacy. Facilitates resource sharing and community-building in partnership with Nassau County Library Association.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$53K
Contributions & grants$34K63%
Program service revenue$19K37%
Investment income$160%
Other revenue
expenses
Total expenses$55K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits
Grants paid out$2K
balance sheet
Total assets$99K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$99K
3 years on record · 2023–2025 · YoY revenue +22.2%
relationships · 29

Who they work with

  • Blue Point Brewery Partner — Hosts the Spring CATS Mixer event in partnership with SCLA.
  • CATS Partner — Co-presents events including a Spring Mixer, a Women and Technology in Libraries panel, and a book repair workshop.
  • CATS Partner — Cosponsors the Women and Technology in Libraries panel event
  • CATS Technical Services Roundtable Partner — Co-hosts a book repair workshop with SCLA.
  • CLASC Partner — Collaborates on a panel presentation focused on mentorship and leadership development for library professionals.
  • CLASC Partner — SCLA maintains liaison representation with the College Libraries Section to foster inter-organizational cooperation.
  • EETC Partner — Co-presents the Women and Technology in Libraries panel with CATS.
  • EETC Partner — Cosponsors the Women and Technology in Libraries panel event
  • Elwood Public Library Partner — Hosts SCLA's teen librarian meetup for summer reading preparation.
  • LILPA Partner — Participates in the Long Island Pride Parade alongside SCLA members.
  • LILRC Network — Member of Long Island Library Resources Council
  • LILRC Partner — Jointly sponsors the annual legislative breakfast and collaborates on Advocacy Day planning and legislative engagement.
  • Library Marketing Committee Network — Subcommittee of the Reference and Adult Services Division that sponsors the Suffolk Library Marketing Award.
  • Long Island Library Conference Partner — Partner organization for regional library events and programming
  • Long Island Pride Parade Partner — Participating in the 2026 Long Island Pride Parade.
  • Long Island Reads Partner — Collaborates on community reading initiatives
  • NCLA Partner — SCLA maintains liaison representation with the New York City Library Association to foster inter-organizational cooperation.
  • NYLA Network — Member of New York Library Association
  • NYLA Network — SCLA participates in the New York Library Association by planning and sponsoring programs at the annual NYLA conference.
  • Nassau County Library Association Partner — Co-sponsors the B.E.S.T. Award through its Young Adult Services Division.
  • Nassau County Library Association Partner — Collaborates on joint initiatives including the Long Island Library Conference, Library Directory Associates (LDA) Award, and Long Island Library Pride Alliance.
  • New York Library Association Network — SSD of SCLA is a Regional Chapter of the New York Library Association.
  • PLDA Partner — Collaborates on a panel presentation focused on mentorship and leadership development for library professionals.
  • PLDA Partner — SCLA maintains liaison representation with the Public Library Directors Association to foster inter-organizational cooperation.
  • Reference and Adult Services Division Network — Houses the Library Marketing Committee that sponsors the Suffolk Library Marketing Award.
  • SCLS Government — Provides physical space for the storage of SCLA's archival records and hosts member libraries within Suffolk County.
  • Suffolk Cooperative Library System Partner — Entitled to a non-voting representative on the SCLA Executive Board.
  • Suffolk County Library Association Network — CATS operates as a division of the Suffolk County Library Association.
  • Suffolk County libraries Network — Network of member libraries whose staff and trustees participate in SCLA activities and governance.
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.

  • Inclusive Community and Identity-Based Professional Support
    methodology: identity_affirming_support
    By creating safe, identity-affirming spaces for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ library workers, the organization strengthens professional belonging and capacity, because culturally responsive and inclusive forums enable authentic dialogue, reduce isolation, and improve service equity.
  • Mentorship and Peer-Led Professional Development
    methodology: peer_powered_learning
    By facilitating mentorship and peer-led knowledge exchange, the organization fosters leadership growth and professional development across all levels of library staff, because shared lived experience and collaborative learning build practical skills and strengthen professional networks.
  • Scholarship-Fueled Workforce Pipeline Development
    methodology: workforce_pipeline_investment
    By investing in targeted scholarships for both support staff and aspiring librarians, the organization strengthens the local library workforce, because financial support tied to educational progress increases retention, professional commitment, and service quality.