Southwest Harbor Public Library
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE SOUTHWEST HARBOR PUBLIC LIBRARY INSPIRES AND SUPPORTS THE ENJOYMENT OF LIFE-LONG LEARNING, THE LOVE OF LITERACY, AND THE EXPLORATION OF NEW IDEAS, WELCOMING EVERYONE THROUGH ITS DOORS.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $734,381
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 70.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 51%
- Employees
- 15
- Volunteers
- 95
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 70.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 41% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 26% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 94 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Independent check of accounts
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $582,029 spent. THE SOUTHWEST HARBOR PUBLIC LIBRARY CONTRIBUTES TO THE CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY OF SOUTHWEST HARBOR AND "QUIETSIDE" OF MOUNT DESERT ISLAND BY PROVIDING LIBRARY SERVICES TO 1,572 SOUTHWEST HARBOR RESIDENTS AND TO 2,005 NON-RESIDENTS. IN 2024 THE LIBRARY CIRCULATED OVER 60,000 VOLUMES TO REGISTERED BORROWERS WITH AN ADDITIONAL 6,000 ITEMS TO OTHER LIBRARIES VIA INTER-LIBRARY LOAN. OVER 54,000 PEOPLE VISITED THE LIBRARY TO CHECK OUT FROM OUR PHYSICAL COLLECTIONS OF BOOKS, MAGAZINES, DVD'S, AND AUDIOBOOKS AND TO USE PUBLIC ACCESS COMPUTERS OR THE HIGH-SPEED WIFI, OR TO READ IN ITS READING ROOMS AND USE PUBLIC MEETING SPACES. THE LIBRARY OFFERED 349 PROGRAMS WITH OVER 8,800 SYNCHRONOUS ATTENDEES.
- YOUTH SERVICES: AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE LIBRARY IS THE AREAS DEVOTED TO CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS. YOUTH SERVICES CIRCULATED 17,448 PHYSICAL VOLUMES TO BORROWERS. THE LIBRARY SPONSORED 211 PROGRAMS TO BABIES, TODDLERS, AND YOUNG SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN WITH OVER 5,000 ATTENDEES. THE LIBRARY HAS ROBUST SUMMER OFFERINGS WITH A SUMMER READING PROGRAM WITH 248 CHILDREN PARTICIPANTS.
- VIRTUAL AND SPECIAL SERVICES: THE LIBRARY'S WEBSITE WAS VIEWED ALMOST 70,000 TIMES. HIGH-SPEED WI-FI IS AVAILABLE 24/7 AND WAS ACCESSED IN 31,000 SESSIONS. PATRONS DOWNLOADED OVER 18,000 EBOOKS, AUDIOBOOKS, VIDEOS AND MAGAZINES. THE LIBRARY'S DIGITAL ARCHIVE IS AN INNOVATIVE DATABASE WITH OVER 40,000 LOCAL ITEMS OF INTEREST INCLUDING THE LIBRARY'S HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION, DOCUMENTS, AND OTHER ARTIFACTS THROUGH A VISUAL RECORD AND IS ACCESSED BY LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHERS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1943.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.