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Bangor Public Library Trustees

EIN 01-6000785 · Bangor, ME

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong93 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE BANGOR PUBLIC LIBRARY STRIVES TO INSPIRE, ENLIGHTEN, AND ENRICH ITS MEMBERS BY CONNECTING THEM TO BOOKS, INFORMATION, AND IDEAS NEEDED FOR WORK, RECREATION, EDUCATION, AND INSPIRATION BY PROVIDING EXCELLENT LIBRARY SERVICE TO ITS MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY.

Income
$3.7 million
Spending
$3.8 million
Spent on programs
91%
Reserves
4.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 61%
Employees
43
Volunteers
7
Highest pay
$114,757, secretary &

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 78 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 30% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    91% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 93 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 (2)
  1. $1.7 million spent. ADULT SERVICES: THE BANGOR PUBLIC LIBRARY CONTRIBUTES TO THE PROSPERITY AND GROWTH OF THE BANGOR REGION BY PROVIDING LIBRARY SERVICES TO BANGOR RESIDENTS AND NON-RESIDENTS. WE ARE ONE OF THE BUSIEST LIBRARIES IN THE STATE: WE HAVE MORE THAN 15,700 ADULT CARDHOLDERS, WE HAVE AROUND 161,000 CHECK-OUTS PER YEAR IN OUR ADULT PRINT & DIGITAL COLLECTIONS, AND WE ANSWER MORE THAN 12,000 REFERENCE QUESTIONS PER YEAR. AN AVERAGE OF 693 PEOPLE ENTER THE LIBRARY EACH DAY. OUR ADULT PROGRAMMING INCLUDES TRADITIONAL BOOK GROUPS AND AUTHOR TALKS, BUT WE ALSO TEACH COMPUTER CLASSES AND HOST COMMUNITY GATHERINGS. WE ALSO EXHIBIT ART FROM LOCAL AND REGIONAL ARTISTS IN OUR FOUR ART GALLERIES. FROM OUR SPECIALIZED ON-SITE COLLECTIONS IN LOCAL HISTORY AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS TO OUR SPECIALIZED ONLINE COLLECTIONS OF DIGITIZED LIBRARY HOLDINGS AND PURCHASED RESEARCH DATABASES, WE ALSO EXHIBIT UNIQUE HOLDINGS THAT MAKE OUR FACILITY AND OUR WEBSITE DESTINATIONS FOR RESEARCHERS. AS AN AREA REFERENCE AND RESOURCE CENTER, THE BANGOR PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVES LIBRARY USERS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE, PROVIDING LIBRARY CARDS TO ANY MAINE RESIDENT. WE MAINTAIN A COLLECTION OF MORE THAN 350,000 PRINTED ADULT ITEMS AND AN EVER-CHANGING COLLECTION OF MORE THAN 22,000 EBOOKS AND 10,000 AUDIOBOOKS. ADULT SERVICES: THE BANGOR PUBLIC LIBRARY CONTRIBUTES TO THE PROSPERITY AND GROWTH OF THE BANGOR REGION BY PROVIDING LIBRARY SERVICES TO BANGOR RESIDENTS AND NON-RESIDENTS. WE ARE ONE OF THE BUSIEST LIBRARIES IN THE STATE: WE HAVE MORE THAN 15,700 ADULT CARDHOLDERS, WE HAVE AROUND 161,000 CHECK-OUTS PER YEAR IN OUR ADULT PRINT & DIGITAL COLLECTIONS, AND WE ANSWER MORE THAN 12,000 REFERENCE QUESTIONS PER YEAR. AN AVERAGE OF 693 PEOPLE ENTER THE LIBRARY EACH DAY. OUR ADULT PROGRAMMING INCLUDES TRADITIONAL BOOK GROUPS AND AUTHOR TALKS, BUT WE ALSO TEACH COMPUTER CLASSES AND HOST COMMUNITY GATHERINGS. WE ALSO EXHIBIT ART FROM LOCAL AND REGIONAL ARTISTS IN OUR FOUR ART GALLERIES. FROM OUR SPECIALIZED ON-SITE COLLECTIONS IN LOCAL HISTORY AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS TO OUR SPECIALIZED ONLINE COLLECTIONS OF DIGITIZED LIBRARY HOLDINGS AND PURCHASED RESEARCH DATABASES, WE ALSO EXHIBIT UNIQUE HOLDINGS THAT MAKE OUR FACILITY AND OUR WEBSITE DESTINATIONS FOR RESEARCHERS. AS AN AREA REFERENCE AND RESOURCE CENTER, THE BANGOR PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVES LIBRARY USERS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE, PROVIDING LIBRARY CARDS TO ANY MAINE RESIDENT. WE MAINTAIN A COLLECTION OF MORE THAN 350,000 PRINTED ADULT ITEMS AND AN EVER-CHANGING COLLECTION OF MORE THAN 22,000 EBOOKS AND 10,000 AUDIOBOOKS.
  2. $1.7 million spent. YOUTH SERVICES: THE YOUTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT SERVES MORE THAN 3,206 CARD-HOLDERS UNDER THE AGE OF 14, WITH MORE THAN 80,000 CHECK-OUTS PER YEAR IN OUR COLLECTION OF MORE THAN 68,000 CHILDREN'S ITEMS. THE DEPARTMENT NOT ONLY ORGANIZES MORE THAN 330 STORY-TIMES AND OTHER YOUTH EVENTS EACH YEAR, WITH A TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF ABOUT 7,700 - WE ALSO CONNECT CHILDREN AND PARENTS WITH ONE ANOTHER THROUGH SPONSORED EVENTS (SUCH AS A NEW MOTHERS' EVENT SPONSORED BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT) AND BY MAKING THE CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT A DESTINATION PLAY-SPACE FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES. A THRIVING TEEN PROGRAM PROVIDES SPACE FOR THE GROWING NEEDS AND INTERESTS OF TEENS, AS WELL AS UNIQUE PROGRAMMING FOR THIS AGE GROUP.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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 October 13, 2026.

  2. 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 October 13, 2026.

  3. 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1944.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 21, 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.