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Queens Borough Public Library

EIN 11-1904262 · Jamaica, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood81 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

QUEENS LIBRARY TRANSFORMS LIVES BY CULTIVATING PERSONAL AND INTELLECTUAL GROWTH AND BY BUILDING STRONG COMMUNITIES.

Income
$171.7 million
Spending
$157.3 million
Spent on programs
87%
Reserves
5.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 96%
Employees
1,543
Volunteers
646
Highest pay
$354,933, coo & svp

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: 81 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 18% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 6% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    87% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    19 of 19 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

    7 of 7

    Has a 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 (1)
  1. $137.5 million spent. THE QUEENS BOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY (QPL) EMPLOYS APPROXIMATELY 1,500 PEOPLE, WITH MORE THAN 85% LIVING IN THE FIVE BOROUGHS. AS OF JUNE 30, 2025, QPL IS PROUD TO SERVE APPROXIMATELY 1.7 MILLION CARDHOLDERS AND MAINTAIN A COLLECTION OF NEARLY 3.8 MILLION ITEMS. DURING THE YEAR, NEW CARD REGISTRATIONS INCREASED BY MORE THAN 11,000 TO APPROXIMATELY 115,000, WHILE TOTAL CIRCULATION GREW BY 2.2 MILLION TO 10.9 MILLION. TOTAL GATE COUNT APPROACHED 6.6 MILLION, REFLECTING AN INCREASE OF 255,000 VISITS. COMPUTER SESSIONS ALSO ROSE BY 143,000 TO NEARLY 1 MILLION ANNUALLY, AND WI-FI SESSIONS INCREASED BY 51% TO MORE THAN 2.6 MILLION. PROGRAM ATTENDANCE REMAINED STRONG AT 964,000 FOR THE YEAR. IN ADDITION, THROUGH QPL'S LANGUAGE LINE, TRANSLATION SERVICES WERE PROVIDED IN 44 LANGUAGES ACROSS 61 OF OUR 66 LOCATIONS, WITH THE MOST COMMON LANGUAGES BEING SPANISH, MANDARIN, FRENCH, BENGALI, ARABIC, AND HAITIAN CREOLE. QPL IS ALSO PROUD TO OFFER COLLECTION ITEMS IN THESE LANGUAGES THROUGHOUT THE QPL SYSTEM.

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 October 1959.

    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.