Lyrasis
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
LYRASIS EMPOWERS LIBRARIES, ARCHIVES AND MUSEUMS THROUGH CONTENT SERVICES, OPEN TECHNOLOGIES AND COMMUNITY-BASED SOLUTIONS THAT EXPAND ACCESS TO INFORMATION, PRESERVE CULTURAL HERITAGE, AND ADVANCE THE SHARED GOALS OF OUR MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. COLLABORATIVELY, WE BUILD A FUTURE THAT IS INCLUSIVE, EQUITABLE, ACCESSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE.
- Income
- $136.0 million
- Spending
- $137.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 95%
- Reserves
- 2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 98%
- Employees
- 100
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $362,285, ceo
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
Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.0 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 76% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1595% 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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 12 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
0 of 7Reports no 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.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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)
- $130.2 million spent. LYRASIS CREATES AND SUSTAINS TECHNOLOGIES, SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT ARE UNIQUELY DESIGNED TO HELP LIBRARIES, ARCHIVES, MUSEUMS AND RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS ACCESS AND SHARE THEIR VITAL COLLECTIONS, DATA AND KNOWLEDGE. THE ORGANIZATION HELPS COMMUNITY MEMBERS BE MORE EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE AND IMPACTFUL TO THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.LYRASIS IS A LEADER IN OPEN TECHNOLOGIES, HOSTING, DATA-MIGRATION, CONTENT LICENSING, AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTED SOFTWARE PROGRAMS FOR LIBRARIES, ARCHIVES, MUSEUMS AND RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS WORLDWIDE.LYRASIS NEGOTIATES BEST-IN-CLASS GROUP LICENSE AGREEMENTS AND MORE EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE PRICING FOR ELECTRONIC RESOURCES AND SERVICES. WE WORK AT SCALE TO SIMPLIFY LIBRARY ACQUISITION WORKFLOWS AND STRENGHTHEN VALUE ON INVESTMENT FOR OUR MEMBERS. LYRASIS ADVANCES A BROAD ARRAY OF OPEN ACCESS PROGRAMS THAT EMPOWER DIVERSE INSTITUTIONS TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF SCHOLARLY COMMUNICATION.LYRASIS BUILDS NEW COMMUNITIES TO FOSTER DATA EXCHANGE AND INTEROPERABILITY SERVICES THAT ENHANCE SCHOLARLY COMMUNICATION, SUCH AS THE ORCID US AND LYRASIS DATACITE COMMUNITIES.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1937.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.