Friends of the Santee Library Inc C/O Friends Bookstore
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To support the Santee Branch, and the City of Santee as they strive to encourage literacy, lifelong learning, and the love of reading throughout our diverse community, to enhance the librarys resources, which will increase the communitys access to information and knowledge, and provide a vibrant cultural gathering place.
- Income
- $156,258
- Spending
- $81,502
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 102.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 75%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 43
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 95 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 102.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 48% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 62 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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.
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, 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)
- $60,706 spent. The Friends of the Santee Library operates an excellent used bookstore called The Friendly Used Bookstore. 100% of the items sold are donated by the community and we sell books, music, and DVDs. The usual price range for items is $0.50 to $1.50. The store is operated completely by volunteers. In 2025 there were 43 volunteers who worked 6,719.5 hours. None of the staff is compensated for their hours. Our volunteers consist of retired persons and other adults, local youth acquiring community service hours for school or youth organizations, and adults and youth completing court ordered community service hours.The Friends of the Santee Library Bookstore operates 6 days a week for a total of 24 hours per week.The Friends of the Santee Library provides support to the San Diego County Library, Santee Branch by providing funding for programming, outreach programs and community events, library materials, such as books and periodicals, and other requests from library management. The library provides programming for several thousand patrons each month. During 2025, the Friends of the Library funded 264 programs to 15,702 library patrons and community members. The library has teamed with the City of Santee Parks and Recreation Department, to provide programming specifically for Seniors. They continue to provide programming at the Las Colinas Womens Detention Center. In 2024 they began a program called Raising a Reader at the facility and has won a prestigious CSAC Challenge Award. This program has helped incarcerated women help their school age children in reading skill growth. The program continued through 2025. During 2025 the demand for library materials continued to increase and the Friends supported the library with $7,918.00 for the purchase of periodicals and books. That amount was matched by the San Diego County Library System.10% percent of bookstore sales are placed in a building fund savings account with the goal of assisting in the building of a permanent building to replace the librarys current rented space.The bookstore works with an organization that helps to sell donated items that have a higher value. Proceeds from the sale of these items are received quarterly. The bookstore supports local teachers by selling books that will be used in their classrooms for half-price, allowing students access to more reading material. The Friends of the Santee Library also supports the athletic programs at Santana High School by advertising in their athletic game programs.The Friends of the Santee Library does not have any loans or other liabilities.The Friends of the Santee Library provides support to the San Diego County Library, Santee Branch by providing funds for programming, outreach programs and community events, library materials, such as books, equipment, and furnishings. The Library provides programming for several thousand patrons each month. During 2023, the friends of the Library funded 156 programs to over 8700 library patrons and community members. The library has teamed with the City of Santee, Parks and Recreation Department, to provide cultural programming specifically for Seniors. The Library has also introduced a program at the Las Colinas Womens Detention Center that provides books that enable incarcerated women to read to their children via video conferencing. The Friends of the Library provides the funds necessary to provide books that meet the specific criteria put forth by the Sheriffs Department, who oversees the facility. During 2023 the demand for materials continued to increase and the Friends supported the Library by donating $6850.00 for collection development. That amount was matched by the County of San Diego Library System. 10% percent of bookstore sales are placed in a Building Fund Savings. The current library is in a leased space in a strip mall and its goal is to build a permanent building in the future. The bookstore works with several organizations who pick up, sell or donate items that we are unable to sell, have been on our shelves too long, or are duplicate copies. Operation Book Support sells items for us on Amazon and we receive quarterly checks from them. Discover Books picks up unwanted or discarded items to sell, donate, or recycle. We have a gentleman who picks up hundreds of fiction books and magazines and brings them to the VA hospital in San Diego for veterans and their families to read there or take home. The Friends of the Santee Library also supports the athletic programs at Santana High School through advertising in their athletic game program.The Friends of the Santee Library does not have any loans or other liabilities.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 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 2025.
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 April 1994.
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.