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The Book Arts Press Inc

EIN 54-1667557 · Charlottesvle, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

RARE BOOK SCHOOL STRENGHTENS GLOBAL COMMUNITIES OF THE BOOK AND ADVANCES THE STUDY OF CULTURAL HERITAGE.

Income
$3.0 million
Spending
$2.7 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
13.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 74%
Employees
49
Volunteers
65
Highest pay
$235,806, executive director

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

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 13.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 38% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.

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

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    21 of 21 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 September 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 (3)
  1. $1.2 million spent. RARE BOOK SCHOOL ANNUALLY OFFERS APPROXIMATELY 40 WEEK-LONG COURSES IN THE STUDY, CARE, AND USES OF MANUSCRIPTS, PRINTED, AND BORN-DIGITAL MATERIALS. RBS OFFERED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2022 A FULL ROSTER OF COURSES BOTH ONLINE AND IIN-PERSON. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, MORE THAN 560 STUDENTS TOOK 43 COURSES OFFERED ONLINE OR IN PERSON IN CHARLOTTESVILLE OR AT A PARTNER INSTITUTION, ENGAGING IN COURSE DISCUSSIONS, LECTURES, AND RECEPTIONS ACROSS A DIGITAL PLATFORM. IN A TYPICAL YEAR, LIBRARIANS, SCHOLARS, CONSERVATORS, BOOK DEALERS, STUDENTS, COLLECTORS, AND EDUCATORS STUDIED TOPICS THAT RANGED FROM MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPTS TO BOOKBINDING TO BORN-DIGITAL MATERIALS AND TEXTUAL ENCORDING. RARE BOOK SCHOOL ALSO PROVIDES AN ONGOING SERIES OF WIDELY ADVERTISED, FREE PUBLIC LECTURES (BOTH DURING SCHOOL SESSIONS AND AT OTHER TIMES DURING THE YEAR) ON A WIDE VARIETY OF BIBLIOGRAPHICAL AND BOOK-HISTORICAL TOPICS. TO DATE, THE SCHOOL HAS PRESENTED APPROXIMATELY 685 LECTURES, MANY OF WHICH ARE AVAILABLE FOR STREAMING ON ITUNES OR OTHER PODCAST APPS (BY SEARCHING FOR "RARE BOOK SCHOOL"). BEGINNING IN 2025, THESE LECTURES WERE MADE AVAILALBE VIA LIVESTREAM.
  2. $316,062 spent. RARE BOOK SCHOOL (RBS) OWNS A TEACHING COLLECTION OF MORE THAN 100,000 ITEMS ACQUIRED FOR THE PURPOSE OF BIBLIOGRAPHICAL INSTRUCTION. THE COLLECTION IS DESIGNED AS A TEACHING LABORATORY, NOT AS A LIBRARY. A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF THE SCHOOL'S HOLDINGS WERE PURCHASED FOR LESS THAN $75 PER ITEM, OR WERE RECEIVED AS GIFTS (E.G., AS DUPLICATE OR DISCARDED BOOKS FROM LIBRARIES; AS DONATIONS FROM ANTIQUARIAN BOOKSELLERS; AS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FORMER STUDENTS; &C.).WHAT SETS RARE BOOK SCHOOL APART FROM OTHER PROGRAMS OF ITS KIND IS THE SCHOOL'S STRONG FOCUS ON BOOKS AS PHYSICAL OBJECTS. RBS COURSES CONVEY METHODS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORIES OF MATERIAL TEXTSTHEIR PRODUCTION, MANUFACTURE, DISTRIBUTION, AND RECEPTIONTHROUGH INTENSIVE, HANDS-ON INSTRUCTION WITH ORIGINAL ARTIFACTS INDIVIDUALLY INTERPRETED FOR PEDAGOGICAL USE.
  3. $532,474 spent. RARE BOOK SCHOOL OFFERS A NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING ITS PROGRAMS. RBS MAKES AWARDS AVAILABLE FOR NEW AND RETURNING STUDENTS, INCLUDING LIBRARIANS, BOOKSELLERS, CONSERVATORS, AND ACADEMICS. CURATORS, ADVANCED GRADUATE STUDENTS, AND JUNIOR ACADEMICS ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ANDREW W. MELLON SOCIETY OF FELLOWS IN CRITICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY PROGRAM. IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN ITS COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO EDUCATION FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS FROM VARIED BACKGROUNDS, THE SCHOOL'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS RE-INVESTS ANY APPROPRIATE SURPLUS FUNDS INTO ITS OWN SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS EACH YEAR.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

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

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

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since September 2001.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.