Libraries Without Borders
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO EXPAND ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL INFORMATION, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND CRITICAL RESOURCES TO BUILD STRONGER, MORE INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $983,647
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- -0.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 89%
- Employees
- 10
- Volunteers
- 17
- Highest pay
- $133,462, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 31% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 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
7 of 7Has a 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 December 31, 2024, 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 (5)
- $315,080 spent. LOZA VIVE! - LOIZA, PUERTO RICO IS THE CENTER OF AFRO-PUERTO RICAN LIFE AND ONE OF THE POOREST COMMUNITIES ON THE ISLAND. WITH LOW LEVELS OF DIGITAL LITERACY AMONGST RESIDENTS AND SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE COMMUNITY RESULTING FROM GENTRIFICATION, HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF AFRO-PUERTO RICAN HERITAGE ARE AT RISK OF BEING LOST. THEREFORE, LWB IS PARTNERING WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS, ACADEMIC ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO CREATE A NETWORK OF SIX DIGITAL ARCHIVES ACROSS LOIZA. LWB IS WORKING WITH RESIDENTS TO TEACH DIGITAL AND CULTURAL ARCHIVING SKILLS AS WELL AS ORAL AND VIDEO STORYTELLING. LWB IS ALSO FACILITATING A SERIES OF TRAINING WORKSHOPS TO EQUIP COMMUNITY LEADERS WITH THE SKILLS NEEDED TO EFFECTIVELY RECOGNIZE, DOCUMENT, AND RECORD THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE.
- $263,255 spent. LIBRARY OUTREACH - CONNECTICUT STATE LIBRARY: IN 2024, LWB COLLABORATED WITH THE CONNECTICUT STATE LIBRARY TO HOST A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS ON THE TOPIC OF REIMAGINING LIBRARY OUTREACH AND ACCESS. THIS INCLUDED TWELVE TOTAL SESSIONS COVERING TEN DIFFERENT TOPICS OVER THE COURSE OF NINE MONTHS. THE TRAININGS PROVIDED LIBRARY STAFF FROM AROUND THE STATE WITH STRATEGIES, TOOLS, AND FRAMEWORKS TO EXPAND THEIR REACH AND IMPACT WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. USING THEIR OWN LIBRARY AND LOCAL DATA, PARTICIPANTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE BARRIERS TO ACCESS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND REIMAGINE THEIR OUTREACH STRATEGY UTILIZING THEIR EXISTING ASSETS. FAYETTE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY: IN 2024, LWB PARTNERED WITH FAYETTE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY TO CONDUCT LOCAL AND NATIONAL RESEARCH ON BEST PRACTICES TO EXPAND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THEIR BOOKMOBILE AND EXPLORE OPTIONS TO IMPLEMENT COURIER SERVICES. SCHOOL-LIBRARY PARTNERSHIPS: IN 2024, LWB LAUNCHED A NATIONAL INITIATIVE, COLLABORATING WITH PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE U. S. TO EXPAND LIBRARY USAGE FOR UNDERSERVED YOUTH AND FAMILIES. IN EACH PARTNERSHIP, LWB IS WORKING DIRECTLY WITH LOCAL LIBRARIES AND SCHOOLS TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC BARRIERS PREVENTING STUDENTS AND FAMILIES FROM USING LIBRARY RESOURCES.
- $108,855 spent. PUERTO RICO LIBRARY DIRECTORY - IN 2024, LWB BEGAN WORKING WITH LIBRARIES ACROSS PUERTO RICO TO CREATE A CENTRALIZED, DIGITAL DIRECTORY THAT IDENTIFIES THE RESOURCES AND SERVICES THAT LIBRARIES OFFER. THIS PROJECT WILL BREAK DOWN BARRIERS TO LIBRARY ACCESS BY INCREASING AWARENESS OF THE RESOURCES AND SERVICES OFFERED BY PUERTO RICO'S LIBRARIES. IT WILL RESULT IN IMPROVED UTILIZATION OF LIBRARY SERVICES, PARTICULARLY AMONGST UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, CONTRIBUTING TO INCREASED RATES OF BASIC AND DIGITAL LITERACY.
- $101,174 spent. BALTIMORE CROWN - LWB EXPANDED ITS WORK WITHIN BALTIMORE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BLACK MENTAL HEALTH ALLIANCE TO CREATE THE BALTIMORE CROWN PROJECT, WHICH WILL INCREASE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE ACCESS WITHIN TRUSTED COMMUNITY SPACES; SPECIFICALLY, LOCAL BARBERSHOPS AND SALONS ACROSS BALTIMORE CITY. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE TRAINING FOR SHOP AND SALON STAFF IN SUPPORTING CLIENTS AND DIRECTING THEM TO RELEVANT COMMUNITY RESOURCES. IT WILL ALSO OFFER STAFF AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE FREE MENTAL HEALTH CHECK-INS, CONNECT COMMUNITY MEMBERS DIRECTLY TO LOCAL RESOURCE OFFERINGS, AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AROUND MENTAL HEALTH RELATED TOPICS.
- $45,251 spent. GENERAL PROGRAM - IN 2024, LWB EXPANDED ITS STRATEGY TO PARTNER WITH LIBRARY SYSTEMS AROUND THE COUNTRY TO IDENTIFY AND REMOVE BARRIERS PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM ACCESSING THEIR FREELY AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND TO, ULTIMATELY, EXPAND LIBRARY REACH. THROUGHOUT 2024, LWB WORKED ON SEVERAL KEY PARTNERSHIPS BUILT AROUND THIS MODEL.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.
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 2023.
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.