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Statewide California Electronic Library Consortium

EIN 91-2158378 · N Hollywood, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood82 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SCELC CREATES SUSTAINABLE AND TAILORED OPPORTUNITIES THAT SERVE OUR LIBRARIES TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE.

Income
$2.5 million
Spending
$2.1 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
24.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 78%
Employees
11
Volunteers
16
Highest pay
$225,651, executive director

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: 82 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 24.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 88% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 17 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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 (3)
  1. $1.3 million spent. LICENSING OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCES: THIS IS SCELC'S PRINCIPAL ACTIVITY TO ASSIST LIBRARIES AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS. WHILE MEMBER LIBRARIES ARE PRIVATE ACADEMIC AND NONPROFIT RESEARCH LIBRARIES, SCELC'S AFFILIATE PROGRAM OPENS DISCOUNTED LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL TYPES OFLIBRARIES ACROSS MANY GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS. SCELC'S NEGOTIATION, ORDER AND INVOICE PROCESSING SERVICES PROVIDE A FULL SUITE OF SERVICES THAT SAVE LIBRARIES MONEY, TIME AND LABOR. TOTAL SAVINGS AS COMPARED TO THE LIST PRICE OF MOST RESOURCES RANGE WIDELY, FROM 5% TO MORE THAN 90%, PROVIDING LIBRARIES A VALUABLE AND MEASURABLE RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
  2. $130,498 spent. RESOURCE SHARING AND COOPERATIVE COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT IS AN ONGOING AREA OF ACTIVITY FOR SCELC. A COMMITTEE OF SCELC LIBRARIANS IS FOCUSED ON SUCH RESOURCE SHARING ACTIVITIES AS:A) COLLABORATIVE SHARED PRINT PROGRAMS, WHEREBY LIBRARIES MAKE MUTUAL BINDING AGREEMENTS TO STRUCTURE A SHARED ARCHIVE OF PRINT MATERIALS, THUS CREATING SPACE-SAVING OPPORTUNITIES FORPARTICIPATING LIBRARIES. SCELC COMPLETED ITS FIRST FULL SHARED PRINT PROJECT WITH FOURTEEN OF ITS LIBRARIES AND COMPLETED A SECOND PHASE WITH TWELVE ADDITIONAL LIBRARIES. IN 2019, IT LAUNCHED A NEW PHASE WITH SIX CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES PLUS TWO ADDITIONAL PRIVATE ACADEMIC LIBRARIES. SCELC IS NOW THE DE FACTO LEADER IN SHARED PRINT ON THE WEST COAST, WITH FURTHER PLANSUNDERWAY TO EXTEND THE PROGRAM MORE BROADLY. THE SHARED PRINT ADVISORY COMMITTEE ASSURES ONGOING GOVERNANCE AND OVERSIGHT OF THE SHARED PRINT PROGRAM. SCELC ALSO BECAME A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE PARTNERSHIP FOR SHARED BOOK COLLECTIONS IN 2020.B) CALLIMACHUS, A SCELC SHARED DIGITAL LIBRARY PROGRAM CREATED BY SCELC'S PURCHASE OF A SHARED CONTENTDM DIGITAL SOFTWARE LICENSE; C) COOPERATIVE COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, WHICH WILL GROW AS A RESULT OF THE AFOREMENTIONED SHARED PRINT PROGRAMS. THE MANY SMALL OR SPECIALIZED LIBRARIES THAT CONSTITUTE THE SCELC MEMBERSHIP WILL SEE BENEFITS FROM COLLABORATIVE FOCUSING OF COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT AND MATERIALS SELECTION ONCE THE SCELC RESOURCE SHARING ACTIVITIES HAVE MATURED TO THE POINT WHERE UNIQUE AND WIDELY HELD HOLDINGS AT EACH LIBRARY ARE READILY IDENTIFIABLE AND COMPARABLE WITH OTHER MEMBER LIBRARIES.D) COLLABORATIVE COLLECTIONS PROGRAM: LAUNCHED IN 2019, SCELC PROVIDES ACCESS TO A SHARED COLLECTION OF 40,000+ E-BOOKS FROM JSTOR TO 69 LIBRARIES. AT THE END OF EACH FISCAL YEAR EACH LIBRARYCAN THEN PURCHASE THOSE EBOOKS WITH THE HIGHEST USE FOR PERMANENT ACCESS IN THEIR LOCAL COLLECTIONS. SCELC IS EXPLORING HOW TO EXPAND THE COLLABORATIVE COLLECTIONS MODEL INTO OTHER AREAS.
  3. $163,119 spent. CONTINUING EDUCATION, NETWORKING AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES: WITH THE SUPPORT OF SCELC STAFF, LIBRARIANS SERVING ON ADVISORY COMMITTEES, THE SCELC BOARD OR TASK FORCES HELP SCELC PROVIDE A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS AREA. THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:A) EVENTS SUCH AS THE SCELC VENDOR DAY, COLLOQUIUM, DEANS AND DIRECTORS' SYMPOSIUM, AND RESEARCH DAY. THESE EVENTS TAKE PLACE DURING A ONE-WEEK SPAN TO PROVIDE CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR THE CUTTING-EDGE ISSUES CONFRONTING TODAY'S LIBRARIES AND ATTRACT MORE THAN 300 LIBRARIANS OVER THE COURSE OF ONE WEEK. IN RECOGNITION OF TIGHT LIBRARY BUDGETS, ALL EVENTS ARE FREE OR VERYLOW COST, WITH COSTS UNDERWRITTEN BY SCELC, WITH SOME VENDOR SPONSORSHIPS PROVIDING SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUE;B) MEETINGS THREE TIMES PER YEAR OF A COLLECTIONS AND ELECTRONIC RESOURCES COMMITTEE TO PROVIDE CURRENT AWARENESS OF TRENDS IN THE LIBRARY INFORMATION MARKETPLACE;C) PROFESSIONAL INPUT ON LICENSE LANGUAGE AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS FROM A LICENSE ADVISORY COMMITTEE;D) A COMPETITIVE FUNDING AWARDS PROCESS TO ENABLE CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE FOR LIBRARIANS;E) RESEARCH INCENTIVE AWARDS TO HELP LIBRARIANS COMPLETE AND PUBLISH THEIR RESEARCH;F) SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS TO SCELC LIBRARIES' STAFF AND INTERNS TO OFFSET THE COSTS OF COMPLETING AN ACCREDITED DEGREE-GRANTING LIBRARY SCIENCE PROGRAM;G) A SCELC PROJECT INITIATIVE FUND TO PROVIDE SEED MONEY TO LIBRARIES TO ENABLE NEW KINDS OF INTER-LIBRARY COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS, SUCH AS THE AFOREMENTIONED SCELC SHARED PRINT PROJECT;H) A SCHOLARLY COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS THE GROWING AREA OF CHANGES IN RESEARCH AND OPEN ACCESS PUBLISHING.I) A MONTHLY VIRTUAL COMMUNICATION EVENT ENTITLED "SCELC CHANNEL ONE," IN RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGES POSED BY THE PANDEMIC AT THE SCELC INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR LIBRARIES. CHANNEL ONE HAS EFFECTIVELY SERVED TO BROADEN OUTREACH TO SCELC LIBRARIES AND HAS CREATED A LARGER COMMUNITY FOCUSED ON CURRENT ISSUES FACING SCELC LIBRARIES.J) A MONTHLY VIRTUAL TOWNHALL WITH LIBRARY DEANS AND DIRECTORS TO DISCUSS SCELC OPPORTUNITIES AND ADMINISTRATIVE CHALLENGES IN RESEARCH, MEDICAL, AND ACADEMIC LIBRARIES.

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 November 6, 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 February 2003.

    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 November 4, 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.