Lose your Tax Exempt Status!

Warning! Warning!  Sixty days left and you LOSE!   I feel like R2D2 robot from Star Wars.

Deadline is October 15, 2010 or lose your tax-exempt status.  This program is for those small non-profits that only need to file the e-postcard 990-N with the IRS on an annual basis.

Per the IRS website there  is extensive information of who qualifies and what to do.

So what do YOU do?  ASK your treasurer of your organization - ask if he/she filed the 990-N for the last three years?  If the answer is no or not sure or the other guy must have, then call the IRS at 1-877-829-5500 (toll-free) to determine the organization's status.  Don't rely on the list at the IRS site (see below) as they say it is the best they have and may not be complete.  Lastly - get professional help. Contact me here at this site and I'll point you in the right direction.

At the bottom of this page  there is the chart by states.  The Connecticut list of non-profit organizations that are about to lose their 501(c)3 tax-exempt standing is staggering. Click on Connecticut - there are over 120 pages of organizations listed.  I easily found more than a dozen FOLs that could be out of business in less than two months.

ALTAFF Survey

If you haven't responded yet, it's time to go over to Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF)  and take the survey.

The survey is important to all of us that are working for our libraries. 

Take Survey  I took the survey.  It doesn't take too long, and you have an opportunity to write in an answer.  There may be some questions that you can not answer, don't worry.  Getting as many folks to respond will help all of us.

I'm looking forward to the results!

SAVE the Date!!!

I just received offical news - FOCL's Fall Conference will be held on Saturday, November 6th at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Connecticut.

This year, the focus will be on Membership.  This is one of my favorite topics and I have been asked to be a presenter that day. 

As we get closer, I'll post details on the day's events.  This is a must event for all FOL's in Connecticut. 

Libraries Stack Up!!

Thanks to Sally Gardner Reed for this link on the FOLUSA List Serve.

This two page  How Libraries Stack Up! makes great points about how your tax dollar supports our public libraries and the real difference it makes to our communities.

One of the facts that I liked is this "U.S. public libraries circulate as many materials every day as FedEx ships packages worldwide"  FedEx shipments - 8.0 million vs. U.S. public library circulation 7.9 million!  Make a splash at your library this summer!

As you support your public library - get to know "the stats" about your library, the circulation, the number of people visiting, items in the collection, meeting rooms, etc.  Let your elected officials know how important the library is not only to you and your family, but to our communities at large.

Thank you.

Followup to Fox

There was a followup to the alarming Fox News story on libraries, see my earlier post.  You can read Mary A. Dempsey's Response right here.

And for my 2cents


Dear Mary A. Dempsey, Commissioner, Chicago Public Library,
Thank you for a great response to  a badly reported Fox story about Chicago's Public Library.  With your circulation at over 10million, at a cost of $120million, that puts more than $200million of value back into the community!  Of course that doesn't even count the numerous other services, free internet, literacy, and programs for ALL ages.

I was delighted to read about the Chicago Public Library, I hope when I stop in Chicago again, I'll have the chance to visit.

Keep up the good work.

Best to you,!

Millions for Libraries - Advocacy

Just back from a trip out to St. Louis - had a great time. With some time off - email builds up and playing catchup can be a bit daunting.

One email had some links talking about libraries and closing them would help solve the budget crisis in Illinois - there are very, very scary folks out there.   The clip of Fox news out of Chicago makes one really very scared about the politics and the "scientific" method the media used to evaluate one great library!

As I pointed out to our council members back during our budget crisis, while we spend to keep the library open for books, electronic editions of items, etc, it is a place where the people can join together in a community to continue education. 

Our library, the Lucy Robbins Welles Library, costs approximately $1.6million dollars a year, and with over 425k in circulation of books and materials, that investment put over $8.5million of information and education back into our town.

Great ROI  - Return on Information :)

To Library patrons, to citizens, make sure your elected officials know the benefits that come back into your community! 

Speak Up on behalf of your Library

About a month ago, our town began it's annual budget process. The Town Manager gives his budget, then a public hearing, then the Town Council gives their budget, and a public hearing - then hocus pocus - we get a budget and a mill rate.


The first public hearing was on March 15, 2010. The word got out in advance that the Library had to cut their budget by $28,000 and with a bit of give and take ended up with a proposal to close the library during the summer months on weekends and eliminate all Sundays during the year. That is just wrong!

The Friends of the Lucy Robbins Welles Library went into action. They met with patrons and residents for the few days before the hearing. On that night - over 50 individuals showed up, 18 spoke onbehalf of the Library.

To see the public hearing - and your's truly at 14:45 on the time line, go to our public TV Station - http://www.nctv.org/ - look here - on the left column click on "OnLine Video" then scroll down to Archives and select the Newington Town Council Public Hearing March 15, 2010.

We may know in a day or two if the $$'s are restored!