North Wales Area Library

What it reported doing in 2024

The north wales area library is an award-winning library, earning the pa forward gold star designation. This achievement demonstrates the library's performance that measures deviation from the average in library visits, circulation, program attendance, and public internet usage. The mission of the nwal is sharing information and providing opportunities for life-long learning and enriching the lives of the communities that we serve. The library is a community center serving the north penn region. Nwal continues to expand services to accommodate the needs of our families to foster life-long learning. North wales area library offers a combination of virtual as well as traditional opportunities for our patrons to become engaged in educational programming. The library website, www, northwaleslibrary.org has resources for all ages which can be visited from any location. E-resources include mango (a foreign language course), the philadelphia inquirer, tumblebooks, ebooks and magazines and much more. Nwal partners with many individuals and community organizations such as gardening clubs, yoga, martial arts, music, art, and environmental organizations to provide programming opportunities under the library's aegis. In addition, nwal offers public use of a collection in excess of 51,000 print and over 33,000 electronic items, access to holdings of other Pennsylvania libraries through inter-library loan, e-literature, access to computers and other technology, and literacy and enrichment programs for all ages. 13 public access computers are available for community use. Printing, copying and fax service are available. An estimated 4,000 questions are answered yearly by library staff. To fulfill its mission, the library partners with other organizations whenever possible. It provides curriculum support for area schools and has distributed free food to students in the north penn school district for the usda/pa department of education summer food services program. Abington lansdale hospital - jefferson, einstein medical center montgomery, the vna foundation and manna on main street have worked with the library to create public education programs relating to health issues and healthy lifestyles. Support for heath and stem programming through the vna, montgomery and chester county and merck foundations. We also work with mercy gwynedd university and a-typically amazing kids.nwal hosts blood drives for the american red cross, sponsors seminars on medicare and social security planning through the apprise program of the Pennsylvania department of aging, and offers opportunities for community service to minor offenders through the district court. Two community rooms are available for library programming and public use. The library serves over 17,000 members. The facility is scheduled to be open six days a week and operates with over 25 volunteers and ten staff people. Government funding only accounts for 33% of the annual budget. The generosity of its patrons, local businesses and grants is vital for the library operations.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 46.7%; rating input score 47
• Program expense ratio: 46.7%; rating input score 47
• Fundraising efficiency: $12.43 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Fail
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 0%; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 6.6; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 19.6%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 0.1% per year; rating input score 100; 31st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -1.7% per year; rating input score 0; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -0.3% per year; rating input score 0; 23rd percentile among comparable filings