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THE BOOK THING OF BALTIMORE INC

EIN 31-1652354 BALTIMORE, MD

Revenue 2024
$230,936
Expenses 2024
$193,032

Program services were 98.1% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
B90
Classification
1200
Street
3001 VINEYARD LN

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

THE BOOK THING PROVIDES FREE DONATED BOOKS TO THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING BOOKS FOR INNER CITY SCHOOLS.

  • THE BOOK THINGS SOLE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE A FREE EXCHANGE OF BOOKS TO THE COMMUNITY. BOOKS ARE DONATED AND INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE ANY BOOKS THEY CHOOSE, IN ANY NUMBER. BOOKS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO STOCK CLASSROOM LIBRARIES IN INNER CITY SCHOOLS, FOR EXAMPLE. A SMALL NUMBER OF BOOKS ARE SOLD TO RAISE FUNDS FOR OPERATING EXPENSES. IN 2024, MORE THAN 215,000 BOOKS WERE GIVEN AWAY. NEARLY 10,000 PATRONS ATTENDED GIVEAWAYS, SERVED BY 160 VOLUNTEERS WORKING MORE THAN 9,000 HOURS.

    Expenses $189,417 · Grants $108,136 · Revenue $149,233

As filed on the 2024 return.

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • Donald Karlowa

    PRESIDENT & TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    4.5

  • Melissa Poussart

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Melanie Matthews

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Christopher Mergen

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    8.5

  • Josh Clement

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2024
    Revenue
    $230,936
    Expenses
    $193,032
    Contributions
    $174,694
    Grants paid
    $108,136
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $190,254
    Expenses
    $162,377
    Contributions
    $160,343
    Grants paid
    $92,314
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $145,507
    Expenses
    $135,534
    Contributions
    $110,087
    Grants paid
    $78,188

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $107,630
    Expenses
    $113,861
    Assets (EOY)
    $244,646

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $98,611
    Expenses
    $74,184
    Assets (EOY)
    $216,401

  • 2015 · 990

    Revenue
    $145,956
    Expenses
    $187,543
    Assets (EOY)
    $212,003

  • 2014 · 990

    Revenue
    $232,582
    Expenses
    $189,463
    Assets (EOY)
    $254,286

  • 2013 · 990

    Revenue
    $198,543
    Expenses
    $184,146
    Assets (EOY)
    $224,318

  • 2012 · 990

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    $181,680
    Assets (EOY)
    $226,870

  • 2011 · 990

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    $192,597
    Assets (EOY)
    $235,633

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all.

Grants made

Where these grants went next →

Grants received

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

  • Exemption revoked 15 May 2019, reinstated 15 May 2019.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 29 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.