Sue Polanka, Wright State University

Congratulations to ALAO – we are now an official tax exempt organization! On June 30, 2012 we received a letter from the IRS informing us of our new status. It took over two years to complete the entire exemption process. Not only did ALAO have to work through the IRS, they also had to be incorporated in the State of Ohio.
According to Rocki Strader, ALAO President in 2010/11, “Rob Withers started pushing the idea during his presidency back in 2009 and the board agreed to pursue it at the 2010 retreat.” Strader signed off on the IRS form that initiated the federal part of the process. That was the easy part. Incorporation in the State of Ohio is required by the IRS for tax exempt status, and that is where the ALAO Board spent a great deal of time and effort.
Strader, along with Gaynelle Predmore (Treasurer at the time), and Alison Ricker (former Secretary), agreed to be listed as trustees for ALAO, which is required by the state. The most time consuming part of the state-level process, according to Strader, was converting the ALAO constitution into by-laws – another state requirement. The Board worked with Anne Abate of Library Discount Network who provided the initial converted draft. They then edited and adjusted the new by-laws, got all of the required fees, form, and signatures, and sat back and waited. ALAO received State of Ohio Incorporation status in August of 2011. Nearly a year later, the entire process was complete.

It has been a long road to tax exempt status. A huge thank you to everyone involved for pushing it through.