The Santa Monica Athenaeum

A membership library for mathematics and philosophy in Santa Monica, California.

Why

[Founder's letter — to be written.]

The collection

Mathematics and philosophy, with an emphasis on primary texts: the works themselves, in good editions, rather than commentary alone. The shelves are open — members browse freely — and the collection lends. Nothing is behind glass.

The catalog will be browsable online at /collection.

Membership

Member
$300 per year. Borrowing privileges and use of the reading room.
Founder
$500 per year. Everything above, and your name on the founding plate.
Life
$5,000, once. A member for good.

Until our 501(c)(3) status is granted we are collecting pledges, not payments. No money changes hands until the Athenaeum can receive it properly.

Pledge a membership →

Questions

What am I committing to when I pledge?

Your word, not your money. A pledge is a statement of intent — no card, no invoice, nothing binding. When the Athenaeum can properly receive funds, we will write and ask you to make it good, and you may decline then with no hard feelings.

When would I actually pay?

After the IRS grants our 501(c)(3) determination. We will write to every pledger with instructions at that point, and not before.

Where does the 501(c)(3) stand?

We are forming a California nonprofit public benefit corporation and preparing the federal exemption application (Form 1023). This page will say so plainly at each step: incorporated, filed, granted.

Will my membership be tax-deductible?

Partially, in the usual way: the deductible portion of a membership is what you pay beyond the fair value of what you receive. Once our status is granted we will state the deductible amount for each tier in your written acknowledgment, per IRS rules.

What if the Athenaeum never reaches 25 founders?

Then no one pays anything. Pledges are only called in when the reading room can actually open. If we conclude it will not happen, we will write to say so and release every pledge.

Can I just send money now?

Not yet — we are not set up to receive charitable funds, and we would rather do this properly than quickly. Pledge, and we will call on you the moment we lawfully can.

Founding

0 of 25 founders