Shaler North Hills Library

What Shaler North Hills Library does

Shaler North Hills Library (SNHL) is a public library established in 1942 in Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, serving Shaler Township residents and, through statewide Pennsylvania library reciprocity, any eligible PA cardholder. The library operates from a single physical building at 1822 Mt. Royal Blvd. and maintains a collection of approximately 130,000 physical items spanning books, media, and a non-traditional "Library of Things." It is staffed by 39 personnel (5 full-time and 34 part-time), a part-time-heavy workforce typical of community libraries. Programs are organized by audience cohort: kids and families (storytimes, summer reading, Family Place workshops), teens (dedicated events and collections), adults (book clubs, exercise classes, creative writing, technology help), seniors (dementia-friendly programming, AARP tax help, large-print collections), and special-needs populations (LAMP accessible media, therapy dog reading via Tail Waggin' Tutors).

The library's technology stack is primarily consortium-based rather than proprietary. SNHL operates on the eiNetwork shared library system managed cooperatively across Allegheny County, with the BiblioCommons catalog serving as the public-facing interface for holds, interlibrary loan, and account management. Digital lending is delivered through third-party platforms Libby (OverDrive) for ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines, and Hoopla for movies, TV, audiobooks, comics, and music. Ancillary services include ePRINTitSaaS for wireless printing, Google Forms for the "Shop Our Shelves" request workflow, Google Drive for the Shaler Yearbooks digital archive, Zoom for remote programs, NextGoodBook for new-book email alerts, and PA Power Library plus Tutor.com for reference and tutoring. SNHL self-attests WCAG 2.1 web accessibility on shalerlibrary.org and has adopted the American Library Association Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read Statement as formal policy.

The library's revenue model is predominantly public funding rather than commercial. Its primary funding source is Shaler Township tax appropriations, supplemented by recurring state aid from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Office of Commonwealth Libraries), grants from the Allegheny County Regional Asset District (RAD, funded by a regional sales tax), and periodic grants from The Pittsburgh Foundation. A 2024 state aid tranche of $149,452 from the PA Department of Education is documented. The Friends of the Shaler North Hills Library, a 501(c)(3) volunteer auxiliary, contributes more than $20,000 annually through fundraisers, book sales, and memberships. Modest fee revenue is generated from printing ($0.20 B&W / $0.50 color per page), copying, and faxing ($1 per page). All standard library services — borrowing, in-person and digital programs, RAD museum passes, Wi-Fi, and mobile hotspot lending — are free to cardholders, with no late fines on most materials, positioning SNHL as a public-good community anchor rather than a revenue-generating enterprise.

Name

Shaler North Hills Library

Legal name

Shaler North Hills Library

Website

https://shalerlibrary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shaler North Hills Library is a public library in Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, serving Shaler Township residents and statewide Pennsylvania cardholders with 130,000+ physical and digital items, free community programs, and partner services funded primarily by municipal, state, and regional public sources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192), Libraries and Archives (519210)

akta.pro primary industry

Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Library Collections & Cataloging Services (Acquisitions, Metadata, Circulation) (EDAEAGAE)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community lending programs
• Digital media lending
• Children's literacy programs
• Senior outreach services

Headquarters

HQ city

Glenshaw

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Shaler Township Tax Appropriation: Primary recurring public funding allocated from Shaler Township's general tax revenue. This is the library's main operating support.
2. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State Aid: Recurring annual state library aid distributed through the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries.
3. Regional Asset District (RAD) Funding: Recurring annual grant funding from Allegheny County's Regional Asset District, supported by a regional sales tax.
4. Friends of the Library Donations and Fundraisers: Donations, memberships, book sales, and fundraising events run by the Friends of the Shaler North Hills Library 501(c)(3) auxiliary; contributes more than $20,000 annually to the library.
5. Foundation Grants: Periodic grants from charitable foundations such as The Pittsburgh Foundation to support programming and collections.
6. Program Sponsorships: Sponsorships from local businesses and nonprofits (e.g., Arden Courts for dementia programs, AARP for tax help) supporting specific programs and events.
7. Fee-based Ancillary Services: Small user fees collected for printing, copying, and faxing services, providing minor self-generated revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Shaler North Hills Library is a public library serving Shaler Township and the broader Pennsylvania community. It provides free access to a 130,000-item collection of books, media, and a Library of Things, plus digital lending through Libby and Hoopla, in-person programming across age groups, community meeting spaces, museum passes via RAD, and fee-based printing, copying, and faxing services.

Product overview

Shaler North Hills Library (SNHL) operates as a public library offering a single integrated service platform — the Allegheny County Library Catalog via BiblioCommons — around which a wide portfolio of in-person and digital modules are organized. The core Library Catalog (Bibliocommons) is supplemented by the Library of Things, Experience Kits, Digital Media (Libby, Hoopla, EBSCO eBooks, BookFlix, Libby Magazines), Scanning/Printing/Fax, and the Shaler Yearbooks Digital Collection hosted on Google Drive. Programs are split across age cohorts (Kids & Families via the Family Place Library model, Teens, Adults & Seniors) and delivered through recurring Community Programs such as the SNHL Card Club, Rummikub Game Night, Mystery Book Group, Monday Night Book Group, Needles & Hooks by the Books, Food for Thought Cookbook Group, Seeking the Spiritual Book Group, Sense & Sound Poetry Discussion, the SNHL Writers' Group on Zoom, Act Out Readers' Theater, Telling Tales, Movies on Your Mind, Podcast and Craft, Easy Make Nights, Dancersize for Seniors, Caring for the Caregivers, Dementia Friends, Tail Waggin' Tutors, and NatureFest. Facility-based services include Meeting Rooms, the Art Gallery, Display Cases, and the Electronic Community Information Sign, while patron support is delivered through Shop Our Shelves, Technology Assistance, Tax Assistance, and See Us Out and About outreach. The whole portfolio is wired together by countywide infrastructure provided by the eiNetwork and Cooperative Allegheny Libraries Support (CALS), with fundraising powered by the Friends of the Shaler North Hills Library.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Library of Things: The SNHL "Library of Things" expands the collection's range of borrowable materials (board games, jigsaw puzzles, American Girl dolls, outdoor games, Kindle Paperwhites, caregiver collection items, etc.) under a shared-economy model.
• Experience Kits

Products and services

• Library Catalog (BiblioCommons) County-wide shared catalog enabling patrons to search the SNHL collection of nearly 130,000 items, place holds, manage accounts, and request materials from any Allegheny County library for pickup at Shaler.
• Library of Things Borrowable non-book collection including board games, jigsaw puzzles, American Girl dolls, cake pans, outdoor games, Kindle Paperwhites, caregiver sensory products, magnifiers, and local yearbooks.
• Experience Kits Weekly checkout kits providing free admission for four to regional historic sites and museums such as the Heinz History Center, Beaver Area Heritage Museum, and Lincoln Highway Experience.
• Digital Media Lending Suite of digital lending and streaming platforms including Libby (eBooks/audiobooks/magazines), Hoopla (movies/TV/audiobooks/comics/music), EBSCO eBooks (16,000+ nonfiction titles), and BookFlix (paired video storybooks and eBooks for children).
• Shaler Yearbooks Digital Collection Digitized Shaler Area High School yearbooks from 1934 through 2018 (excluding 1943 and 1954), hosted on Google Drive for online viewing and download.
• Scanning, Printing & Fax Services On-demand document services including B&W and color printing/copying ($0.20 B&W / $0.50 color per page), wireless printing via ePRINTitSaaS, free scanning to email or USB, and fax service at $1 per page.
• Family Place Library Program Nationally designated early childhood and family support program offering Parent-Child Workshops, a dedicated parenting collection, and imaginative play materials to support children from birth through preschool.
• Technology Assistance One-on-one and remote support for patron technology questions, supplemented by introductory guides and free digital literacy courses via Google Applied Digital Skills, DigitalLearn.org, and PA Online Learning (Niche Academy).
• Meeting Rooms Multiple reservable meeting rooms available for rent by community groups, scheduled by the Adult Services Department subject to the library's Meeting Room Policy.
• Tax Assistance Information and referral service for AARP and United Way VITA tax preparation programs for seniors and low-income patrons, plus limited free/paid printing of IRS and PA tax forms during tax season.
• Friends of the Shaler North Hills Library Volunteer fundraising organization that donates over $20,000 annually through membership dues, book sales, mini golf, road rally, soup tasting, and other fundraisers to support library programming and special purchases.

Quantifiable outcome

• 130,000 items available to patrons
• +3 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-level consortium that coordinates cooperative services, shared resources, and the eiNetwork technology backbone across Allegheny County's public libraries.
• eiNetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationShared library technology network providing internet, integrated library system, and shared digital catalog infrastructure for participating Allegheny County libraries.
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates the Cooperate Allegheny Libraries Support (CALS) program that delivers support and resource-sharing services to Allegheny County libraries including Shaler North Hills.
• Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide service providing accessible-format materials (audio, large print, Braille) to Pennsylvania residents with print disabilities.
• Shaler Area School District (SASD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal K-12 school district partner for educational programming, library visits, classroom support, and joint literacy initiatives.
• Shaler Garden ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal civic club partner supporting community programming and events at the library.
• Kiwanis Club of GlenshawminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal civic organization supporting community programming and events at the library.
• Elfinwild Lions ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal civic organization supporting community programming and events at the library.
• Shaler Area RotaryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal civic organization supporting community programming and events at the library.
• Therapy Dogs InternationalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides volunteer therapy dog teams for the library's Tail Waggin' Tutors reading program supporting children and other patrons.
• Pennsylvania Library AssociationminorOthersStatewide professional association for Pennsylvania libraries, providing advocacy, training, and professional development.
• Arden CourtsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the library's dementia-friendly programming, supporting specialized programs for patrons with memory loss and their caregivers.
• AARPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner providing free in-person tax preparation assistance (Tax-Aide) for patrons at the library.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• OverDrive / Libby: Vendor behind the Libby digital lending platform that SNHL integrates for ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines. Comparable as a digital content infrastructure peer and benchmark for digital lending capacity.
• Hoopla Digital: Digital media service integrated via ACLA providing ebooks, audiobooks, comics, movies, TV, and music to SNHL patrons. Comparable as a vendor-side peer and a leading indicator of demand-driven digital lending capacity constraints.

Direct peers

• Bethel Park Public Library: Another ACLA member library serving a nearby southern-suburban Allegheny County municipality with comparable funding structure, programming breadth, and patron mix.
• Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA): County-level consortium coordinating the cooperative services, shared resources, and the eiNetwork technology backbone across Allegheny County's public libraries, of which SNHL is a participating member. Directly comparable as a coordinating body for the same service ecosystem.
• Mt. Lebanon Public Library: Another ACLA/eiNetwork member library serving a comparable suburban Allegheny County municipality. Similar tax-funded operating model, programming breadth, and patron demographics — a like-for-like peer for benchmarking operating performance.
• Hampton Township Community Library: Adjacent suburban Allegheny County ACLA member library serving a comparable demographic profile in Hampton Township. Useful peer for community-programming benchmarks and shared-service utilization.
• Northland Public Library: ACLA/eiNetwork member serving northern Allegheny County suburbs with a similar municipal-funding structure and suburban patron base. Comparable scale and service mix including community programming and digital lending.

Regional players

• Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP): Statewide accessible-media service that provides SNHL patrons with print-disability materials. Adjacent to SNHL's special-needs service portfolio and useful as a peer for accessible-format service design.
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: Operates the Cooperative Allegheny Libraries Support (CALS) program that provides SNHL with collection support, technical services, and shared digital platforms. As the anchor library for the Pittsburgh region, it is the most directly comparable public library peer in the same metro.

Broad incumbents

• Pennsylvania State Library (Office of Commonwealth Libraries): The state-level authority providing recurring state library aid to SNHL through the PA Department of Education. Comparable as the funder/coordinator of statewide library services and the source of the powerlibrary.org virtual reference network.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shalerlibrary
• Facebookfacebook.com/shalerlibrary
• Instagraminstagram.com/shalerlibrary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shaler-north-hills-library

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shaler North Hills Library