Newberry Library
Newberry Library is a Chicago-based, independent non-profit research library founded in 1887 that provides free public access to six centuries of collections, digital archives, exhibitions, fellowships, and educational programs for scholars, educators, genealogists, and community partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1887
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Newberry Library does
Newberry Library is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) research library founded in 1887 and headquartered at 60 West Walton Street, Chicago, Illinois. It is governed by a Board of Trustees and operates as a free and open public humanities institution, serving general public researchers, genealogists and family historians, academic scholars, K-12 teachers, and Indigenous communities across Illinois, the Midwest, and increasingly a global online audience.
The library's core product set comprises a physical catalog accessible via the Primo VE discovery tool, a Digital Collections platform hosting tens of thousands of high-resolution images (including 50,000+ postcards), Modern Manuscripts & Archives (including major railroad holdings such as Pullman Company records), rotating exhibitions in the Hanson and Trienens Galleries, three specialized research centers (Center for Renaissance Studies; D'Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian & Indigenous Studies; Hermon Dunlap Smith Center for the History of Cartography), fellowship and residency programs, adult education classes, teacher programs, and the Rosenberg Bookshop. Underlying technology is built on Ex Libris Primo VE for catalog discovery, a digital collections platform for image delivery, and digitization infrastructure; API/SDK and AI/ML layers are not indicated.
The library runs a donation-and-grant-driven nonprofit model with no direct charge to users for exhibitions, reading room access, research services, or public programs. Revenue streams comprise donations and gifts (individuals, foundations, and organizations), grants from funders such as the Mellon Foundation, NEH, Whiting, Terra, and Driehaus foundations, Rosenberg Bookshop sales (in-person and through a ThriftBooks partnership), donations of used books for resale, and venue rentals (e.g., Ruggles Hall). Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on website, social media, email newsletters, blog content, exhibitions, partner organization networks, and university consortium ties (notably CARLI I-Share) rather than commercial sales motions.
Newberry Library firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Newberry Library
- Legal name
- Newberry Library
- Website
- https://newberry.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1887
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Newberry Library is a Chicago-based, independent non-profit research library founded in 1887 that provides free public access to six centuries of collections, digital archives, exhibitions, fellowships, and educational programs for scholars, educators, genealogists, and community partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Newberry Library industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Research Library
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (519)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Academic & Research Library Operations (College/University Libraries) (EDAEAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA)
Keywords
Where Newberry Library is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Newberry Library business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Gifts: The library operates as a nonprofit institution supported primarily through donations and charitable gifts from individuals, foundations, and organizations. The website features a 'Make a Gift' donation page and various giving societies.
- Bookshop Sales: The Rosenberg Bookshop sells used books, exhibition-related merchandise, and curated items both in-person and online through ThriftBooks partnership, with proceeds supporting the library's collections and programs.
- Donated Books and Materials: The library accepts donations of used books which are sorted and sold in the Rosenberg Bookshop and online through ThriftBooks. Proceeds benefit the library's collections and programs.
- Venue Rentals: The Newberry offers Ruggles Hall and other spaces for venue rentals to organizations and individuals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free access to all |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Newberry Library product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Newberry Library is an independent non-profit research library that provides free public access to specialized historical collections spanning more than six centuries, including manuscripts, maps, printed books, postcards, and archives. It supports scholarly research, education, and community engagement through reading rooms, digital collections, rotating exhibitions, fellowships, adult education classes, teacher programs, and a bookshop. Operations are funded primarily through donations, grants, and bookshop sales.
Product overview
The Newberry Library is an independent research library offering free and open access to its collections spanning more than six centuries. The core offerings include a physical and digital catalog (Primo VE) for discovering books, manuscripts, maps, and archival materials; Digital Collections featuring tens of thousands of downloadable images; Modern Manuscripts & Archives including major railroad company records; rotating Exhibitions in dedicated galleries; three Research Centers focused on Renaissance studies, American Indian & Indigenous studies, and cartography history; Education Programs including adult classes and teacher workshops; Fellowships & Residencies for scholars and artists; and the Rosenberg Bookshop. Major current initiatives include the Indigenous Chicago Project and America 250 commemoration exhibitions. The library provides specialized services for genealogy research and maintains extensive digital resources including the Pullman Digital Collection.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Research Library Access and Reader Services Free in-person access to physical and archival collections in reading rooms for individual researchers, with reference and research assistance from staff librarians.
- Digital Collections Online platform providing global access to tens of thousands of high-resolution images of manuscripts, maps, postcards, and archival materials from the Newberry collection, available for research use.
- Library Catalog (Primo VE) Discovery tool enabling one-stop searching of the library's physical and digital book, manuscript, map, journal, newspaper, and archival holdings, with cross-searching of the I-Share consortium.
- Exhibitions Free rotating exhibitions held in the Trienens Galleries and Hanson Gallery, exploring themes drawn from the library's collections for the general public, scholars, and students.
- Fellowships and Residencies Fellowship programs for academic scholars, artists-in-residence, and scholars-in-residence providing funded research opportunities using the Newberry's collections.
- Education Programs Adult education classes, K-12 teacher professional development, undergraduate learning opportunities, and scholarly seminars for lifelong learners and educators.
- Rosenberg Bookshop Physical and online bookshop selling new and used books, exhibition merchandise, and curated items, with proceeds supporting the library's collections and programs.
- Genealogy and Local History Services Specialized research assistance for family history and local history researchers, with staff support for patrons at all stages of genealogical research.
- Research Centers Three specialized research centers—the Center for Renaissance Studies, the D'Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian and Indigenous Studies, and the Hermon Dunlap Smith Center for the History of Cartography—offering fellowships, convenings, and scholarly programming.
- Venue Rentals Rental of event spaces including Ruggles Hall to organizations and individuals for meetings, receptions, and events.
Companies that use Newberry Library
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Newberry Library technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Newberry Library partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Illinois America 250coreThe Newberry is a partner in Illinois America 250, an inclusive statewide effort to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The partnership includes exhibition programming, public events, and a passport program highlighting landmarks throughout Illinois.
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México ChicagocorePartner in the ¡Viva la Libertad! project coordinating public programs and exploring independence struggles of the Americas.
- National Museum of Mexican ArtcorePartner in the ¡Viva la Libertad! project bringing together scholars, artists, and community members.
- Illinois HumanitiescorePartner in the ¡Viva la Libertad! public humanities project exploring independence struggles.
- Instituto Justice and Leadership AcademysupportingPartner in the ¡Viva la Libertad! project focused on community engagement around independence and liberty themes.
- Carleton CollegecorePartner in the Indigenous Chicago project with faculty and students collaborating on research, curricular materials, and community engagement.
- Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative (CAICC)coreKey community partner in the Indigenous Chicago project, ensuring Native community voices are centered in project development.
- Shakespeare Project of ChicagosupportingPartner in the Toasting the Revolution program, with actors leading audiences in performing early toasts from the Newberry collection.
- Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI)coreI-Share consortium partnership enabling shared catalog access and resource sharing across Illinois academic libraries.
- Museum of the American RevolutionsupportingPartner in programming featuring George Washington's dining tent display in Washington Square Park during Declaration of Independence events.
- DePaul UniversitysupportingAcademics from DePaul serve as exhibition curators and speakers at Newberry programs.
- University of ChicagosupportingFaculty from University of Chicago serve as exhibition curators and speakers, including Eric Slauter as curator of Free and Independent exhibition.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Newberry Library competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Harry Ransom Center (University of Texas at Austin): Humanities research library and museum at UT Austin holding rare books, manuscripts, and archival materials across literature, performing arts, and film. Comparable as a research library offering fellowships, exhibitions, and extensive digital access programs.
- Folger Shakespeare Library: Independent nonprofit research library in Washington, D.C. focused on Shakespeare, the early modern period, and the humanities. Closely comparable to the Newberry in mission (free-access independent research library), governance (501(c)(3) with endowed collections), and programming model (fellowships, exhibitions, public programs).
- Library Company of Philadelphia: Independent research library founded in 1731, holding deep collections in early American history, African American history, and print culture. Comparable to the Newberry as an old, endowed, independent research library with curated special collections and fellowship programs.
- Boston Athenaeum: Independent membership library in Boston with rare books, manuscripts, and fine art collections supporting scholarly research and public programming. Closely parallel to the Newberry in operating model and curated special-collections focus.
- Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens: Independent research library and cultural institution in San Marino, California, holding world-class rare books, manuscripts, and British/American history collections. Directly comparable as a private, free-to-the-public research library offering fellowships, exhibitions, and public programs built around deep special collections.
- American Antiquarian Society: Independent research library in Worcester, Massachusetts, dedicated to American history and culture through 1876. Comparable as a nonprofit membership-based research library providing fellowships, extensive rare-book and periodical holdings, and scholarly programming.
- Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library (Yale University): Yale's rare book and manuscript library, holding world-class collections in literature, history, and the humanities with fellowships and exhibitions. Comparable to the Newberry's humanities research mission and exhibition program, though embedded within a larger university.
Regional players
- Field Museum: Major Chicago natural history museum with significant collections, public exhibitions, and volunteer corps. Overlaps with the Newberry as a Chicago-based nonprofit cultural institution and source of cross-trained staff (e.g., the volunteer manager's prior tenure).
- Chicago History Museum: Chicago-based cultural institution holding extensive Chicago and Midwest history collections, exhibitions, and public programs. Directly comparable to the Newberry's Chicago/Midwest history holdings and regional public programming, though anchored in museum rather than library operations.
Broad incumbents
- Smithsonian Libraries and Archives: Federally funded library and archival system supporting 21 Smithsonian museums and research centers. Comparable in scale of special collections, exhibitions, and public programming, but operating as a much larger federally supported institution rather than an independent nonprofit.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Newberry Library social profiles
Digital presenceNewberry Library financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Newberry Library leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Newberry Library funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Newberry Library M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Newberry Library
What does Newberry Library do?
The Newberry Library is an independent non-profit research library that provides free public access to specialized historical collections spanning more than six centuries, including manuscripts, maps, printed books, postcards, and archives. It supports scholarly research, education, and community engagement through reading rooms, digital collections, rotating exhibitions, fellowships, adult education classes, teacher programs, and a bookshop. Operations are funded primarily through donations, grants, and bookshop sales.
Is Newberry Library a public or private company?
Newberry Library is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Newberry Library founded?
Newberry Library was founded in 1887. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Newberry Library based?
Newberry Library is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Newberry Library make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Gifts are the primary driver. The others are bookshop Sales, donated Books and Materials and venue Rentals.
Who are Newberry Library's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Harry Ransom Center (University of Texas at Austin), Folger Shakespeare Library, Library Company of Philadelphia, Boston Athenaeum, Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, American Antiquarian Society and Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library (Yale University). Regional players are Field Museum and Chicago History Museum. Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Newberry Library have an API?
No public API is recorded for Newberry Library.
What industry is Newberry Library in?
Newberry Library's product category is Independent Research Library. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAGAB, Academic & Research Library Operations (College/University Libraries), with a secondary code of EDAEAGAJ, Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation). Its NAICS code is 51921 and its SIC code is 8200.