Cambridge Community Library

What Cambridge Community Library does

Cambridge Community Library is a public library chartered under Wisconsin State Statute Chapter 43 and operating continuously from its single location at 101 Spring Water St., Cambridge, Wisconsin, since 1978. It is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees appointed by the Village of Cambridge and Jefferson County, with a seven-person operational staff led by Library Director Samantha Seeman. The institution serves Cambridge-area residents with physical and digital collections, public technology access, document services, and community programming.

The library's core offerings span five integrated lines: (1) nine public computer workstations with free WiFi and Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010; (2) photocopies, printing (including cloud-based ePrint It wireless printing), faxing, scanning, and lamination; (3) library cards and borrowing of physical media (books, movies, puzzles, audiobooks) and specialized kits (Yoto Mini Players); (4) online resources including the LINKcat shared catalog across 50 libraries, Libby/OverDrive for e-books and audiobooks, and a suite of research databases (BadgerLink, Ancestry Library Edition, Consumer Reports, Creativebug, NoveList, Transparent Language); and (5) recurring community programming (storytime, Between the Pages Book Club, Scrabble, Chess Club, Family Game Nights, Makerspace, Spice Club, Summer Library Challenge). The technology stack is composed of third-party SaaS and consortium platforms rather than proprietary systems.

The business model is fundamentally tax-funded: primary operating revenue flows from Village of Cambridge and Jefferson County tax allocations, with negligible supplementary income from nominal per-page fees for copying, printing, faxing, lamination, and the sale of flash drives and earbuds. Library cards and the overwhelming majority of services are provided at no charge. The library participates in the South Central Library System (SCLS), a 50-library cooperative spanning 7 Wisconsin counties that delivers shared cataloging, inter-library loan, and coordinated digital services, materially extending the effective resource footprint of the institution without direct acquisition cost.

Name

Cambridge Community Library

Legal name

Cambridge Community Library

Website

https://cambridgelib.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cambridge Community Library is a public, tax-funded library in Cambridge, Wisconsin, serving local residents since 1978 with physical and digital collections, public computing, document services, and community programming as part of the 50-library South Central Library System.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAEAGAC

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Library, Media Center & Learning Space Operations

SECONDARYEDAEAGAL

Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support)

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Library, Media Center & Learning Space Operations

SECONDARYEDAEAGAF

Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing)

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Library, Media Center & Learning Space Operations

SECONDARYBPAGAHAF

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community library access
• Digital lending resources
• Inter-library network catalog
• Library community programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

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

Revenue model

1. Public Tax Funding: As a public library, primary funding comes from municipal and county tax revenues allocated through the Village of Cambridge and Jefferson County. Part of the South Central Library System.
2. Fee-based Services: Minimal revenue from nominal fees for photocopies (20¢ B&W, 25¢ color), printing, faxing (25¢/page), lamination ($1/sheet), and flash drive/earbud sales. Library cards are free.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cambridge Community Library operates a municipal public library providing free borrowing of physical and digital materials, public computer and WiFi access, photocopying/printing/faxing services, online research databases, and community programs such as book clubs, storytime, and makerspace activities. Services are delivered through the physical location and online channels as part of the South Central Library System network of 50 libraries.

Product overview

Cambridge Community Library is a public library serving Cambridge, Wisconsin since 1978, operating as part of the South Central Library System (50 libraries across 7 counties). The library's offerings form a unified, single-tier product portfolio organized around physical access, digital access, and community programming. Public Computers and Internet Access provides nine workstations with free WiFi and Microsoft Office. Photocopying, Printing, and Faxing Services offers document reproduction, wireless printing via ePrint It, faxing, scanning, and lamination. Library Cards and Borrowing provides access to physical and digital collections across the SCLS network, with the notable addition of Yoto Mini Player Kits as a specialized checkout item. Online Resources and Databases aggregates third-party digital content including LINKcat (shared catalog), Libby/Wisconsin's Digital Library (e-books/audiobooks), and over a dozen research databases. Community Programs and Events rounds out the offering with regular programming such as the Between the Pages Book Club, storytime, Scrabble, Chess Club, Family Game Nights, Makerspace activities, and the Summer Library Challenge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Computers and Internet Access Nine public computers with Firefox and Chrome browsers, free WiFi with no password required, and Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); patrons may use flash drives to save documents.
• Photocopying, Printing, and Faxing Services Black-and-white photocopying (20¢ per page), color copying (25¢ per page), wireless printing via ePrint It (with email-to-print), direct printing from public computers, faxing (25¢ per page), scanning to digital, and lamination ($1 per sheet); flash drives available to borrow or purchase.
• Library Cards and Borrowing Free library cards for residents with photo ID and proof of address, granting access to materials across the South Central Library System (50 libraries in 7 counties); fine-free policy charges only for lost or damaged items, with materials including books, movies, puzzles, audiobooks, and e-books.
• Yoto Mini Player Kits

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration22 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• South Central Library System (SCLS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 50 libraries across 7 counties. Cambridge Community Library participates in shared cataloging, inter-library loans, and coordinated services. Library cards from Cambridge are accepted at all member libraries.
• Village of CambridgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner that appoints library board trustees and provides primary operational funding through tax revenues.
• Jefferson CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty partner that appoints library board trustees and provides operational funding support.
• Friends of the Cambridge Community LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization dedicated to supporting the library through developing programs, promoting services, and raising funds for special library needs. Annual meeting held in January.
• Wisconsin's Digital Library / OverDrivecoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides e-book and audiobook lending through the Libby platform as part of the statewide digital library consortium.
• BadgerLinkcoreTechnology or IntegrationWisconsin-based database consortium providing free online resources including genealogy, newspapers, magazines, automotive repair, health, and educational content.
• Beyond the PageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHumanities programming initiative supporting cultural events in Dane County public libraries.
• Cambridge School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal school district partner; library uses school closure decisions as guide for winter emergency procedures.
• Cambridge Community Activities Program (CAP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity recreation organization promoting lifelong wellness through recreational activities and learning opportunities.
• Cambridge Area Lion's ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal service organization serving since 1980, hosting community fundraisers and support events.
• Cambridge Area Resource Team (CART)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConfidential assistance organization connecting local neighbors with resources for transportation, housing, employment, and utilities.
• Cambridge Arts CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal arts organization supporting cultural programming including events like Midwest Fire Fest.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Madison Public Library: Much larger Wisconsin public library system headquartered in Madison. Operates the same shared catalog (LINKcat) and many of the same digital resources as Cambridge, but at significantly greater scale, with broader programming, multiple branches, and a larger staff.
• Appleton Public Library: Mid-sized Wisconsin public library serving a similarly structured community but at greater scale. Comparable service mix including digital resources, programming, and LINKcat/BadgerLink integration, but with broader resources and staff capacity.
• Milwaukee Public Library: Wisconsin's largest public library system, serving as the statewide scale benchmark. Operates an overlapping service portfolio (public computers, digital resources, community programs) but at a metropolitan scale well beyond Cambridge's single-branch footprint.

Direct peers

• Deerfield Public Library: Small Wisconsin public library operating within the SCLS network. Same governance and funding paradigm (Village/County tax support), with overlapping services (LINKcat catalog, BadgerLink databases, community programs) directly comparable to Cambridge Community Library.
• Lake Mills Public Library: Small Wisconsin public library in the SCLS network, offering an overlapping product set (public computers, printing/faxing, digital databases, storytime, book clubs). Directly comparable in staffing scale and operational footprint to Cambridge Community Library.
• Stoughton Public Library: Small Wisconsin public library and SCLS member serving a comparable-sized community. Similar service mix including physical lending, digital resources via BadgerLink/Libby, and community programming, with the same municipal/county funding model.
• Marshall Community Library: Small Wisconsin public library in the SCLS consortium serving a similarly-sized rural community. Comparable mission, funding structure (municipal and county tax support), and service portfolio including children's programming and digital resource access.
• Oregon Public Library: Small Wisconsin public library also operating within the South Central Library System (SCLS), sharing LINKcat cataloging, inter-library loan, and program models with Cambridge Community Library. Comparable scale, staffing, and community-library mandate.

Others

• OverDrive (Libby): Technology provider for the Libby e-book and audiobook lending platform that Cambridge Community Library integrates for digital lending. Not a direct competitor; an enabling infrastructure partner whose strategic direction materially affects the library's digital offering.
• BadgerLink: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction-funded database consortium providing the genealogy, automotive, health, and educational resources Cambridge patrons access. Functions as a shared enabling service for Wisconsin public libraries rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/camlibrary

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Cambridge Community Library