Morton Grove Public Library

What Morton Grove Public Library does

Morton Grove Public Library is a single-branch municipal public library serving Morton Grove, Illinois and surrounding Niles Township communities including Lincolnwood, Golf, Niles, and parts of Skokie. Established in 1938 and operating as a government entity under the Village of Morton Grove with oversight from a Board of Trustees, the library offers free access to physical collections (books, movies, periodicals, a Library of Things, a Seed Library) and digital content platforms including Bibliocommons (catalog), Libby/OverDrive, Hoopla, Kanopy, The Palace Project, and LOTE4Kids, with a myLIBRO mobile app. Its technology stack is built on standard third-party library services rather than proprietary infrastructure; the May 2025 catalog launch (Bibliocommons) added personal reading shelves, community ratings/reviews, and accessible cross-device design.

The library's service model is community-led and free at point of use, funded through local tax revenue and government appropriations. Programming spans five horizontal segments — Children/Families, Teens, Adults/Seniors, ESL Learners, and Educators — through storytimes, LEGO Builders, summer reading, ESL conversation practice, book discussions, and a township-wide Dolly Parton's Imagination Library early-literacy program. The library also functions as a civic service hub, operating as a passport acceptance facility and an Illinois license plate renewal site, and offers meeting rooms, museum passes, computers/printing, test proctoring, a Creative Space maker area, Book Bike outreach, and homebound delivery. Partnerships with the Village of Morton Grove, Morton Grove Park District, Niles Township, Skokie Public Library, Versiti Blood Center, Cook County Farm Bureau, and Legal Aid Chicago extend programming reach across the township.

Name

Morton Grove Public Library

Legal name

Morton Grove Public Library

Website

https://mgpl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Library, Reading Motivation & Independent Reading Programs (EDAMAJAO), Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community lending
• Digital media access
• Library programs
• Research databases

Headquarters

HQ city

Morton Grove

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Library Funding: Funded through local tax revenue and government appropriations as a public library system serving Morton Grove and Niles Township. Services are free to residents with library cards.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Morton Grove Public Library is a single-branch municipal public library providing free access to physical and digital collections (books, ebooks, audiobooks, DVDs, streaming media), research databases, and government services (passport acceptance, license plate renewal). The library also offers community programs for all ages including storytimes, book discussions, summer reading, ESL programs, museum passes, meeting rooms, creative/maker spaces, and homebound delivery.

Product overview

Morton Grove Public Library operates as a single-branch public library offering a unified service platform combining physical collections, digital content access, and community services. The core offering includes traditional library materials (books, movies, periodicals) alongside digital platforms (Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy) for downloadable and streaming content. The library provides government services (passport acceptance, license plate renewal), educational programs (research databases, career resources), and community engagement through special collections (Seed Library, Museum Passes, Creative Space). The 2025 catalog upgrade introduced Bibliocommons-powered search with community features. Programs like Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and Summer Reading extend library services into early literacy and seasonal engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Download & Stream Services Digital media platform providing access to ebooks, audiobooks, streaming movies, and other digital content through partner platforms including Libby, Hoopla, The Palace Project, LOTE4Kids, and Kanopy. Available free to library cardholders.
• Library Collections Physical and digital collections including Books, Movies & More, Digital Newsstand, and Library of Things available for borrowing by library cardholders.
• Research & Databases Research tools including general Databases, Kids Databases, Healthy Living, Genealogy, Local History, Oral History, Civic Engagement, DIY Storytimes, Career Resources, Tax Forms, and Voting & Elections resources.
• Technology Services Technology offerings including Computers & Gadgets, Print, Copy, Scan, and Fax services for patron use at the library.
• Passport Services Acceptance of passport applications as an authorized U.S. Department of State acceptance facility, with applicable government fees.
• License Plate Renewal Illinois Secretary of State vehicle registration renewal services provided at the library location.
• Museum Passes Free or discounted passes to local museums available for patron checkout.
• Book a Librarian One-on-one personalized assistance from library staff for research, technology help, and other patron needs.
• Reserve a Room Meeting rooms and study spaces available for reservation by patrons and community groups.
• Seed Library Program allowing patrons to borrow seeds for planting and grow their own vegetables and flowers.
• Creative Space Access to creative equipment and tools for maker projects, including die cut machines.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Program providing free books monthly for children from birth to age 5, available to families in eligible Niles Township ZIP codes (Lincolnwood 60712, Golf 60029, Morton Grove 60053, Niles 60714, Skokie 60076/60077/60203) in English or bilingual English/Spanish.
• Summer Reading Program Annual summer reading program encouraging reading and learning during school break with incentives and events for children, teens, and adults.
• Homebound Delivery Delivery service providing library materials to homebound residents who are unable to visit the library.
• New Online Catalog (Bibliocommons) Modern online catalog launched in May 2025 with improved search, format rollups grouping different editions together, personal reading shelves, community features including ratings and reviews, and modern accessible design across devices.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (Niles Township)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree monthly book program for children from birth to age 5 living in eligible ZIP codes (Lincolnwood 60712, Golf 60029, Morton Grove 60053, Niles 60714, Skokie 60076/60077/60203). Books available in English or bilingual English/Spanish.
• Versiti Blood Center of IllinoisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlood drives held at the library with Versiti's mobile donation center set up in the library parking lot. Library provides venue; Versiti provides mobile donation services.
• Cook County Farm BureauminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative educational programs about agricultural technology for children and families, including stories, snacks, crafts, and hands-on STEM activities.
• Legal Aid ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal Aid Chicago presents the ADAPT Program covering powers of attorney for healthcare and property, transfer-on-death instruments, and living wills for seniors.
• Skokie Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint LitLounge book discussion program meeting in partnership with Skokie Public Library for adult readers.
• Morton Grove Park DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint programs including MGPL On the Go at Oriole Pool providing free library card registration and storytimes during safety breaks at the pool.
• Village of Morton GrovecoreOthersThe library is a municipal service of the Village of Morton Grove, providing public library services as part of local government.
• Niles TownshipcoreOthersTownship partner for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program, expanding free books program to township residents.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Skokie Public Library: Neighboring suburban Chicago public library serving Skokie, IL. Direct comparable in scale, mission, and demographic mix, and is already a co-programming partner (LitLounge joint book discussion), making it the most natural peer.
• Des Plaines Public Library: Suburban Chicago public library serving Des Plaines, IL. Similar mid-sized suburban municipal library with overlapping digital content offerings, programming portfolio, and community service expectations.
• Lincolnwood Public Library: Village-based public library serving Lincolnwood, IL - one of the ZIP codes explicitly covered by MGPL's Imagination Library expansion. Same single-branch, suburban-municipal library profile and overlapping cardholder base.
• Niles-Maine District Library: Public library district serving Niles and unincorporated Maine Township, directly adjacent to Morton Grove. Closest geographic peer with overlapping service population and similar suburban Chicago municipal library operating model.
• Park Ridge Public Library: Suburban Chicago public library serving Park Ridge, IL with similar size, demographics, and programming orientation. Comparable single-site municipal library operation that competes for resident attention and tax-base mindshare.
• Glenview Public Library: Suburban North Shore Chicago public library serving Glenview, IL. Directly comparable single-branch municipal library with similar programming breadth, digital platform adoption (Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy), and patron demographics.
• Wilmette Public Library: Single-branch suburban North Shore Chicago public library serving Wilmette, IL. Closely matched suburban municipal library profile, demographics, and service mix, making it a relevant scale and operational benchmark.

Broad incumbents

• Evanston Public Library: Larger suburban Chicago public library serving Evanston, IL. Operates in the same regional library cooperative context with a multi-branch footprint and broader programming, serving as a broader incumbent in the same public library category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MGPLib
• Facebookfacebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A//www.mgpl.org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Morton Grove Public Library