Library Journal

What Library Journal does

Library Journal is a 150-year-old professional trade publication and media platform serving the library and information science community. Founded in 1876 alongside the American Library Association, the company delivers a subscription-based content platform combining a print magazine published 12 times per year, a digital edition, and a searchable archive of more than 300,000 reviews of books, ebooks, audiobooks, videos, databases, systems, and websites. The product surface extends well beyond reviews: it includes the infoDOCKET news aggregator, Book Pulse daily industry news, the Libraries Lead Podcast, Job Zone employment board, the Self-e self-published author platform, 100+ online professional development courses, in-person events (Directors' Summit, Design Institute), and an awards portfolio (Movers & Shakers, Librarian of the Year, Marketer of the Year, Library of the Year).

The platform is built on a web-based digital core with subscription gating, multi-device access (up to three simultaneous devices per individual user), and institutional multi-user licensing for libraries and consortia. It is owned by Media Source Inc., a portfolio company that also controls School Library Journal, The Horn Book, and Junior Library Guild — providing cross-brand distribution leverage into the library market.

Library Journal monetizes primarily through annual subscriptions in four tiers ($157.99 digital, $179.99 print+digital, $290 institutional digital, $390 institutional print+digital) and layers on professional development fees (courses, events), advertising and sponsorships, and paid verticals such as the parent-launched Open Shelf Reviews service for small-press titles. Customers span public, academic, and school libraries in the US and Canada, with publishers and LIS students as secondary segments. The company is privately held with no disclosed revenue, headcount, funding history, or executive team in the source material.

Name

Library Journal

Legal name

Library Journal

Website

https://libraryjournal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1876

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Library Journal is a 150-year-old subscription-based trade publication and digital platform serving public, academic, and school library professionals in North America with reviews, news, courses, events, and awards programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Library Professional Media

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Other Publishers (51319)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Humanities & Arts Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing (MPAJABAK)

Keywords

• Trade publishing
• Library industry news
• Book review database
• Professional development courses
• Industry events

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Print Magazine Subscriptions: Annual subscriptions to printed Library Journal magazine delivered 12 times per year, with free shipping for US subscribers
2. Digital Subscriptions: Premium digital access including full website content, web exclusives, searchable archives, and all print/website content on any device
3. Institutional/Multi-User Subscriptions: Team access to Library Journal premium content in both print and digital formats for libraries and institutions
4. Online Courses: Professional development courses for library professionals offered through course.libraryjournal.com
5. Events and Conferences: Revenue from in-person events including Directors' Summit and Design Institute, as well as virtual events and webcasts
6. Advertising and Sponsorships: Sponsored content and advertising opportunities through their media platform, including vendor announcements at ALA Annual and other conferences

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Library Journal is a subscription-based professional trade publication serving the library community with a monthly print magazine (12 issues per year) and continuously updated digital edition, complemented by a searchable archive of over 300,000 reviews, online professional development courses, industry events, awards programs, and related sub-brands such as the Libraries Lead Podcast, infoDOCKET news blog, Job Zone, and Book Pulse.

Product overview

Library Journal operates as a comprehensive content platform and professional resource for the library and information science community. The core offering is the Library Journal Magazine, a trade publication available in print and digital formats, delivering news, reviews, and analysis to library professionals. The platform encompasses multiple integrated products including Reviews+ (a book/media review system with over 300,000 searchable reviews), the Libraries Lead Podcast, infoDOCKET news aggregator, and Job Zone employment board. Professional development offerings include Online Courses through course.libraryjournal.com and events such as the Directors' Summit. Additional offerings comprise awards programs (Movers & Shakers, Librarian of the Year), the Self-Published Books platform, and Book Pulse for industry news. Parent company Media Source LLC also launched Open Shelf Reviews for small press and independently published books as a separate paid service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Libraries Lead Podcast: A podcast series exploring issues in librarianship, AI, and the information field
• Book Pulse
• infoDOCKET
• Prepub Alert

Products and services

• Library Journal Magazine Print + Digital Subscription Annual subscription delivering 12 print issues per year with free U.S. shipping plus full digital edition access, complete searchable archives, personal library features, research, case studies, and webcast library, usable on up to three devices simultaneously. Priced at $179.99/year for individual subscribers.
• Library Journal Digital-Only Subscription

Quantifiable outcome

• Full searchable archives of more than 300,000 reviews
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AmazonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Amazon sponsored the inaugural Excellence in Reading Engagement and Circulation Award with a $5,000 prize to Carroll County Public Library.
• Media Source Inc.coreOthersParent company of Library Journal, School Library Journal, The Horn Book, and Junior Library Guild. Provides cross-promotional opportunities and shared distribution channels across library professional media brands.
• infoDOCKETcoreOthersLibrary industry news blog operated as part of the Library Journal media ecosystem, aggregating library-related research, reports, and industry news for professionals.
• School Library JournalcoreOthersSibling publication under Media Source Inc. targeting school library professionals. Cross-referral and bundled subscription opportunities.
• The Horn BookminorOthersReview publication for children's and young adult literature under Media Source Inc. family of brands.
• Junior Library GuildminorOthersCurated book selection service for school and library collections under Media Source Inc. family of brands.
• American Library Association (ALA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded in 1876 alongside Library Journal. Shared sesquicentennial celebration in 2026. LJ covers ALA Annual Conference and events, with shared history and professional mission alignment.
• Libraries Lead PodcastcoreOthersMonthly podcast produced by Library Journal featuring library leadership discussions. Hosted by Mike Eisenberg, David Lankes, and Beth Patin.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Libraries Magazine: The flagship magazine of the American Library Association, covering library news, trends, and best practices. Direct competitor with similar content categories, though ALA membership-based rather than subscription-based.
• Booklist (American Library Association): ALA's flagship review publication covering books and media for library collections. Direct competitor in book reviews and collection development content, serving the same library professional audience with a similar subscription model.
• School Library Journal: A sibling trade publication under Media Source Inc. that serves school library professionals with news, reviews, and professional development. Shares the same business model, parent company, and target audience segment as Library Journal, with deep cross-promotion.
• Publishers Weekly: The leading trade publication serving the book publishing industry with news, reviews, and industry intelligence. Overlaps with Library Journal's coverage of book reviews and publishing industry news, with adjacent but not identical audiences.
• The Horn Book: A sibling publication under Media Source Inc. focused on children's and young adult literature reviews. Operates the same business model and shares distribution with Library Journal, with overlap in the school library market.
• Kirkus Reviews: A book review publication serving librarians, publishers, and readers with pre-publication reviews. Competes directly with Library Journal's Reviews+ product with similar editorial mission and subscription model.
• Junior Library Guild: A curated book selection service for school and library collections under Media Source Inc. Sister brand providing complementary book acquisition services to the same customer base as Library Journal.
• Choice Reviews (ACRL): A publication of the Association of College and Research Libraries providing reviews of academic books and media for college libraries. Closely comparable for the academic library segment of Library Journal's audience.

Emerging players

• Foreword Reviews: An independent review publication serving indie publishers and library professionals with book reviews and industry coverage. Competes in the same niche reviews space as Library Journal with a different focus on independent publishing.
• Shelf Awareness: An industry newsletter covering the book and library markets with news, reviews, and bestseller information. Adjacent competitor with overlap in industry news and reviews for library professionals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LibraryJournal
• Facebookfacebook.com/11249119181
• Instagraminstagram.com/library_journal
• Pinterestpinterest.com/libraryjournal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/libraryjournal

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 Library Journal