Northern New York Library Network

What Northern New York Library Network does

Northern New York Library Network (NNYLN) is a private non-profit regional library council chartered in 1965 by the New York State Board of Regents, one of nine such councils in New York State. It serves the seven-county North Country region, covering 10,636 square miles and approximately 500,000 residents, with a membership comprising academic, school (P-12), public, archives, special, and hospital libraries. The Network is governed by an independent 14-person Board of Trustees and operates from its Potsdam, NY headquarters.

NNYLN operates a platform-plus-services model that delivers shared digital infrastructure and professional services to member libraries. Core technology platforms include the DueNorth regional interlibrary loan system, EmpireADC archival discovery platform, NYS Historic Newspapers digital collection, New York Heritage digital collections, Overdrive for Academics, and the Foundation Directory (Candid). Service offerings span digitization (Microfilm Scanning, ScanKits), grant programs (Member Grants $3,000-$12,000, DEIB Grants $500-$3,000, Engaging Communities Grants), professional development (CE Assist, Tech-Talk, archival education), legal and archival consultation (Ask the Lawyer, Ask the Archivist), and the Hospital Library Services Program. The organization also conducts the Libraries in Community Systems (LINCS) national research project, which produced the Social Wellbeing Calculator based on Cobb-Douglas production function methodology.

NNYLN's revenue derives from three streams: annual membership dues from member libraries (pricing not publicly disclosed), New York State funding as one of nine statutory regional library councils, and competitive grants including Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) National Leadership Grants. The organization distributes services directly through membership, digital portals, virtual programming (Zoom webinars), in-person events, and an Empire Delivery logistics network with hubs at partner library systems. Marketing and member engagement occur through the nnyln.org website, the Points North Newsletter, a YouTube channel of archived trainings, annual member meetings, Special Collections Tours & Talks, and community events.

Name

Northern New York Library Network

Legal name

Northern New York Library Network

Website

https://nnyln.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Northern New York Library Network is a non-profit regional library council serving academic, school, public, archives, special, and hospital libraries across the seven-county North Country region of New York State through shared digital infrastructure, grant programs, professional development, and the LINCS research project.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Library Network Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (611710), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (519)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) & Resource Sharing Operations (EDAEAGAK)

Keywords

• Library support services
• Interlibrary loan systems
• Digital collections access
• Library digitization services
• Professional development grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Potsdam

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: NNYLN operates as a membership-based organization where libraries (academic, school P-12, public, archives, and special) within the Network's territory pay membership dues to access services including electronic resource sharing, digitization equipment, coordinated collection development, professional training programs, project grants, and access to legal consultation.
2. State Funding and Grants: As one of nine regional library councils in New York State, NNYLN receives state funding and has obtained grants including Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) National Leadership Grants for the Libraries in Community Systems project.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NNYLN is a membership-based regional library council that provides resource-sharing programs, advisory services, professional development, grant funding, digitization equipment and services, and shared access to research databases and digital collections for academic, school, public, archive, and special libraries across the seven-county North Country region of New York State. Core programs include the DueNorth interlibrary loan system, Member Grants ($3,000-$12,000), DEIB Grants ($500-$3,000), Ask the Lawyer legal consultation, archival education, and the Libraries in Community Systems (LINCS) research project.

Product overview

The Northern New York Library Network is a regional multi-type library agency offering a comprehensive suite of library support services across seven counties in Northern New York. The organization provides a platform-plus-services model combining shared digital resources (NYS Historic Newspapers, New York Heritage, EmpireADC, DueNorth interlibrary loan system), digitization equipment and services (Microfilm Scanning, ScanKits), grant programs (Member Grants $3k-$12k, DEIB Grants $500-$3k, Engaging Communities Grants), professional development (CE Assist, Tech-Talk, Archival Education Series, Archival Description training), and specialized services (Ask the Lawyer, Ask the Archivist, Hospital Library Services). The Network also conducts research through its Libraries in Community Systems (LINCS) project, offers member benefits including Candid's Foundation Directory and Overdrive access, and facilitates peer collaboration via the Special Collections Collaborative and Northern New York Manga Interest Group.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Libraries in Community Systems (LINCS): A three-year national research project to create a clearer understanding of the unique role public libraries play within community systems and how this role can be maximized for improved social wellbeing outcomes.

Products and services

• NYS Historic Newspapers Digitized historic newspaper collection providing online access to historical newspapers from across New York State.
• New York Heritage Digital collections platform hosting digitized materials from libraries, archives, and cultural heritage organizations across New York.
• DueNorth Regional interlibrary loan system that searches all library catalogs in the North Country, with no fees charged within the lending network.
• Empire Archival Discovery Cooperative (EmpireADC) Collaborative archival discovery platform enabling unified searching across member collections.
• Microfilm Scanning Digitization service for converting microfilm records to digital formats for preservation and access.
• ScanKits Digitization equipment available for member libraries to scan and digitize their own collections.
• Member Grants Program Grant program awarding $3,000-$12,000 to member organizations for Action or Special Collections projects.
• DEIB Grants (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging) Grant program supporting LAMs advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging with awards of $500-$3,000.
• Engaging Communities Grants Annual grant program awarding $3,000-$12,000 to member organizations for community engagement projects.
• Ask the Lawyer Legal consultation service providing input on intellectual property, vendor contracts, first amendment, civil rights, and employment law.
• Ask the Archivist Expert consultation service for archival practices, preservation, and collections care.
• Hospital Library Services Program Specialized information services for healthcare institutions and hospital libraries in the region.
• Tech-Talk Technology-focused programming and training sessions for library professionals.
• CE Assist Continuing education assistance program supporting professional development for library workers.
• Overdrive for Academics Digital content platform providing access to e-books and audiobooks for academic members.
• Special Collections Collaborative Regional collaborative connecting cultural organizations for peer collaboration and resource sharing.
• Northern New York Manga Interest Group Regional interest group for manga reading and coordinated collection development across North Country libraries.
• North Country Virtual Manga Book Club Monthly virtual book club for manga enthusiasts across the North Country, launching August 2026.
• Excellence in Library Service Award Annual award recognizing outstanding contributions to library service, accompanied by $1,000 prize.
• Special Collections Tour & Talk Series Behind-the-scenes tours at cultural institutions combined with educational presentations on special collections.
• Creating Access Through Archival Description Six-week course teaching archival description standards aligned with DACS (Describing Archives: a Content Standard).
• Social Wellbeing Calculator Online tool enabling libraries to assess and optimize their contribution to community social wellbeing outcomes, based on Cobb-Douglas production function methodology.
• Libraries in Community Systems (LINCS) Three-year national research project studying public library roles within community systems and social wellbeing impacts, funded by IMLS.
• North Country Resource Exchange Resource sharing platform connecting member organizations for collaborative problem-solving.
• Foundation Directory (Candid) Free remote access to Candid's Foundation Directory, a grantfinding tool available to NNYLN members.
• Professional Development Grants Financial assistance program for professional development opportunities for library workers.
• Watertown Daily Times Database Full-text database access to the Watertown Daily Times newspaper via NewsBank.
• Traveling Exhibits Rotating exhibition program bringing curated displays to member institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• $36,208 awarded in Engaging Communities grants to five member organizations in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Documentary Heritage & Preservation Services for New York (DHPSNY)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 June 2026DHPSNY provides free educational services to NNYLN members including workshops, webinars, online courses, archival needs assessments, preservation surveys, and strategic planning assistance.
• John Brown Lives!coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Collaboration for summer meet-ups at John Brown Farm State Historic Site and traveling portrait exhibits like 'Americans Who Tell the Truth' in partnership with Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System.
• Documentary Heritage & Preservation Services for New York (DHPSNY)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2026DHPSNY provides free services including hands-on workshops, webinars, archival needs assessments, preservation surveys, and strategic planning to help organizations strengthen collections care and improve access.
• Hollinger Metal EdgeminorOthers · 5 June 2026Archival supplies company that donated materials for giveaway at the New York Archives Conference Watch Party hosted by NNYLN.
• University ProductsminorOthers · 5 June 2026Archival supplies company that donated materials for giveaway at the New York Archives Conference Watch Party hosted by NNYLN.
• WPBScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026Partnership to present 'The Librarians' documentary screening during National Library Week at The Strand Theater in Watertown, NY.
• Mountain Lake PBScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026Partnership to present 'The Librarians' documentary screening at The Strand Theater in Plattsburgh, NY during National Library Week.
• Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System (CEFLS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026Co-presenter of 'The Librarians' film screening with panel discussions, and partner in Americans Who Tell the Truth traveling portrait exhibit.
• North Country Library System (NCLS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026Co-presenter of 'The Librarians' documentary screening with companion reading list and panel discussions.
• Empire State Library NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 July 2025PILLARS Symposium is a product of the Empire State Library Network (nine regional library councils). NNYLN participates in and sponsors programs under this umbrella including Ask the Lawyer webinar series.
• NYSED (New York State Education Department)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of 'The Librarians' documentary screening as part of National Library Week programming.
• SUNY Oswego Penfield LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Special Collections Tour & Talk double feature, collaborating with Oswego County Historical Society for regional special collections engagement.
• Oswego County Historical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Special Collections Tour & Talk at Richardson-Bates House Museum, collaborating with SUNY Oswego for regional special collections engagement.
• Northern New York Manga Interest GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project facilitating the North Country Virtual Manga Book Club with libraries across the region including Akwesasne Cultural Center, Canton Free Library, Fulton Public Library, Gouverneur Public Library, Plattsburgh Public Library, and NNYLN.
• North Country Special Collections CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive community of cultural organizations (public libraries, museums, arts organizations) in Northern NY connecting and collaborating through meet-ups, listserv, and the North Country Resource Exchange.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• LYRASIS: Large nonprofit library consortium offering shared technology, training, and grant programs to libraries and archives nationwide — comparable programmatic offering to NNYLN's resource-sharing and grant work but at much broader scale.

Regional players

• Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System (CEFLS): Three-county library system adjacent to and partially within NNYLN's territory; jointly delivers library services and partners with NNYLN on documentary screenings.
• Bibliomation: Connecticut-based library consortium providing cooperative technology, resource sharing, and continuing education to member libraries — closely analogous to NNYLN's regional consortium model.
• North Country Library System (NCLS): Cooperating library system serving an overlapping region of Northern NY; engaged as a partner with NNYLN on Empire Delivery but operates a similar cooperative library model.

Direct peers

• South Central Regional Library Council (SCRLC): Another of NY's regional library councils, serving libraries across multiple counties with continuing education and resource sharing — highly comparable mandate and funding model to NNYLN.
• Long Island Library Resources Council (LILRC): NY regional library council providing cooperative services to libraries on Long Island; peers with NNYLN under the same Empire State Library Network umbrella.
• Central New York Library Resources Council (CLRC): NY regional library council serving libraries in central NY with cooperative programming and resource-sharing services — direct peer of NNYLN within the nine-council system.
• Southeastern New York Library Resources Council (SENYLRC): NY regional library council providing resource sharing, continuing education, and grants to member libraries — directly comparable to NNYLN's service mix and member-base structure.
• Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO): One of the nine Empire State Library Network regional library councils chartered by the NY Board of Regents; directly comparable in mandate, membership model, and grant/program services to NNYLN.
• Capital District Library Council (CDLC): NY multi-type library council delivering cooperative programs, professional development, and resource sharing to academic, public, and school libraries — analogous charter and service portfolio to NNYLN.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCbvbmmn7povS89OlLAq6biA
• Xx.com/NNY_LN

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Northern New York Library Network