What Sosebi does

SoseBi S.r.l., founded in 1988 in Cagliari, Sardinia, develops and distributes software and services for libraries, archives, and cultural institutions in Italy. The product portfolio centers on two library management platforms — TLM 4 (on-premise or SaaS, ICCU SBNMARC Level 4 certified) and TLM Web (cloud, AGPL v.3 open source) — supplemented by Papermap 2 for archival description under ISAD(G) and ISAAR(CPF), the Librami social network and digital lending platform, hosted DSpace repositories, and modular add-ons covering RFID, self-checkout, SMS notifications, Wi-Fi access, and OPAC web/mobile interfaces. Integration partners include Tirrenia srl (RFID hardware) and MLOL (digital lending), with academic R&D support from the University of Cagliari DIEE and the University of Genoa.

The company operates a vertically focused sales-led go-to-market, reaching Italian public-sector buyers (municipalities, regions, schools, cultural bodies, healthcare, research institutes) through direct outreach from its Cagliari headquarters, supplemented by trade-show presence (e.g., SINNOVA), webinars, AIB-partnered study days, and MIUR grant-application support for innovative school libraries. Revenue is generated across four streams: software licenses and SaaS subscriptions (TLM 4 hosting, TLM Web, DSpace, website hosting), professional services (consulting, data conversion, cataloguing, digitization, outsourced library operations), training (approximately €60 + VAT per participant), and add-on modules bundled with core platforms. Over 500 libraries across Italy have been supplied, with a market-leading position in Sardinia and three active SBN Poli (Taranto, Sardegna, Lombardy) plus one Polo in development in Abruzzo.

SoseBi holds ISO 9001:2015 and UNI/PdR 125:2022 certifications, has contributed national-scale bibliographic tooling (BibMan, Edit 16) for ICCU/MiBAC, and operates as an independent, founder-led Italian S.r.l. with no disclosed outside institutional investment.

Name

Sosebi

Legal name

SoSeBi S.r.l.

Website

https://sosebi.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SoseBi is an Italian software firm founded in 1988 in Cagliari that develops ICCU-certified library and archive management platforms (TLM 4, TLM Web, Papermap 2) and serves over 500 Italian public libraries, schools, archives, and cultural institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Library Information Systems (LIS) Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210), Libraries and Archives (51921), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)

akta.pro primary industry

Library/Media Center & Digital Resource Management Systems (EDAJAMAN)

Keywords

• Library management software
• Archive management software
• Integrated library system
• Digital library platform
• Cultural heritage software

Headquarters

HQ city

Cagliari

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses and Subscriptions (TLM 4, Papermap 2): SoSeBi sells software licenses for its library and archive management products (TLM 4, Papermap 2). TLM 4 is available both as a perpetual license and as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS/hosted) model. The SaaS option includes hosted database, maintenance, backups, technical support, and software updates bundled in a subscription fee.
2. Professional Services – Consulting, Design, and Project Management: SoSeBi provides consulting and design services for technological innovation and enhancement projects at libraries and archives. Services include library management outsourcing, cataloguing, digitization of documentary heritage, data management, and processing (conversion, migration, merging, import/export).
3. Training and Education Services: SoSeBi delivers training courses on its software products. Course fees are charged per person (approximately €60 + VAT per participant) and include certificates of participation.
4. Web Hosting and SaaS Services (TLM 4 Hosting, Sito Web, DSpace): SoSeBi provides hosted web solutions including TLM 4 SaaS, website hosting using open-source CMS, and DSpace digital repository hosting. These are delivered as subscription-based services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SoSeBi develops and distributes library and archive management software for Italian cultural institutions. Its core offerings include TLM Web (cloud-based unified platform with catalog, digital library, social OPAC, and semantic search), TLM 4 (on-premise/SaaS library management software with ICCU SBN Level 4 certification), and Papermap 2 (archival description and inventory software). The company also provides related services such as consulting, training, digitization, cataloging, and outsourced library management.

Product overview

SoSeBi produces and distributes a portfolio of library and archive management software products and related services. The core products consist of TLM Web (cloud/SaaS) and TLM 4 (on-premise or SaaS) as the main library management platforms, supplemented by Papermap 2 for archive management and DSpace for institutional repositories. The product line includes Librami as a social networking layer and community aggregator that integrates with TLM Web. Multiple optional modules extend the platforms, including WebOPAC Mobile, Wi-Fi control, SMS communications, RFID management, and self-service lending modules. Web hosting services are provided separately using open-source CMS. SoSeBi also offers a broad range of professional services including training, consulting, data management, cataloging, library management outsourcing, and digitization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TLM Web A cloud-based software-as-a-service library management platform that unifies catalog management, digital library, social OPAC, and semantic search into a single product for Italian libraries and cultural institutions. Licensed under Open Source AGPL v.3.
• TLM 4 On-premise or SaaS library management software enabling advanced management of all library operations, bibliographic systems, and SBN Polo functionality. Certified by ICCU at level 4 for SBN compliance with ISBD, UNIMARC, USMARC, ISO 2709, Z39.50, SBN-MARC, RICA, and REICAT standards.
• Papermap 2 Software application for reorganization, description, inventory, and management of historical and deposit archives. Supports ISAD(G) and ISAAR(CPF) international standards with web-based consultation interface and data migration from legacy systems such as Sesamo.
• Librami A social network for libraries and readers that allows libraries to share catalogs in a community, lets readers comment, vote, and manage personal reading shelves, and helps readers discover nearby libraries with available titles. Functions as an aggregator layer that integrates with TLM Web.
• DSpace Hosting Service Hosted institutional repository service based on the open-source DSpace software, provided as SaaS for managing and preserving digital resources with full-text search, OAI-PMH compatibility, and Dublin Core metadata standards.
• Sito Web Website design and hosting service for libraries, archives, and museums using an open-source CMS, provided as SaaS with hosting and maintenance included, with optional OPAC integration for library catalog search.
• Consulenza e Progettazione (Consulting and Design) Consulting services for the design and implementation of technological innovation projects at libraries and archives, for both new and existing structures.
• Formazione (Training) Training courses on SoSeBi management software designed to instruct operators in the use of computer tools, with optional theoretical components on sector standards. Priced at approximately €60 + VAT per participant with certificates of participation.
• Gestione di biblioteche (Outsourced Library Management) Outsourced library and library network management services for public tenders, including front-office and back-office activities, reading promotion projects, workshops, and system coordination.
• Digitalizzazione del patrimonio (Digitization) Projects for digitizing documentary and audiovisual heritage in analog format, creating digital libraries and archives for institutions, with optional personnel provision.
• Gestione ed elaborazione dati (Data Management) Database management services including data conversion, merging, extraction, modification, and import/export, enabling libraries to switch software without data loss or to use data for new projects.
• Catalogazione, documentazione, archiviazione (Cataloging) Cataloging, inventory, labeling, and physical shelving services for documentary materials held by libraries or documentation centers, covering both physical and digital formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 libraries supplied across Italy
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability8 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• DIEE – Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica ed Elettronica, Università degli Studi di CagliaricoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner for the TLM Web and Librami development project (POR FESR PIA 2010). Contributed semantic search algorithms and technological research for the Social OPAC platform.
• Università degli Studi di Genova – Dipartimento BibliotechecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for the TLM Web project, providing domain expertise in library science and library services innovation. Contributed to the design of the Social OPAC and semantic search features.
• AIB – Associazione Italiana BibliotechecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAIB granted patronage for SoSeBi-organized study days (Giornata di Studio in Macomer, October 2016). The AIB Section Sardegna President participated as event moderator and opening speaker. AIB is Italy's leading library professionals association, providing credibility and access to the professional community.
• ICCU – Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo Unico delle Biblioteche Italiane e per le Informazioni BibliografichecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoSeBi collaborated with ICCU (Ministry of Cultural Heritage) from 1995 to 2010 to develop BibMan (manuscript bibliography census software) and Edit 16 (16th-century Italian editions census software). Edit 16 was enhanced with OAI-PMH protocol for the European Library (TEL) project. ICCU certifies SoSeBi TLM 4 at SBN level 4.
• Regione Autonoma della SardegnacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded the TLM Web and Librami development project (POR FESR PIA 2010) as an innovative project for the Sardinian innovation ecosystem. The region's recognition provided legitimacy and co-development funding.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ex Libris (Clarivate): Ex Libris, part of Clarivate, is a major global library automation vendor (Alma, Primo, Rosetta). It competes with SoSeBi for academic and national library platforms and sets the direction for cloud-native LIS in Europe.
• OCLC: OCLC is a global library cooperative operating WorldCat and a suite of library management, discovery, and resource-sharing services. It is a broad incumbent with significant overlap in cataloging and metadata standards used by SoSeBi's SBN-certified customers.
• SirsiDynix: SirsiDynix is a privately held vendor of integrated library systems (Symphony, BLUEcloud) used by public and academic libraries worldwide. It competes with SoSeBi in the broader library automation category for Italian public-sector tenders.
• Innovative Interfaces (Clarivate): Innovative, now part of Clarivate alongside Ex Libris, provides the Vega and Polaris library platforms. It is a broad incumbent whose products overlap with SoSeBi's TLM line in cataloging, circulation, and discovery.

Direct peers

• Axiell: Axiell is a Swedish-headquartered vendor of library, archive, museum, and school information management software across Europe. It is the closest direct competitor to SoSeBi in municipal and national library automation.

Emerging players

• Koha: Koha is a widely adopted open-source integrated library system supported by a global community and vendors like Catalyst IT and Biblibre. It is a credible open-source alternative to TLM Web for Italian libraries and a potential disruptive threat.
• DSpace (Lyrasis): DSpace is a leading open-source repository platform maintained by Lyrasis. SoSeBi already hosts DSpace as a service, but DSpace also competes with SoSeBi's digital library and institutional repository capabilities for archives and museums.
• TIND: TIND is a CERN-born institutional repository and library platform spun out as a commercial offering. It competes with SoSeBi's TLM 4 / TLM Web and hosted DSpace in academic and research institutions.

Regional players

• Almaviva: Almaviva is a large Italian IT services group with a public-sector and cultural-heritage practice that includes library and digital-preservation solutions. It is a regional incumbent competing against SoSeBi for Italian public-sector library and archive tenders.
• Insiel Mercato: Insiel Mercato is the Italian public-sector IT subsidiary serving Friuli Venezia Giulia. It operates library and cultural-heritage IT services for regional institutions, making it a regional Italian comparable to SoSeBi in public-sector library software.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SoSeBiSrl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/sosebi
• Facebookfacebook.com/sosebi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/so-se-bi--srl

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Sosebi