Mahwah
Mahwah Public Library is a municipal public library in Mahwah, New Jersey, serving approximately 26,000 residents with physical and digital lending, a Library of Things, passport services, and community programs, funded 96% by a voter-approved municipal tax appropriation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1912
- HeadquartersMahwah, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Mahwah does
Mahwah Public Library is a municipal public library serving the approximately 26,000 residents of Mahwah Township in Bergen County, New Jersey. It operates from a single branch at 100 Ridge Road and is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees appointed by the Mayor, with the Mayor and Superintendent of Schools serving as ex-officio members. The library's core offering combines traditional physical lending (books, DVDs, music CDs, video games, magazines) with an extensive digital collection — e-books, audiobooks, streaming media, digital magazines, research databases, and online learning platforms — delivered through the BCCLS integrated library system and the library's own online portal.
The library's technology stack is conventional library automation: the Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS) provides shared catalog, circulation, and patron management across 30+ member libraries; self-service kiosks and the meeScan mobile app enable contactless self-checkout; and add-on services include 3D printing (PLA filament at $0.15/gram), WiFi hotspot lending, and a Library of Things featuring devices, STEM kits, and over 20 museum pass partners. The library also provides government-adjacent services such as U.S. passport application processing, notary public, and exam proctoring.
The business model is a public-sector funding model, not a commercial one. FY2025 gross revenue is budgeted at $3,145,475.31, of which 96% derives from a voter-approved municipal tax appropriation at a millage rate of 3/8 mill ($0.375 per $1,000 of equalized property value), locked in through 2029. Remaining revenue comes from state aid ($14,000), patron fees ($77,175), grants and donations ($15,500), and interest income ($15,000). The institution is fine-free for most overdue materials and serves all age segments through a horizontal segmentation approach spanning preschool, youth, teen, and adult programming.
Mahwah firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mahwah
- Legal name
- Mahwah Public Library
- Website
- https://mahwahlibrary.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1912
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Mahwah Public Library is a municipal public library in Mahwah, New Jersey, serving approximately 26,000 residents with physical and digital lending, a Library of Things, passport services, and community programs, funded 96% by a voter-approved municipal tax appropriation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mahwah industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Library Services
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (519210), Libraries and Archives (51921), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing) (EDAEAGAF), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA)
Keywords
Where Mahwah is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mahwah
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Mahwah business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Municipal Tax Appropriation: Primary funding source from the Township of Mahwah. In November 2019, voters approved a millage rate increase to 3/8 mill ($0.375 per $1,000 of equalized property value) for ten years. 2025 budget appropriation is $3,021,300.31.
- State Aid: Annual allocation from New Jersey state government, budgeted at $14,000 for 2025.
- Patron Revenue: Revenue from library services including passport fees, printing, replacement fees, and other patron-paid services. 2025 budget projects $77,175.
- Grants, Gifts & Donations: Support from private donors, foundation grants, and the Friends of Mahwah Library organization. 2025 budget projects $15,500.
- Interest Income: Interest earned on operating funds and reserves. 2025 budget projects $15,000.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Standard borrowing - Fine Free |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Specialized Items - Late Fees Apply |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 3D Printing Service |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Replacement Fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Mahwah product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Mahwah Public Library lends physical and digital materials (books, audiobooks, movies, music, magazines, research databases, online learning) to Mahwah Township residents, while also operating a Library of Things with devices, STEM kits, and museum passes. It supplements lending with community services such as passport processing, notary, proctoring, 3D printing, meeting rooms, home delivery, and a calendar of educational and cultural programs for all age groups.
Product overview
Mahwah Public Library is a public library system offering a unified collection of physical and digital lending services. The core offering includes traditional library materials (books, DVDs, music CDs, video games, magazines) alongside extensive online digital services (eBooks, audiobooks, movies, music, magazines, research databases, and online learning). The Library of Things extends physical lending to non-traditional items including devices (Kindle, GoPro, WiFi hotspots), museum passes, and STEM kits. Additional services include passport processing, notary services, exam proctoring, 3D printing, meeting rooms, and community programs. The library participates in the Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS) for reciprocal borrowing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Library of Things: A collection of non-traditional library items including devices, STEM kits, and museum passes that can be checked out like books.
- The Inbetween
- MPL
Products and services
- eBooks & Audiobooks Digital lending of electronic books and audiobooks accessible via a library card through the library's online platform.
- Movies & Shows Streaming and digital lending of movies, foreign films, documentaries, and TV shows available to library cardholders.
- Music Digital music streaming and lending services accessible through the library's online platform.
- Magazines Digital magazine lending available to library cardholders through online services.
- Research Databases Online research tools and databases giving patrons access to scholarly and informational resources.
- Online Learning Digital educational resources and learning platforms available through the library's online services.
- 3D Printing Service Staff-facilitated 3D printing service using PLA filament in various colors, charged at $0.15 per gram of filament used, with content review for lawful purposes.
- Devices & Things Non-traditional library items available for checkout including Kindle eBook readers, GoPro cameras, and WiFi hotspots.
- Museum Passes Free or discounted admission passes to over 20 museums and regional attractions.
- STEM Kits Educational kits including Botley and Ozobot robots available for checkout to engage young learners in STEM activities.
- Passport Services U.S. passport application processing services with expert staff assistance for routine applications, available by appointment.
- Meeting & Study Rooms Five quiet study rooms available for collaborative work, meetings, and research for individuals and groups.
- Seed Library Seed sharing program allowing patrons to borrow seeds for gardening.
- Local History Collection Archives and historical materials specific to Mahwah and its surrounding area.
- Notary Public Notary services available at the library for patron document authentication.
- Proctoring Services Exam proctoring services for students and professionals needing supervised testing.
- Home Delivery Library material delivery service for patrons with mobility limitations or health concerns.
- English Language Learning Resources and programs supporting English language acquisition for non-native speakers.
- Public Computers Computer workstations with internet access and age-appropriate software in children's, teen, and adult areas.
- Self-Service Kiosks Self-checkout kiosks allowing patrons to check out most library items, view account information, and renew borrowed items without staff assistance.
- meeScan Mobile Checkout Contactless mobile checkout application (iOS and Android) allowing patrons to scan and check out library items using their phone or tablet camera.
Companies that use Mahwah
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Mahwah technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Mahwah partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS)coreRegional consortium of 30+ libraries enabling reciprocal borrowing among member cardholders. Provides shared catalog, unified circulation system, and resource sharing across Bergen County. Mahwah participates in the BCCLS catalog and borrowing network.
- Friends of Mahwah LibrarycoreIndependent volunteer-driven organization providing advocacy, outreach, and financial support to the library. Raises funds through donations and membership to support library programs, collections, and services. Website: lovethemahwahlibrary.org
- BCCLS Job BoardminorEmployment opportunities posted through BCCLS want-ads, NJLA Job Hotline, LibraryLinkNJ, NYLA JobLine, and METRO jobs page for recruiting library staff.
- Museum and Attraction PartnersminorOver 20 museums and regional attractions offering free or discounted admission through the Library of Things museum pass program.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Mahwah competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- LibraryLinkNJ: New Jersey statewide library cooperative supporting resource sharing, professional development, and interlibrary loan across NJ libraries — comparable as a regional enabling organization Mahwah participates in through the NJ Interlibrary Loan Program.
Peers
- Kanopy: Streaming video service for public and academic libraries, providing access to films and documentaries that libraries like Mahwah license for patrons. Comparable as a digital content partner serving the same public library distribution channel.
Broad incumbents
- Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS): The consortium of which Mahwah is a member. Operates the shared catalog, circulation system, and reciprocal borrowing framework across 30+ Bergen County libraries — a direct structural and operational peer in the regional library services landscape.
Others
- Bibliotheca: Library technology vendor providing self-service kiosks, RFID, and physical item-management solutions used by public libraries. Comparable as the upstream provider of the self-service kiosk category Mahwah operates.
- OverDrive (Rakuten OverDrive): Largest digital book/audiobook lending platform for public libraries globally; powers the e-book and audiobook services that Mahwah and virtually every comparable NJ public library relies on for digital lending. Comparable as the upstream digital-services provider for this category.
- SirsiDynix: Integrated library system (ILS) vendor whose software underpins catalog and circulation for many public libraries. Comparable as the back-end technology provider for the BCCLS-style integrated library system that Mahwah uses.
- Hoopla Digital: Digital content platform offering e-books, audiobooks, movies, music, and comics to public library patrons. Directly enables the digital lending categories (eBooks & Audiobooks, Movies & Shows, Music, Magazines) that Mahwah lists as core online services.
Direct peers
- Wyckoff Public Library: Adjacent Bergen County, NJ municipal library serving a similar affluent suburban community. Directly comparable in scale, funding mechanism, and BCCLS consortium participation.
- Paramus Public Library: Bergen County municipal library within the same BCCLS consortium serving a similar suburban NJ township. Comparable in size, funding structure, and service breadth, with reciprocal borrowing overlap via BCCLS.
- Ridgewood Public Library: Another Bergen County, NJ municipal public library of comparable scale and service mix. Operates with similar BCCLS consortium membership, comparable municipal funding model, and overlapping programming for a similar suburban New Jersey community — the most direct analog to Mahwah.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mahwah social profiles
Digital presenceMahwah financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mahwah leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Mahwah funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mahwah M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mahwah
What does Mahwah do?
The Mahwah Public Library lends physical and digital materials (books, audiobooks, movies, music, magazines, research databases, online learning) to Mahwah Township residents, while also operating a Library of Things with devices, STEM kits, and museum passes. It supplements lending with community services such as passport processing, notary, proctoring, 3D printing, meeting rooms, home delivery, and a calendar of educational and cultural programs for all age groups.
Is Mahwah a public or private company?
Mahwah is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Mahwah founded?
Mahwah was founded in 1912. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Mahwah based?
Mahwah is headquartered in Mahwah, United States, in the North America region.
How does Mahwah make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Municipal Tax Appropriation is the primary driver. The others are state Aid, patron Revenue, grants, Gifts & Donations and interest Income.
Who are Mahwah's main competitors?
LibraryLinkNJ is listed as a regional player. Kanopy is listed as a peer. Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS) is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are Bibliotheca, OverDrive (Rakuten OverDrive), SirsiDynix and Hoopla Digital. Direct peers are Wyckoff Public Library, Paramus Public Library and Ridgewood Public Library.
Does Mahwah have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mahwah.
What industry is Mahwah in?
Mahwah's product category is Public Library Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAO, Public Libraries & Information Services, with a secondary code of EDAEAGAC, Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management. Its NAICS code is 519210.