Sullivan Free Library

What Sullivan Free Library does

Sullivan Free Library is a nonprofit public library system chartered in New York State, founded in 1947 and headquartered in Chittenango, New York. It operates two branches — the main Chittenango location at 101 Falls Blvd and a satellite branch in Bridgeport at 8979 North Rd — serving the approximately 15,339 residents of the Town of Sullivan. The library's core product is lending and information services: a collection of more than 70,000 books, 7,000 audiovisual items, and 1,500 periodicals, supplemented by interlibrary loan, public computers, wireless internet, printing, fax, notary, and meeting room services. It is a member of the Mid-York Library System, a consortium of 43 libraries across Madison, Oneida, and Herkimer counties, which provides a shared electronic catalog, interlibrary borrowing, and access to digital platforms including Overdrive/Libby, Consumer Reports, Mango Languages, ComicsPlus, CreativeBug, Mometrix Test Prep, Ancestry, and FamilySearch.

The library's customer base spans children, families, adults, and seniors in the local community, with programming that includes storytime, summer reading, book discussion groups, knitting, quilting, chess, and author talks. Library cards are free to residents and provide access to both physical and digital resources. Ancillary revenue is generated through nominal fees for printing (20¢ B&W, 25¢ color), fax ($1 first sheet), meeting room rentals ($50 private / $50–$100 commercial), and the operation of Twice Sold Tales, a used bookstore at the Chittenango branch selling gently used books, DVDs, and audiobooks at $1–$2. Primary funding derives from municipal appropriations, state library aid, and donations rather than commercial fees.

The underlying technology is conventional library infrastructure: the Mid-York shared catalog system, vendor-provided digital resource platforms, public PC terminals, and Wi-Fi across buildings. There is no disclosed proprietary technology, custom software, or AI/ML capability. Marketing is conducted through the library's website, Facebook and Instagram accounts, a digital events calendar, community flyers, and earned media partnerships with Spectrum Local News and CNY Central. The library is governed by a Board of Trustees and operated under a small staff led by Director Lorie Finger and Assistant Director Patti Newell.

Name

Sullivan Free Library

Legal name

Sullivan Free Library

Website

https://sullivanfreelibrary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sullivan Free Library is a nonprofit public library system operating two branches in Chittenango and Bridgeport, New York, serving approximately 15,339 residents of the Town of Sullivan through a 70,000+ item collection, digital resources via the Mid-York consortium, and free community programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO), Library Collections & Cataloging Services (Acquisitions, Metadata, Circulation) (EDAEAGAE), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community programming
• Digital lending
• Interlibrary loan
• Children's storytime

Headquarters

HQ city

Chittenango

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sullivan Free Library is a public, nonprofit library providing free access to physical and digital book and media lending, children's and adult programming, reference services, public computers and Wi-Fi, interlibrary loan through the Mid-York Library System, and ancillary fee-based services such as notary, fax, copying/printing, and meeting room rentals. It operates physical branches in Chittenango and Bridgeport, New York, and supplements services with a used-bookstore called Twice Sold Tales.

Product overview

Sullivan Free Library operates as a dual-location public library system serving the Town of Sullivan with approximately 15,339 residents. The core offering is its library lending services, providing access to over 70,000 books, 7,000 audiovisual materials, and 1,500 periodicals through the Mid-York Library System consortium of 43 libraries. The library functions as an integrated service platform combining physical lending (Books, DVDs, Audiobooks, Periodicals, Read-along Kits, Story Boxes), digital resources (Overdrive/Libby for ebooks/eAudiobooks, Consumer Reports, Mango Languages, ComicsPlus, CreativeBug, Mometrix), community programming (Children's and Adult Programs, Summer Reading), facility services (Meeting Rooms, Notary, Fax, Copier/Printing), and specialized research tools (Ancestry, FamilySearch for genealogy). All services are accessible with a Mid-York library card valid across the consortium's 43 member libraries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mid-York Library SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSullivan Free Library is a member of the Mid-York Library System consortium, which serves 43 libraries in Madison, Oneida, and Herkimer counties. This membership allows patrons to borrow materials from all member libraries and provides shared digital resources, catalog systems, and operational support.
• Red CrossminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe library hosts Red Cross Blood Drives at the Chittenango location, providing community space for this vital community service.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Canastota Public Library: A small Madison County, NY public library serving a similarly sized village. Comparable in scale, mission, and county-level context, also a Mid-York Library System member — providing a directly comparable operating profile.
• Oneida Public Library: A small-city public library in Oneida County, NY, also part of the Mid-York Library System. Comparable in offering catalog (books, digital, programming, meeting space) and target demographic, slightly larger in scale but with similar funding model.
• Kirkland Town Library: A small public library in Clinton, NY (Oneida County) and Mid-York member. Comparable scale, audience, and service mix, with similar programming breadth and digital resource offerings via the consortium.
• Cazenovia Public Library: A small public library also located in Madison County, NY, serving a comparable village/town population. Directly comparable in scale, service mix (books, digital resources, programming), and consortium participation, making it the most natural peer for Sullivan Free Library.
• Fayetteville Free Library: A non-profit association public library in Fayetteville, NY (Onondaga County). Comparable in size, governance (association library model), and depth of programming including maker/tech offerings — slightly more innovative but analogous service profile.
• Manlius Library: A non-profit association public library serving the Village of Manlius and surrounding areas in Onondaga County, NY. Comparable in scale, association-governance model, and breadth of programming for a similar suburban/rural population.

Broad incumbents

• New York Public Library: One of the largest public library systems in the U.S., serving Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Far larger in scale and budget but operates the same core product (physical lending, digital access, free programming), making it a useful upper-bound benchmark for what a public library platform can become.
• Mid-York Library System: The 43-library consortium of which Sullivan is a member, providing shared catalog, digital infrastructure, and vendor negotiations. Not a direct competitor but a structural counterparty whose strategic decisions directly shape Sullivan's service capabilities.

Others

• OCLC: A nonprofit library technology and cooperative services provider whose cataloging infrastructure underpins many U.S. public libraries including the Mid-York system. An enabling/ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, but adjacent in the public-library value chain.

Regional players

• Onondaga County Public Library: The central library for Onondaga County (Syracuse), serving a much larger population across an urban/suburban county. Overlapping mission and service categories but at materially larger scale; useful as a benchmark for service depth and programming ambition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/100070084609478
• Instagraminstagram.com/search?q=sullivanfreelibrary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sullivan-free-library

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Sullivan Free Library