ASKRI
AskRI is Rhode Island's Statewide Online Resource Center, a publicly funded library service operated by Providence Public Library that provides free access to 50+ aggregated databases for residents, students, job seekers, and researchers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersProvidence, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What ASKRI does
AskRI is Rhode Island's Statewide Online Resource Center, a publicly funded library service operated by Providence Public Library under Rhode Island statute RIGL 29-6-9. It provides free, unified access to more than 50 third-party databases — including EBSCOhost, World Book, LearningExpress, Flipster, Mango Languages, Tutor.com, Udemy, and AtoZ Databases — serving Pre-K through graduate students, job seekers, adult learners, Spanish-speaking residents, and researchers across the state. The platform organizes resources by audience persona (Pre-K/elementary, middle school, high school, adults, job seekers, researchers, Hispanohablantes) and by topic (Health, Library & Reference, Parents and Families, RI History, Small Business).
The underlying technology is a web-based portal that aggregates third-party databases and provides authentication through two channels: IP address recognition for in-library users across Rhode Island's library consortia (HELIN for academic, Ocean State Libraries for public, RILINK for school libraries), and library-card barcode verification for remote access. Embedded World Book search widgets extend the platform onto partner library websites. An "Email a Librarian" service provides human reference assistance, with responses typically within a few hours. The platform is accessible via standard web browsers and supports account creation for personalized features on select resources.
The business model is non-commercial: services are offered at no cost to Rhode Island residents and are funded by the State of Rhode Island via the Office of Library and Information Services, supplemented by federal Library Services and Technology Act funds administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and by Ocean State Libraries for select EBSCO products. AskRI operates as a program of Providence Public Library (a nonprofit public library), not as an independent corporate entity. Distribution is entirely within Rhode Island; non-residents may obtain remote access by purchasing an Ocean State Libraries card for $245 annually, though the primary service population is Rhode Island residents. The service markets through library network promotion, librarian/educator workshops, email newsletter, and organic social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
ASKRI firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ASKRI
- Legal name
- AskRI
- Website
- https://askri.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- AskRI is Rhode Island's Statewide Online Resource Center, a publicly funded library service operated by Providence Public Library that provides free access to 50+ aggregated databases for residents, students, job seekers, and researchers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ASKRI industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Library Services
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (51921), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Interlibrary Loan (ILL) & Resource Sharing Operations (EDAEAGAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Library & Learning Space Managed Operations (Circulation, Scheduling, Staffing) (EDAEALAL), Managed IT Services & On‑Site Field Support (Helpdesk, Break/Fix, IMAC) (EDAEAHAJ)
Keywords
Where ASKRI is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Providence
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
ASKRI business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Public Funding: AskRI is funded by the State of Rhode Island via the Office of Library and Information Services. Additional funding comes from the federal Library Services and Technology Act administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and from Ocean State Libraries for select EBSCO products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Free access for Rhode Island residents |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
ASKRI product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AskRI is Rhode Island's Statewide Online Resource Center, operated by Providence Public Library, that aggregates access to 50+ premium research databases (EBSCOhost, World Book, LearningExpress Library, Mango Languages, Tutor.com, Flipster, Udemy, and others) into a single free-access portal. It is funded under state statute (RIGL 29-6-9) and the federal Library Services and Technology Act, and serves Rhode Island residents both inside member libraries (IP authentication) and remotely (library card login), with optional Email-a-Librarian reference assistance.
Product overview
AskRI is Rhode Island's Statewide Online Resource Center, operated by Providence Public Library, providing a unified gateway to approximately 50 third-party databases and digital resources. The platform aggregates major research databases including EBSCOhost (with 14 subject-specific databases like Academic Search Elite, Consumer Health Complete, ERIC, GreenFILE, MEDLINE), World Book Encyclopedia (with 7 age-appropriate variants from Early Learning to Advanced), LearningExpress (with 9 specialized centers for career, college prep, and continuing education), Flipster for digital magazines, Mango Languages for foreign language learning, Tutor.com for live tutoring, Udemy for video courses, and AtoZ Databases for business information. Additional resources include auto repair guides, literary reference tools, health databases, Spanish-language content, and local historical archives. The platform serves diverse audiences including Pre-K through graduate students, job seekers, adult learners, Spanish speakers, and researchers, with resources organized by audience type, topic, and alphabetical index. Key access methods include IP authentication for in-library users, library card verification for remote access, and embedded search widgets for partner libraries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- EBSCOhost
Companies that use ASKRI
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
ASKRI technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
ASKRI partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.
- Providence Public LibrarycoreProvidence Public Library serves as the administrative home for AskRI, operating it as Rhode Island's Statewide Online Resource Center (SRRC). PPL manages all services, staffing, and operations of the program.
- RI Office of Library & Information ServicescoreState agency that provides statutory authority (RIGL 29-6-9) and primary funding for AskRI. Coordinates statewide database purchasing and library services.
- HELIN (Health Sciences Library Network of New England)coreRhode Island's academic library consortium. HELIN participates in cooperative purchasing agreements for statewide databases and serves academic library users.
- Ocean State Libraries (OSL)coreRhode Island's public library consortium. OSL provides funding contribution for EBSCO products and manages library card authentication for remote access. Provides LORI delivery service for promotional materials.
- RILINKcoreRhode Island's school library consortium. RILINK participates in cooperative purchasing for statewide databases serving K-12 school libraries.
- RI Department of Labor and TrainingsupportingState agency partnered with AskRI to compile behavioral health resources and employment support information for Rhode Islanders.
- RI Department of CommercesupportingState's official economic development organization. Listed as a resource for small business research on AskRI's Small Business topic page.
- RI Black Business Association (RIBBA)minorNonprofit dedicated to advancing Black-owned and minority businesses. Referenced on AskRI's Small Business resources page.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ASKRI competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- OverDrive / Libby: Commercial vendor of e-books, audiobooks, and digital magazines to public libraries worldwide (Libby app). Comparable as a digital content distributor that libraries license to provide free access to patrons, but operates as a for-profit vendor rather than a publicly funded aggregator.
- HELIN (Health Sciences Library Network of New England): Rhode Island's academic library consortium and AskRI cooperative-purchasing partner. Comparable because HELIN negotiates and contributes to statewide database agreements for academic users — the same aggregator-and-authenticate model AskRI uses for the broader RI population.
- RILINK (Rhode Island Library Information Network for Kids): Rhode Island's K-12 school library consortium and AskRI cooperative-purchasing partner. Comparable because RILINK handles database access for school libraries, mirroring AskRI's role for the wider public across age and audience segments.
- Ocean State Libraries (OSL): Rhode Island's public library consortium and AskRI's primary distribution partner. Comparable because OSL manages the statewide public-library card system that enables remote authentication to AskRI, and co-funds EBSCO products on the same statewide basis.
Regional players
- Bibliomation: Connecticut-based library consortium providing shared technology, catalog, and digital resource services to member libraries. Comparable as a multi-type library cooperative that consolidates access to e-books, databases, and digital tools under a unified platform, though serving Connecticut libraries rather than Rhode Island.
- Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners: Massachusetts's statewide library agency, which funds and administers comparable statewide database and resource programs (e.g., Massachusetts Library System, Commonwealth eBook Collections). Directly analogous in mission — providing free, statewide access to premium research databases — but operating in a neighboring jurisdiction.
- OhioLINK: Ohio's academic library consortium that provides shared access to 100+ research databases to every Ohio college and university student. Comparable as a statewide library consortium that aggregates paid databases under a single authentication umbrella, though it focuses on higher education rather than general public access.
Broad incumbents
- Lyrasis: Nonprofit technology and content-services organization serving libraries, archives, and museums, including group licensing of databases and digital preservation. Comparable because Lyrasis negotiates cooperative content agreements on behalf of member libraries — the same purchasing model AskRI uses at the state level.
- EBSCO (EBSCO Information Services): Major commercial provider of research databases (Academic Search Elite, MasterFILE, MEDLINE, Consumer Health Complete, etc.) that AskRI licenses and aggregates. Comparable as the upstream content provider whose products AskRI distributes; EBSCO also sells direct to libraries, making it both a partner and a partial substitute.
- Digital Public Library of America (DPLA): National aggregator of digital library content from thousands of US libraries, providing free access to digitized books, archives, and media. Comparable as a nonprofit aggregator and access gateway for library resources, but operating at national scope and focused on digitized special collections rather than licensed commercial databases.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ASKRI social profiles
Digital presenceASKRI financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ASKRI leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
ASKRI funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ASKRI 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 ASKRI
What does ASKRI do?
AskRI is Rhode Island's Statewide Online Resource Center, operated by Providence Public Library, that aggregates access to 50+ premium research databases (EBSCOhost, World Book, LearningExpress Library, Mango Languages, Tutor.com, Flipster, Udemy, and others) into a single free-access portal. It is funded under state statute (RIGL 29-6-9) and the federal Library Services and Technology Act, and serves Rhode Island residents both inside member libraries (IP authentication) and remotely (library card login), with optional Email-a-Librarian reference assistance.
Is ASKRI a public or private company?
ASKRI is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ASKRI founded?
ASKRI was founded in 2022. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is ASKRI based?
ASKRI is headquartered in Providence, United States, in the North America region.
How does ASKRI make money?
One revenue line is on record: public Funding.
Who are ASKRI's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are OverDrive / Libby, HELIN (Health Sciences Library Network of New England), RILINK (Rhode Island Library Information Network for Kids) and Ocean State Libraries (OSL). Regional players are Bibliomation, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and OhioLINK. Broad incumbents are Lyrasis, EBSCO (EBSCO Information Services) and Digital Public Library of America (DPLA).
Does ASKRI have an API?
No public API is recorded for ASKRI.
What industry is ASKRI in?
ASKRI's product category is Public Library Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAGAK, Interlibrary Loan (ILL) & Resource Sharing Operations, with a secondary code of EDAEALAL, Library & Learning Space Managed Operations (Circulation, Scheduling, Staffing). Its NAICS code is 51921 and its SIC code is 8300.