ASKRI

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.

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

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

• Digital library services
• Online research databases
• Statewide library portal
• Educational database access
• Public library resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Providence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core 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

Named customers7 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Providence Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvidence 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 ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState 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)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRhode Island's academic library consortium. HELIN participates in cooperative purchasing agreements for statewide databases and serves academic library users.
• Ocean State Libraries (OSL)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRhode 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.
• RILINKcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRhode Island's school library consortium. RILINK participates in cooperative purchasing for statewide databases serving K-12 school libraries.
• RI Department of Labor and TrainingsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partnered with AskRI to compile behavioral health resources and employment support information for Rhode Islanders.
• RI Department of CommercesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerState'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)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/ask_ri
• Facebookfacebook.com/AskRI.org
• Instagraminstagram.com/askri401
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/askri

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 ASKRI