Burnaby Public Library
Burnaby Public Library is a municipal public library system serving over 250,000 Burnaby, BC residents across four branches. It provides free borrowing, digital lending via BiblioCommons/Overdrive/Kanopy, a Digital Studio with Adobe Creative Cloud, Wi-Fi hotspot lending, and accessible homebound services, funded by City of Burnaby tax revenue.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1954
- HeadquartersBurnaby, Canada
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Burnaby Public Library does
Burnaby Public Library (BPL) is a municipal public library system established on December 20, 1954 under ByLaw No. 3522 and operating under the Library Act of British Columbia. It serves the residents of Burnaby, BC — a city of more than 250,000 people — through four branch locations (Bob Prittie Metrotown, Tommy Douglas, McGill, and a Temporary Cameron site) supported by a central library administration office at 6100 Willingdon Avenue. The library is governed by an appointed Library Board under the Act, with the Mayor (or designate) plus eight Council-appointed members, and operates as a separate legal employer from the City of Burnaby under the BC Labour Code. The institution is headed by Chief Librarian Jackie Flowers, with Directors of Public Service and Collections & Technology, four branch managers, and supporting managers in Community Development, Children's & Teen Services, and Finance & Facilities.
Core services span physical and digital lending (books, e-books, audiobooks, DVDs), free public computers and Wi-Fi at all locations, community programming (Summer Reading Club, teen services, storytimes), and specialized offerings including a Digital Studio at Metrotown with Shure SM7B-equipped recording studios, Studio Stations running the full Adobe Creative Cloud suite (Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, InDesign, After Effects, Audition, etc.), photo/video/audio/film digitization equipment, Wi-Fi hotspot lending on the Rogers 4G LTE network, Home Library & Accessible Services for homebound and disabled residents, dedicated Teen Space at Tommy Douglas, and free community room bookings for non-profits. The library also houses the City of Burnaby Archives at McGill, with records dating back to 1892, and co-curates rotating exhibits with the Burnaby Art Gallery.
The funding model is non-commercial: primary revenue is municipal tax revenue from the City of Burnaby plus provincial library funding, supplemented by tax-deductible donations via CanadaHelps and an endowment fund containing five dedicated trusts (General Purpose, Bridget Perrot, Julia Nelson, Picard, Baráka-Mansour). All standard services — borrowing, Wi-Fi, computer access, Digital Studio use, LinkedIn Learning (11,000+ courses), Kanopy streaming, and Overdrive/Libby digital lending — are provided free with a Burnaby library card. The library eliminated late fines in 2024/2025 and now charges only nominal fees for printing ($0.20 black & white, $0.30 color per side), replacement of lost materials, and interlibrary loan pass-throughs. Compliance is anchored to the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), with the Chief Librarian as the FIPPA Officer. There is no proprietary AI/ML capability, no equity funding, and no commercial revenue stream; technology is built on third-party platforms and integration partners.
Burnaby Public Library firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Burnaby Public Library
- Legal name
- Burnaby Public Library
- Website
- https://bpl.bc.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1954
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Burnaby Public Library is a municipal public library system serving over 250,000 Burnaby, BC residents across four branches. It provides free borrowing, digital lending via BiblioCommons/Overdrive/Kanopy, a Digital Studio with Adobe Creative Cloud, Wi-Fi hotspot lending, and accessible homebound services, funded by City of Burnaby tax revenue.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Burnaby Public Library industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Library Services
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (51921), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO), Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing) (EDAEAGAF), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL)
Keywords
Where Burnaby Public Library is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Burnaby
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Burnaby Public Library business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Municipal Government Funding: Primary funding source from City of Burnaby tax revenue and provincial government funding as a public library institution established under ByLaw No. 3522 dated December 20, 1954
- Donations and Endowment Fund: Tax-deductible donations through CanadaHelps platform, bequests, life insurance beneficiary designations, property donations, and securities donations. Five trust funds within endowment: General Purpose Trust, Bridget Perrot Trust, Julia Nelson Trust, Picard Trust, Baraká-Mansour Trust
- Membership and Service Fees: Free membership for eligible Burnaby residents and qualifying individuals. Minimal fees for printing ($0.20 black & white, $0.30 color), lost/damaged materials replacement, and interlibrary loan charges passed through from external providers
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free Library Membership |
| Freemium | Annual | Fine-Free Library Service |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Printing Services |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Wi-Fi Hotspot Lending |
| Freemium | Annual | LinkedIn Learning Access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels6 records
Burnaby Public Library product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Burnaby Public Library operates a four-branch municipal library system offering free lending of physical and digital collections, public access to computing and Wi-Fi, professional creative technology through its Digital Studio, community programming for children and teens, and accessible outreach services. Core services include book and media borrowing via the BiblioCommons catalogue, digital lending through Overdrive/Libby, streaming via Kanopy, online learning via LinkedIn Learning, printing/scanning, and bookable community rooms for non-profit groups.
Product overview
Burnaby Public Library operates as a unified public library system offering physical and digital library services across four branches. The core service is the library catalogue and borrowing system (BiblioCommons), supplemented by digital collections through Overdrive/Libby, Kanopy streaming video, and LinkedIn Learning. The Digital Studio at Bob Prittie Metrotown provides technology-enabled services including recording studios, studio stations with creative software, and media digitization equipment. Specialized services include Home Library & Accessible Service, Wi-Fi Hotspot lending, Teen Space at Tommy Douglas, and Community Rooms. The library also manages several trust funds (Julia Nelson Trust for teens, Bridget Perrot Trust for accessible services) through its endowment fund. The library is governed by a Board and follows BC FIPPA privacy guidelines.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Digital Studio: Creative technology hub at Bob Prittie Metrotown offering recording studios, design software, digitization equipment, and creative tools for free with a library card.
- Home Library & Accessible Service
- Curiosity Collection
- Summer Reading Club
- Teen Services
Products and services
- Library Catalogue and Borrowing System Online catalogue and borrowing system powered by BiblioCommons enabling patrons to search, reserve, and borrow physical and digital materials, manage their account, place holds, renew items, and access digital collections. Free with library card.
- LinkedIn Learning
- Digital Studio
- Recording Studios
- Photo, Video, Audio and Film Digitization
- Wi-Fi Hotspots
- Home Library & Accessible Service
- Teen Services and Teen Space
- Community Rooms
- Public Computers
- Printing, Photocopying and Scanning
- Free Wi-Fi
- Endowment Fund and Trust Funds
- Studio Stations
- Borrowable Digital Studio Equipment
Quantifiable outcome
- Free membership available to all eligible Burnaby residents including those who reside, own property, operate a business, or work in Burnaby
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Burnaby Public Library
Customer profileSegments7 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Burnaby Public Library technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature5 records
Burnaby Public Library partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BiblioCommonscoreBiblioCommons provides the online catalogue platform and member account management system for Burnaby Public Library. This platform serves as the primary interface for patrons to search collections, manage holds, renew items, and access digital resources.
- Overdrive/LibbycoreOverdrive provides the digital lending platform for e-books and audiobooks available through the Libby app. Library members access thousands of digital titles through this platform with their free library cards.
- KanopycoreKanopy provides free streaming video content including movies, documentaries, and educational programming to library members as part of the digital collection.
- LinkedIn LearningcoreFormerly Lynda.com, LinkedIn Learning provides over 11,000 video courses on software, creative, technology, and business skills available free to library members both in-library and remotely with their library card.
- AdobecoreAdobe Creative Cloud software including Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, InDesign, After Effects, Audition, and other creative applications are available at Digital Studio stations for free community use with library card.
- Burnaby Art GalleryminorRotating art exhibitions from the Burnaby Art Gallery are displayed at Bob Prittie Metrotown and McGill branches, featuring works from the City of Burnaby Permanent Art Collection and providing opportunities for emerging and local artists.
- Public Library InterLINKminorInterLINK is a consortium of public libraries that allows mutual borrowing privileges. Burnaby Public Library participates in InterLINK, enabling residents of InterLINK communities to access services and vice versa.
- NewToBCminorNewToBC is a library partner program supporting newcomers to Canada. Burnaby Public Library participates to provide services and resources to new immigrants and refugees settling in Burnaby.
- Heritage BurnabyminorHeritage Burnaby is a community partner providing access to historical records, photographs, and local history resources that complement the City of Burnaby Archives housed at McGill branch.
- City of BurnabycoreThe City of Burnaby is the primary funder and governing authority for the library system. The library operates under ByLaw No. 3522 and the Library Act of British Columbia. The City invests the library's Endowment Fund and the Library Board has exclusive control of funds provided by City Council.
- TranslinkminorTransLink provides public transit information integrated into library location pages, helping patrons plan transit access to library branches via bus and SkyTrain routes.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Burnaby Public Library competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Calgary Public Library: Major Canadian municipal library system serving Calgary. Comparable broad public library offering across physical branches and digital channels, with similar community programming focus.
- Edmonton Public Library: Major Canadian municipal public library with extensive digital lending, maker spaces, and community programming. Operates at greater scale but pursues a similar modern public library strategy.
- Toronto Public Library: Largest public library system in Canada and a North American benchmark. Comparable core public library mission and digital/branch model, but operates at significantly greater scale with broader programming.
- Ottawa Public Library: Major bilingual Canadian municipal library system with comparable branch network, digital lending, and community programming — though operating under bilingual federal-provincial-municipal context.
Direct peers
- Vancouver Public Library: The largest public library system in British Columbia, serving Vancouver residents across multiple branches with comparable services including digital lending, community spaces, and programming. Direct municipal peer in the same Metro Vancouver region.
- New Westminster Public Library: Public library serving New Westminster, an adjacent Metro Vancouver municipality. Operates as a comparable BC municipal library under similar statutory framework, with shared InterLINK reciprocal borrowing.
- Surrey Libraries: Municipal public library system serving Surrey, BC — a large, diverse, multilingual city adjacent to Burnaby. Operates multiple branches with similar digital lending, community programming, and multicultural outreach.
- Coquitlam Public Library: Neighbouring Tri-Cities public library serving Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody. Comparable municipal library with similar governance under the BC Library Act and shared InterLINK membership.
- Richmond Public Library: Municipal public library in Richmond, BC, another highly multilingual Metro Vancouver city. Comparable service mix including digital lending, multilingual collections, and community programming.
Regional players
- Seattle Public Library: Major U.S. municipal public library in the Pacific Northwest with comparable urban, multilingual service population and modern digital/branch programming. Not in Burnaby's service territory but operates in the same regional context and shared civic-library paradigm.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Burnaby Public Library social profiles
Digital presenceBurnaby Public Library compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Burnaby Public Library financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Burnaby Public Library leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Burnaby Public Library funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Burnaby Public Library 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 Burnaby Public Library
What does Burnaby Public Library do?
Burnaby Public Library operates a four-branch municipal library system offering free lending of physical and digital collections, public access to computing and Wi-Fi, professional creative technology through its Digital Studio, community programming for children and teens, and accessible outreach services. Core services include book and media borrowing via the BiblioCommons catalogue, digital lending through Overdrive/Libby, streaming via Kanopy, online learning via LinkedIn Learning, printing/scanning, and bookable community rooms for non-profit groups.
Is Burnaby Public Library a public or private company?
Burnaby Public Library is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Burnaby Public Library founded?
Burnaby Public Library was founded in 1954. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Burnaby Public Library based?
Burnaby Public Library is headquartered in Burnaby, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Burnaby Public Library make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Municipal Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations and Endowment Fund and membership and Service Fees.
Who are Burnaby Public Library's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Calgary Public Library, Edmonton Public Library, Toronto Public Library and Ottawa Public Library. Direct peers are Vancouver Public Library, New Westminster Public Library, Surrey Libraries, Coquitlam Public Library and Richmond Public Library. Seattle Public Library is listed as a regional player.
Does Burnaby Public Library have an API?
No public API is recorded for Burnaby Public Library.
What industry is Burnaby Public Library in?
Burnaby Public Library's product category is Public Library Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAGAC, Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management, with a secondary code of BPAIACAO, Public Libraries & Information Services. Its NAICS code is 51921 and its SIC code is 8200.