What Finger Lakes Library System does

Finger Lakes Library System (FLLS) is a non-profit cooperative library system chartered in 1958 by New York State, one of 23 such systems statewide. It serves 33 independent member libraries across five counties — Cayuga, Cortland, Seneca, Tioga, and Tompkins — in upstate New York, headquartered in Ithaca. FLLS operates under a state-approved plan of service and is governed by an eleven-member Board of Trustees with two representatives from each county plus one at-large member.

The core technology infrastructure centers on the Polaris integrated library system (ILS) powering the PowerPAC public catalog, supplemented by OverDrive/Libby for digital lending and third-party databases including HeritageQuest (genealogical research), Mango Languages (70+ language courses), JobNow (career assistance), and TumbleBook Library (children's digital books). The One Card program enables interlibrary borrowing across all member libraries with a single card. Recent digital expansion includes OverDrive Magazines with over 5,000 titles featuring simultaneous-use access, and cross-system OverDrive sharing partnerships with OWWL and Southern Tier Library Systems.

FLLS generates revenue through state-approved plans of service, member library contributions, and grant programs including the NY State Library's Coordinated Outreach Services Program (COSAC). All patron-facing services are provided free of charge to the public. The system coordinates shared services — cataloging, continuing education, computer network services, outreach, and collaborative purchasing — that individual libraries could not achieve independently. The organization employs 7 staff in an administrative and coordinating capacity, with a target audience that includes the general public across rural and suburban upstate New York counties as well as underserved populations served through coordinated outreach initiatives.

Name

Finger Lakes Library System

Legal name

Finger Lakes Library System

Website

https://flls.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Finger Lakes Library System is a New York State-chartered non-profit cooperative serving 33 independent member libraries across five upstate counties, providing shared cataloging, digital lending via OverDrive/Libby, and coordinated outreach services free to the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (519210), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC), Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing) (EDAEAGAF), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL)

Keywords

• Cooperative library system
• Public library services
• Digital library lending
• Interlibrary loan
• Library outreach programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ithaca

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Library System Funding: FLLS operates as a chartered New York State public library system, funded through state-approved plans of service. The system provides coordinated services to member libraries including continuing education, shared cataloging, computer network services, and outreach programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Finger Lakes Library System is a cooperative library system that provides shared cataloging, digital lending, continuing education, computer network services, and outreach coordination to 33 independent member public libraries across five New York State counties. To the public, it delivers free access to physical materials via the PowerPAC catalog and digital content (ebooks, audiobooks, magazines) plus subscription databases for genealogy, language learning, career support, and children's literacy.

Product overview

Finger Lakes Library System operates as a cooperative library system serving 33 member libraries across Cayuga, Cortland, Seneca, Tioga, and Tompkins Counties in New York State. The organization provides a unified catalog platform (PowerPAC) for physical materials, supplemented by a comprehensive digital services portfolio built on the OverDrive/Libby platform. The digital offerings include ebooks, eaudiobooks, and magazines through Libby/OverDrive, genealogical research through HeritageQuest, language learning via Mango Languages, children's digital books through TumbleBook Library, career resources via JobNow, and OverDrive Magazines. The system also enables cross-library resource sharing through its One Card program and partnerships with OWWL and Southern Tier Library Systems for expanded digital content access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PowerPAC Catalog Online public access catalog (OPAC) for searching and discovering books, DVDs, Blu-Ray, videogames, and other physical materials across FLLS's 33 member libraries; materials can be reserved and delivered to local libraries.
• Libby/OverDrive Digital Collection Digital lending service for ebooks, eaudiobooks, and magazines accessible through the Libby app by OverDrive. Patrons borrow content and read on phones, tablets, or send ebooks to Kindle ereaders (U.S. only), with over 5,000 magazine titles available simultaneously with no holds.
• HeritageQuest Genealogical and historical research database with coverage dating back to the 1700s, including US Federal Censuses, genealogy and local history books, Revolutionary War records, Freedman's Bank Records, and the US Congressional Serial Set.
• Mango Languages Online language-learning system offering over 70 world language courses and English language learning courses for all ages, teaching conversation skills through website or mobile app.
• TumbleBook Library Digital collection of animated, talking picture books, read-along chapter books, graphic novels for children, full-length unabridged classics in audio format, and books in French, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Chinese, plus puzzles, games, and quizzes.
• JobNow Career assistance service featuring templates, tutorials, interview coaching, resume lab, and live career assistance. Includes the Adult Learning Center with test preparation for HSE/GED and US Citizenship Test, plus live online tutors available 24/7 with live services from 2pm to 11pm daily.
• One Card Program Interlibrary loan and resource sharing program enabling patrons to access materials from multiple library systems. FLLS partners with OWWL and Southern Tier Library Systems to share OverDrive digital collections, functioning as a digital interlibrary loan service.
• OverDrive Magazines Digital magazine collection with over 5,000 titles including popular titles (Us Weekly, National Geographic, Good Housekeeping, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone), special interest titles (PC World, Bon Appetit, Minecraft World, Women's Fitness), and international titles in Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, German, French, and more, with rolling 3 years of back issues and simultaneous use.

Quantifiable outcome

• Access to 33 member libraries through single library card

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• OWWL Library SystemcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to share OverDrive/Libby digital collections, allowing FLLS patrons to borrow titles from OWWL System in addition to FLLS's own collection, effectively expanding digital content access.
• Southern Tier Library SystemcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to share OverDrive/Libby digital collections, enabling FLLS patrons to borrow titles from Southern Tier System, expanding digital content availability across library systems.
• New York State Library's Coordinated Outreach Services ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-funded program providing grants for outreach mini-grants to serve New Yorkers most in need. FLLS administers COSAC review and distributes funds to member library outreach projects.
• Friends of Tompkins County Public LibrarysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides generous support enabling FLLS to purchase materials for the system-wide collection and fund continuing education opportunities.
• OverDrivecoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital content platform provider for ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines. FLLS partners with OverDrive to provide Libby app access to patrons.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• OverDrive: Core technology vendor for FLLS's digital lending platform (Libby app). Not a competitor but the most important ecosystem dependency, providing ebooks, audiobooks, and magazine content to FLLS patrons.
• Innovative Interfaces (Polaris): Provider of the Polaris integrated library system that powers FLLS's PowerPAC public catalog. As the core ILS vendor, it is the primary enabling technology partner for cataloging and circulation operations.
• NoveList (EBSCO): A widely adopted reader's advisory and discovery service used by public library systems including many NY cooperatives. Relevant as a parallel digital-content add-on that FLLS members could potentially subscribe to.

Direct peers

• Mid-York Library System: A New York State-chartered cooperative library system serving multiple counties in central New York. Comparable governance, funding, and shared-service model for member public libraries.
• Southern Tier Library System: Another chartered NY cooperative library system that partners with FLLS for cross-system OverDrive digital lending. Comparable charter structure, member-library service model, and state-funded operating model in upstate New York.
• OWWL Library System: A neighboring New York cooperative library system with which FLLS shares OverDrive/Libby digital collections. Operates an essentially identical model as a chartered NY library system serving member libraries, making it the closest functional peer.
• Bibliomation: A Connecticut-based library consortium providing shared technology services including ILS hosting and digital resources to member libraries. Comparable cooperative consortium model, though geographically separate from FLLS.

Regional players

• Onondaga County Public Library: A larger public library system in central New York operating with a similar public-service mandate and digital resource portfolio (Libby, databases, programming), but serving a single county with its own direct charter.
• Tompkins County Public Library: The largest FLLS member library, headquartered in Ithaca. Directly delivers public library services under FLLS coordination and shares the same digital platform integrations, making it the most representative single-library peer.

Broad incumbents

• New York Public Library: The largest public library system in the United States, operating across New York City with extensive digital collections, programming, and outreach. Serves as the broad incumbent reference point for NY public library services, though structurally very different from a rural cooperative.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fingerlakeslibrarysystem

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 Finger Lakes Library System