Hamburg Township Library

What Hamburg Township Library does

Hamburg Township Library is a public library established in 1966 in Hamburg Township, Livingston County, Michigan, governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees under Michigan Public Act 164 of 1877. The library serves a residential population of 21,259 (2020 Census) and operates a traditional public library service model that includes physical collections (books, audiobooks, DVDs, music), an extensive digital lending portfolio (Libby/OverDrive, Hoopla, Axis 360, Zinio), a "Library of Things" (Nintendo Switch consoles, board games, ukuleles, museum and park passes), public computing and Wi-Fi, meeting and study rooms, curbside pickup, homebound delivery, and age-segmented programming for children, teens, adults, and seniors.

The library's core technology stack is conventional library-sector tooling rather than proprietary infrastructure: a Verso/Agverso integrated library system for catalog and circulation, vendor-hosted digital lending platforms for e-books and streaming, CIPA-compliant Net Nanny content filtering, PayPal for program payments, and a TLN WAN connection at roughly $7,986 annually. No custom platform, data product, or software asset appears to be developed or owned by the library.

Revenue is approximately 93% property-tax funded under a 0.9-mill rate approved for 2022–2029 (0.7614 renewal + 0.1386 new), with first-year tax revenue projected at $1,054,000 and an average household cost of $150–$200 per year. Supplemental income streams include state and private grants (Walmart $750, Michigan Humanities $500), used book sales ($700–$1,500 per event), program fees, and meeting room rental ($25/hour). The entity is non-commercial and does not pursue equity capital; its "go-to-market" is defined by statutory service obligation rather than customer acquisition.

Name

Hamburg Township Library

Legal name

Hamburg Township Library

Website

https://hamburglibrary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hamburg Township Library is a public library in Livingston County, Michigan, serving 21,259 residents with physical and digital collections, programming for all ages, and community meeting resources. Founded in 1966, it is funded primarily by property taxes under a 0.9-mill rate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (519)

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

• Public library services
• Digital lending platforms
• Community programming
• Children's literacy programs
• Genealogy research services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Revenue: 93% of library funding comes from residential property taxes. Library taxes represent approximately 2.4% of total tax bill. Current millage is 0.7614 renewal plus 0.1386 new mills for a total of 0.9 mills over 8 years (2022-2029).
2. Grant Funding: Additional funding through grant acquisitions. Examples include $750 Walmart grant for Summer Reading Program and $500 Michigan Humanities Council grant.
3. Book Sale Proceeds: Revenue generated from biannual book sales and ongoing sale room. Proceeds benefit library programs and services. Typical sales generate $700-$1,500 per event.
4. Program Fees: Some programs charge nominal fees including $5 for Essential Oils Workshop, $10 for Great Foodini event, and $10 for seafood sampling.
5. Meeting Room Rental: Profit-making organizations pay $25.00 per hour for meeting room use. Payment due at time of reservation.
6. Fines and Fees: Library charges fines for overdue materials. Senior Citizen Library Cards (60+) have no late fines. 'Read Away Your Fines' program allows children to reduce fines by reading.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Hamburg Township Library provides free public library services to township residents, including borrowing physical and digital library materials, access to research databases, public computing and WiFi, community programming for all ages, meeting and study room rentals, and outreach services such as curbside pickup and homebound delivery. The library operates a Library of Things collection (board games, ukuleles, museum passes, Nintendo Switch consoles) in addition to traditional books and media, supported by integrations with Libby/Overdrive, Hoopla, Axis 360, Zinio, and Ancestry.com.

Product overview

Hamburg Township Library provides traditional and digital library services to approximately 21,259 residents in Livingston County, Michigan. The core offerings include a physical collection of books, materials, and Library of Things items (board games, ukuleles, museum passes), alongside digital services through Libby/Overdrive, Hoopla, Axis 360, Zinio, and Ancestry.com. The library operates the Patricia Waters Community Room and study rooms for patron use, and offers premium services including curbside pickup, homebound delivery, exam proctoring, genealogy research, and Ellison die cutting equipment. Children's programming includes Story Hour, Summer Reading Program, and youth reading lists. Adult programming encompasses book clubs, craft groups (Chess, Mahjong, Embroidery), and the annual Fine Art & Craft Fair. Financial transparency tools include a public dashboard with monthly reports and annual audits. The library is funded primarily through a 0.7614 mill property tax renewal (93% of revenue) and has completed over $150,000 in facility renovations including new study rooms and LED lighting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Physical Collection Borrowing Traditional library materials (books, audiobooks, movies, music CDs, magazines, newspapers) available for in-person borrowing with a free Hamburg Township Library card.
• Libby eBooks and Audiobooks Electronic books and audiobooks accessible 24/7 through the Libby by Overdrive platform via The Library Network (TLN) digital consortium for patrons with valid library cards.
• Digital Magazines (Zinio) Digital magazine subscription service providing access to top 50 magazines in digital format for library patrons to read anywhere on devices.
• Library of Things Non-traditional library items available for checkout including board games, ukuleles, museum passes, park passes, and Nintendo Switch consoles and games.
• Hoopla Streaming Media Digital media streaming and borrowing service for movies, music, audiobooks, ebooks, comics, and TV shows, jointly shared with Fowlerville and Pinckney libraries.
• Axis 360 E-book Lending E-book lending service integrated with the library catalog, available for patrons to borrow digital books.
• MEL & MelCat Interlibrary Loan Interlibrary loan service allowing patrons to request materials from other Michigan libraries through the MelCat system, part of the Michigan eLibrary network.
• Ancestry.com Library Edition Genealogy and family history research database available on all public computer stations for patron use in tracing family history.
• Mango Languages Online language learning program available to patrons with valid Hamburg library cards, providing foreign language instruction resources.
• Meeting Room Rental Patricia Waters Community Room and group study rooms available for reservation by patrons and community groups. Fee-based for profit-making organizations at $25/hour.
• Public Computing and WiFi Services Public computer access, WiFi, printing, and copying services including wireless printing capability and public computing stations.
• Curbside Pickup Contactless service allowing patrons to request materials and pick them up at the library curbside without entering the building.
• Homebound Delivery Homebound Connection service delivers library materials to patrons unable to visit the library in person, including group home deliveries.
• Exam Proctoring Testing service for patrons requiring a proctor for exams, scheduled by appointment.
• Research and Genealogy Services Dedicated research assistance including local history collections, genealogical records, access to Ancestry.com, and digitized local history files for 24/7 online access.
• Ellison Die Cutting Craft equipment lending service allowing patrons to use Ellison die cutting machines and dies for craft projects.
• Kids Programs Children's services including Story Hour, Summer Reading Program, craft activities, age-appropriate events, curated reading lists, and theme reads.
• Drop-In Activities Weekly unstructured activities including Chess (Thursdays 4pm) and Mahjong (Thursdays 1pm) and Embroidery drop-in craft group for patrons to participate spontaneously.
• Read It To Eat It Rewards Program Patron engagement program rewarding readers with free treats at four local restaurants (Mimi's Diner, Hamburg Subway, Boomer's Pizza, Dragon Court) after reading 12 books.
• Senior Citizen Library Card Free library card for patrons 60 years and older with no late fines; same access as standard library card to all physical and digital collections and programs.
• Bridge to Literacy ConnectED Program Partnership with Pinckney Library and Pinckney Community Schools providing library cards to all students in the district, with all cards honored at both libraries.
• Adult Craft Kits Craft project kits available for adult patrons to take home and complete, part of adult programming offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Summer Reading Program growth from 277 participants (2013) to 296 (2014) to 388+ (2017)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pinckney LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 March 2016Historic partnership for Bridge to Literacy ConnectED program - the fourth library in Michigan and first in Livingston County to implement this program. Both libraries honor each other's cards, and collaborated on digital collections including Hoopla and Axis360 sharing.
• Friends of the LibrarycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVolunteer group that supports the library through fundraising and events. Organizes book sales, supports library programs, advocates for the library in the community, and holds special fundraising events. Website at friendsofhtl.org.
• Pinckney Community SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBridge to Literacy program provides library cards to all students in the school district. School works with library to be listed on Resource Page for children needing literacy help.
• Local Restaurants (Mimi's Diner, Hamburg Subway, Boomer's Pizza, Dragon Court)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerParticipate in 'Read It To Eat It' program - patrons who read 12 books receive rewards at these local restaurants. Encourages reading while supporting local businesses.
• Hamburg Historical MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to digitize archives including approximately 8 file drawers and several 3-ring binders of local history. Library provides digitization services and space for local history programs.
• The Library Network (TLN)coreTechnology or IntegrationWAN service provider for internet connectivity. Joined TLN's WAN beginning March 2018 through June 2021 for annual fee of $7,986 plus $500 administration fee and one-time router fee of $1,200.
• Livingston County LibrariescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on county-wide programs like Livingston Reads and Livingston Reads Jr. Shared digital collections and interlibrary loan through MEL and MelCat services.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Canton Public Library: Larger Michigan public library serving a substantially bigger township with more extensive programming, digital services, and facilities; comparable funding structure and governance model.
• Ann Arbor District Library: Larger, well-resourced Michigan public library system serving a nearby but bigger population; broader collection depth and programming make it a regional incumbent against which Hamburg's offerings are benchmarked.

Direct peers

• Brighton District Library: District library in nearby Brighton, Livingston County, serving a similar suburban Michigan population with comparable programming, digital services, and property-tax funding model.
• Saline District Library: Small Michigan district library of similar size, funding model, and suburban service profile; useful operational and programming benchmark for Hamburg.
• Pinckney Library: Neighboring public library in Livingston County that is already a strategic partner via Bridge to Literacy and Hoopla/Axis360 content sharing; serves a similar small-town Michigan population with overlapping services and resident overlap.
• Dexter District Library: Small Michigan district library of similar scale and operating model; comparable community programming, digital collection, and tax-funded municipal governance structure.
• Howell Carnegie District Library: District library serving Howell Township in Livingston County with overlapping patron base and similar suburban service profile; comparable funding model (property tax millage) and program offerings.
• Fowlerville Library: Adjacent Livingston County public library partnered with Hamburg on shared digital content (Hoopla, Axis360). Comparable suburban/rural Michigan library with similar scale and operating model.
• Chelsea District Library: Michigan district library comparable in size and suburban service profile; similar mix of physical/digital collections, children's programming, and community partnerships.

Others

• Michigan eLibrary (MEL) / The Library Network (TLN): Consortium and infrastructure providers that supply Hamburg's interlibrary loan, WAN connectivity, and shared digital collections; they shape the cost structure and digital catalog breadth available to the library.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/htltweets
• Instagraminstagram.com/hamburglibrary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hamburg-township-library

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Hamburg Township Library