FRIENDS OF THE TOWNSHIP LIBRARY OF LOWER SOUTHAMPTON INC

What FRIENDS OF THE TOWNSHIP LIBRARY OF LOWER SOUTHAMPTON INC does

The Township Library of Lower Southampton is a nonprofit public library in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, serving the residents of Lower Southampton township in Bucks County since opening in 2004. Operated by Friends of the Township Library of Lower Southampton Inc., the library provides free access to physical and digital materials, community programming for all age groups, and public gathering space for a single designated service area. With approximately 9 employees and a single physical location at 1983 Bridgetown Pike, the organization functions as a tax-supported community service rather than a commercial enterprise.

Core offerings span a physical lending collection (books, audiobooks, DVDs) plus a digital ecosystem that includes OverDrive/Libby for eBooks and eAudiobooks, Kanopy for video streaming, eMagazines and eNewspapers, and online research databases. Additional services include a "Library of Things" non-traditional item lending program, WiFi hotspot and Roku device lending, museum pass reservations, exam proctoring, public printing, one-on-one librarian appointments, and access to the John W. Pawling Community Room. Programming covers children's story times, teen lock-ins and gaming clubs, and adult wellness classes such as chair yoga. Underlying technology is standard public-library infrastructure: the OCLC WISE shared catalog accessed through the Bucks County Federated Library (BCFL) network, PayPal for credit-card transactions (with a $5 minimum), and Microsoft Forms for online liability waivers.

The business model is fundamentally that of a public-service nonprofit. Primary funding flows from municipal and township tax allocations and state library support, supplemented by competitive grants (notably Keystone Grants for Public Library Facilities, which recently funded HVAC and children's-area capital projects), community donations via annual appeals and PayPal, modest fines and fees for lost or damaged materials, and minor transactional revenue from printing, copies, and used book sales. The library recently launched a Strategic Plan covering 2026-2030, extended Friday hours, introduced Kanopy streaming, and added credit-card acceptance to modernize patron access.

Name

FRIENDS OF THE TOWNSHIP LIBRARY OF LOWER SOUTHAMPTON INC

Legal name

FRIENDS OF THE TOWNSHIP LIBRARY OF LOWER SOUTHAMPTON INC

Website

https://lowersouthamptonlibrary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nonprofit public library in Feasterville, Pennsylvania serving Lower Southampton township residents since 2004 with free physical and digital lending, educational programming, community meeting space, and grant-funded facility improvements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community lending
• Digital library resources
• Educational programming
• Library card services

Headquarters

HQ city

Feasterville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Library Funding: As a public library, primary funding comes from municipal/township tax revenue and state funding allocations for public library services to township residents.
2. Grant Funding: The library secures grants for capital improvements and facility upgrades. Recently secured two grants: one for HVAC replacement and one for children's area renovation through Keystone Grants for Public Library Facilities.
3. Donations and Contributions: Accepts monetary donations via PayPal credit card processing and traditional donation methods. Annual appeals and memorial/honor donations support library programs and improvements.
4. Library Fines and Fees: Fines for overdue materials and charges for lost or damaged items. Credit card payments processed through BCFL catalog system for account charges.
5. Sales and Services: Revenue from sale of copies, prints, used books, and other items. Minimum $5 transaction for credit card payments due to merchant fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Township Library of Lower Southampton is a nonprofit public library that provides free library cards and lending services to township residents, including physical books, audiobooks, and DVDs, as well as digital materials such as ebooks, e-audiobooks, streaming video via Kanopy, and e-magazines. The library also offers non-traditional lending programs (Library of Things, WiFi hotspots, Roku devices), museum pass reservations, proctoring services, community meeting space, and age-based educational programming for children, teens, and adults.

Product overview

The Township Library of Lower Southampton operates as a public library system offering a unified suite of lending and community services. The core offering centers on physical and digital materials lending (books, audiobooks, DVDs), augmented by an expanding digital ecosystem including Kanopy video streaming and Overdrive/Libby ebooks. Additional services include technology device lending (Hotspots, Rokus), Library of Things non-traditional items, museum passes, and facility services (community room, printing, proctoring). The library recently added online payment processing via PayPal and participates in the BCFL (Bucks County Federated Library) consortium for shared catalog access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Physical Library Materials Lending Traditional lending of physical books, audiobooks, DVDs, and other physical materials available for checkout with a free library card for Lower Southampton township residents.
• Library Card Services Free library card issuance for Lower Southampton township residents, including the process for designating this library as the home library to access digital resources.
• Kanopy Video Streaming Service Video streaming service providing patrons with access to movies, documentaries, TV shows, The Great Courses, and Kanopy Kids content. Each library card receives 25 tickets monthly; movies cost 3 tickets and TV seasons cost 5 tickets. Kanopy Kids offers unlimited free access with no ticket requirement.
• eBooks and E-Audiobooks (OverDrive/Libby) Digital lending of ebooks, e-audiobooks, and streaming video accessible anytime via the Libby platform through the Bucks County library system.
• Hotspots and Rokus Lending Device lending program allowing patrons to borrow internet WiFi hotspots and Roku streaming devices for home use to bridge the digital divide.
• Library of Things Collection of non-traditional items available for lending, expanding library services beyond traditional books and media to include unique borrowable items.
• Museum Passes Program allowing patrons to reserve passes for free or discounted admission to local museums and cultural institutions.
• Book a Librarian One-on-one assistance service for patrons needing personalized help with library resources, research, technology, and information discovery.
• Proctoring Services Exam proctoring services for students and professionals who need supervised testing environments at the library.
• Printing Services Public printing and copying services available at the library for patrons.
• John W. Pawling Community Room Meeting room space available for community use by patrons, with usage policies and scheduling procedures in place.
• Research and Learning Resources Online databases and research tools including ancestry search, online classes, news articles, and financial information accessible with a library card.
• E-Magazines and E-Newspapers Digital magazine and newspaper subscriptions accessible with a library card via compatible digital devices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grant funding secured for facility improvements
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Keystone Grants for Public Library FacilitiescoreOthers · 1 January 2025State grant program through which the library secured funding for two major facility projects: rooftop HVAC unit replacement and children's area renovation (Joan Bowman Children's Room). The library collected matching funds with help from annual appeal donors and Friends group.
• Friends of the Library GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVolunteer support organization that raises funds and advocates for the library. Helps collect matching funds for grants and supports annual appeals and community donations.
• Bucks County Library System (BCFL)coreTechnology or IntegrationFederated library system providing shared catalog (Wise/OCLC), inter-library loan, and unified patron services including credit card payment processing for library accounts.
• Joan BowmancoreOthersFormer Bucks County children's librarian and Library Board member honored through naming of the planned Joan Bowman Children's Room. Her legacy inspired the children's area renovation project starting in 2022.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Public Library: Large U.S. public library system offering free library cards, digital lending (eBooks, streaming), maker spaces, and educational programming. Comparable public library service model with broader geographic reach.
• Boston Public Library: Major municipal library system providing free library cards, eBooks, streaming, and educational programming to Boston residents. Comparable service model and municipal funding structure, though at much greater scale.
• Brooklyn Public Library: NYC borough-wide public library system offering free library cards, digital lending, educational programs, and community spaces. Comparable in public library mission and service portfolio though operating in a different geography.
• Free Library of Philadelphia: Large urban public library system serving Philadelphia with similar municipal funding model, free library cards for residents, and broad programming. Comparable in mission and service offering but vastly larger scale.
• County of Los Angeles Public Library: Large county-wide library system providing free library cards to residents, with extensive digital lending and community programming. Comparable in offering breadth but operates at regional/county scale rather than municipal township scale.
• New York Public Library: One of the largest public library systems in the U.S., offering free library cards, digital lending, community programs, and Library of Things-style services. Comparable in offering breadth though vastly larger in scale and geographic reach.

Direct peers

• Bucks County Free Library: The umbrella library system of which Lower Southampton is a member branch. Shares the BCFL OCLC catalog, inter-library loan infrastructure, and payment processing. Most directly comparable peer given shared governance and technology stack.
• Upper Dublin Public Library: Nearby suburban Pennsylvania public library of comparable scale serving a single municipality with similar free library card model, programming, and municipal funding structure. Closely comparable in operational size and community footprint.

Regional players

• Indian Valley Public Library: Suburban Philadelphia-area public library serving a township community with comparable free library card model, digital lending, and community programming. Comparable scale and suburban municipal library positioning.
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: Pennsylvania-based nonprofit library system serving Pittsburgh neighborhoods with similar free library card model, community programming, and digital lending services. Comparable mission and service mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-of-the-township-library-of-lower-southampton-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FRIENDS OF THE TOWNSHIP LIBRARY OF LOWER SOUTHAMPTON INC