MPPL
Mount Prospect Public Library (MPPL) is a tax-funded municipal library serving residents of Mount Prospect, Illinois through two branches, a 24/7 digital e-library, mobile app, homebound delivery, and community programming spanning children, teens, adults, educators, and businesses.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersMount Prospect, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What MPPL does
Mount Prospect Public Library (MPPL) is a tax-funded municipal public library system serving the incorporated Village of Mount Prospect, Illinois. The organization operates two physical branches — the Main Library at 10 S. Emerson St. and the South Branch on Algonquin Rd. (relocating to 1601 E. Algonquin Rd.) — alongside a 24/7 digital catalog and e-library. Service coverage spans children (birth through 5th grade), teens (grades 6-12), adults, educators, homebound residents, and local business owners, supported by 244 employees.
The core technology stack is anchored by the Polaris integrated library system for catalog and circulation management, supplemented by a broad digital resource portfolio: Libby/OverDrive for e-books and audiobooks, Hoopla for streaming media, Kanopy for film, PressReader for global newspapers and magazines, LinkedIn Learning and O'Reilly for Public Libraries for professional content, EBSCO for research databases, and Beanstack for reading program tracking. Custom offerings include the proprietary MPPL mobile app for iOS and Android, the Library of Things and Library of Things Junior circulating collections of non-traditional items, the Seed Library for gardening and sustainability programming, and personalization services such as Automatically Yours (author subscriptions) and Choose My Next Book (curated recommendations). Marketing reach is multi-channel, combining a bi-monthly print newsletter, twice-monthly e-newsletter, Facebook/Instagram/YouTube presence, Beanstack reading challenges, and direct partnerships with Prospect High School and Rolling Meadows High School.
The business model is essentially non-commercial: roughly the entire resident population of Mount Prospect accesses services at no direct cost, with revenue derived from municipal property taxes and nominal fees from unincorporated-area non-residents. The free model is structurally protected by MPPL's role as the designated library of record for the taxing district, eliminating any direct commercial competitor. The current strategic posture emphasizes physical capacity expansion (Main Library renovation, South Branch relocation), digital service modernization (redesigned catalog, expanded vendor portfolio), and enhanced programming (Raise a Reader, expanded 2026 reading challenges) funded through the Village's capital pipeline.
MPPL firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MPPL
- Legal name
- Mount Prospect Public Library
- Website
- https://mppl.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Mount Prospect Public Library (MPPL) is a tax-funded municipal library serving residents of Mount Prospect, Illinois through two branches, a 24/7 digital e-library, mobile app, homebound delivery, and community programming spanning children, teens, adults, educators, and businesses.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MPPL industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Library Services
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192), Educational Support Services (611710)
- 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-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Interlibrary Loan (ILL) & Resource Sharing Operations (EDAEAGAK)
Keywords
Where MPPL is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mount Prospect
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
MPPL business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Public Tax Funding: The library is publicly funded through municipal taxes from residents of the incorporated Village of Mount Prospect, providing core services at no direct cost to residents.
- Non-Resident and Unincorporated Area Card Fees: Residents of unincorporated areas not served by MPPL must purchase library cards. The cost is based on the amount of taxes paid by residents to their serving library district. Cards for Kids program provides free cards to qualifying students.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Free library cards for Mount Prospect residents |
| Freemium | Annual | Free cards for eligible students through Cards for Kids Program |
| Subscription | Annual | Paid cards for unincorporated area residents |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
MPPL product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mount Prospect Public Library is a municipal public library system serving Mount Prospect, Illinois through its Main Library and South Branch. It lends physical collections (books, movies, music), circulates non-traditional items such as board games, craft supplies, and seeds, and provides 24/7 digital access to e-books, audiobooks, streaming video, databases, and learning platforms. The library also delivers programming, readers' advisory services, meeting and study room rentals, 3D printing, homebound delivery, and interlibrary loan to local residents.
Product overview
Mount Prospect Public Library operates as a public library system offering both physical and digital resources. The core offerings include traditional circulating collections (books, movies, audiobooks) alongside an extensive digital resource portfolio that includes Libby by OverDrive for e-books and audiobooks, Hoopla for streaming media, Kanopy for video streaming, and O'Reilly for learning content. The Library of Things provides non-traditional circulating items like board games and kitchen equipment, with a dedicated Junior version for children's educational materials. Patron services include personalized readers' advisory (Choose My Next Book), author subscription programs (Automatically Yours), book discussion groups, and early literacy programs (Raise a Reader). A mobile app enables on-the-go account access, while the Beanstack platform powers reading programs including Summer Reading and Book Bingo.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Library of Things A lending collection of non-traditional items (board games, craft supplies, electronics, kitchen equipment, wellness items, puzzles, travel gear, and yard games) available for checkout by library patrons, extending beyond traditional books and media.
- Library of Things Junior A children's version of the Library of Things featuring educational games, learning tools, puppets, puzzles, books, toys, and world language learning materials available for checkout to families with young children.
- Seed Library A free seed lending collection offering packets of flower, vegetable, herb, and native plant seeds to patrons for personal gardening, available without a library card requirement to promote sustainable gardening and food access.
- Automatically Yours An author subscription service that automatically places holds on new releases by up to 25 patron-selected favorite authors, with options for regular print or large type formats.
- Choose My Next Book A personalized readers' advisory service in which library staff create custom five-book recommendation lists based on patron-submitted reading preferences.
- 3D Printing A 3D printing service offered to library patrons at the Main Library for fabrication of objects using library 3D printers.
- Meeting Rooms Meeting room rental facilities available for patron and community use, including a 120-seat main meeting room and additional smaller rooms.
- Study Rooms Small conference rooms and study rooms available for patron use for research, quiet study, and small group work.
- Book Discussion Groups Multiple recurring book discussion programs (Wednesday Morning Book Group, Monday Night Book Group, and Completely Booked for 20s/30s) that meet on monthly or bimonthly schedules to discuss selected titles.
- Raise a Reader An early literacy program for children from birth to age five (and their caregivers) that develops literacy skills through singing, talking, reading, writing, and playing activities, with prize checkpoints at participation milestones.
- Interlibrary Loan A borrowing service allowing patrons to request items not owned by MPPL from other libraries via the SILC Worldcat interlibrary loan system, with up to 5 active requests per cardholder and delivery to Main Library or South Branch.
- Homebound Delivery A delivery service that brings library materials directly to Mount Prospect residents who are unable to visit the library due to physical limitations, illness, or disability.
- Summer Reading Program An annual summer reading program for kids, teens, and adults in which participants track reading through Beanstack and earn prizes; free T-shirts offered to early registrants while supplies last.
- 2026 Book Bingo A reading challenge structured as themed-category bingo that encourages participants to discover new subjects, series, and authors, tracked via the Beanstack platform.
- 2026 Movie Bingo A movie viewing challenge with themed-category bingo that encourages discovery of new genres, directors, and actors, tracked on the Beanstack platform.
- New Polaris Catalog (Redesign) A redesigned library catalog providing new search, browse, and discovery features to help patrons find materials; preview rolled out ahead of the August launch.
Companies that use MPPL
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
MPPL technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration15 records
Feature6 records
MPPL partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- OverDrive (Libby)coreDigital media platform partnership providing e-books, audiobooks, and magazines through the Libby app. Access via Digital Library of Illinois website. Requires 14-digit library card barcode and PIN for authentication.
- Hoopla Digital MediacoreDigital media streaming service providing free movies, music, e-books, and audiobooks. Offers up to 10 free checkouts per month. Available as mobile app.
- KanopycoreVideo streaming platform offering critically-acclaimed movies, documentaries, foreign films, and Kanopy Kids. Users receive up to 10 checkouts per month with library card.
- PressReadercoreDigital newspaper and magazine platform offering access to more than 6,000 publications from over 100 countries in 60+ languages. Available via app with offline reading capability.
- LinkedIn LearningcoreOnline learning platform providing courses in software, creative, and business skills. Free access with library card for professional and personal development.
- EBSCOcoreDatabase provider offering EBSCO Mobile app, EBSCO LearningExpress (practice tests, e-books, flashcards), NoveList Plus (readers' advisory), and other research databases.
- O'Reilly for Public LibrariescoreProfessional learning platform providing access to 35K+ books, 30K+ hours of video, learning paths, case studies, tutorials, audiobooks, and O' Reilly conference videos.
- BeanstackcoreReading program platform powering Summer Reading, Book Bingo, Movie Bingo, Raise a Reader, and other reading challenges. Available online and via mobile app.
- SILC WorldcatcoreInterlibrary loan system enabling patrons to request materials from other libraries. Up to 5 active requests per cardholder, with delivery to Main Library or South Branch.
- Chicago Botanic GardenminorReferenced as gardening resource for Seed Library patrons. Provides educational gardening guidance and information for seed library users.
- Illinois ExtensionminorUniversity of Illinois extension service referenced as master gardener resource for Seed Library programming and gardening guidance.
- Mount Prospect MonarchscoreLocal community organization credited with helping bring the Seed Library to life. Active partner in seed library programming and butterfly conservation initiatives.
- Village of Mount ProspectcoreThe Village purchased property at 1601 E. Algonquin Rd. to expand the Community Connections Center that houses the Human Services Department and Mount Prospect Public Library South Branch.
- Prospect High SchoolcoreLocal high school partnership providing recommended summer reading lists through the library, with dedicated reading lists available to students.
- Rolling Meadows High SchoolcoreLocal high school partnership providing summer reading lists through the library, with dedicated reading lists available to students.
- Northern Illinois LEGO Train ClubminorCommunity organization that builds and operates the LEGO Train exhibit at the library during special events.
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
MPPL competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- BiblioCommons: Library discovery and catalog platform competing with Polaris in the public library segment. Comparable as an emerging technology vendor shaping patron-facing digital experience for libraries of MPPL's size.
Direct peers
- Des Plaines Public Library: Municipal public library serving Des Plaines, Illinois — a neighboring northwest suburb with similar demographics, tax funding structure, and mix of physical/digital services.
- Palatine Public Library District: Library district serving Palatine, Illinois, with comparable collection breadth, programming for all age groups, and a tax-funded operating model in the same regional market.
- Rolling Meadows Library: Municipal library serving Rolling Meadows with active MPPL school-partnership overlap (Rolling Meadows High School); provides directly comparable services to a similar-sized population.
- Schaumburg Township District Library: Suburban Chicago public library system serving a similar residential population in Schaumburg Township, Illinois. Offers directly comparable collections, digital resources, programming, and tax-based funding model — the most natural size-and-mission comparable to MPPL.
- Arlington Heights Memorial Library: Award-winning suburban Chicago public library serving Arlington Heights with comparable two-branch footprint, community programming, and a broad digital resource portfolio. Closely matched in service philosophy and resident base.
- Elk Grove Township Public Library: Nearby suburban Chicago township library with similar service mix and patron demographics, providing direct competitive overlap for residents on the Mount Prospect border.
Broad incumbents
- OverDrive: Digital content platform powering the Libby app used by MPPL and most U.S. public libraries. Compares as a broad incumbent infrastructure/ecosystem provider that defines the e-book and audiobook experience libraries deliver.
- Chicago Public Library: Regional public library system serving the City of Chicago at far greater scale. Operates as a broader incumbent in the same metropolitan library ecosystem, with overlapping digital resource partnerships and programming philosophy.
- Hoopla Digital: Digital media lending platform integrated with MPPL and most public libraries. Comparable as a broad incumbent enabling a core part of MPPL's digital lending value proposition.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
MPPL social profiles
Digital presenceMPPL financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MPPL leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
MPPL funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MPPL 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 MPPL
What does MPPL do?
Mount Prospect Public Library is a municipal public library system serving Mount Prospect, Illinois through its Main Library and South Branch. It lends physical collections (books, movies, music), circulates non-traditional items such as board games, craft supplies, and seeds, and provides 24/7 digital access to e-books, audiobooks, streaming video, databases, and learning platforms. The library also delivers programming, readers' advisory services, meeting and study room rentals, 3D printing, homebound delivery, and interlibrary loan to local residents.
Is MPPL a public or private company?
MPPL is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was MPPL founded?
MPPL was founded in -1. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is MPPL based?
MPPL is headquartered in Mount Prospect, United States, in the North America region.
How does MPPL make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Public Tax Funding is the primary driver. The others are non-Resident and Unincorporated Area Card Fees.
Who are MPPL's main competitors?
BiblioCommons is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Des Plaines Public Library, Palatine Public Library District, Rolling Meadows Library, Schaumburg Township District Library, Arlington Heights Memorial Library and Elk Grove Township Public Library. Broad incumbents are OverDrive, Chicago Public Library and Hoopla Digital.
Does MPPL have an API?
No public API is recorded for MPPL.
What industry is MPPL in?
MPPL's product category is Public Library Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAO, Public Libraries & Information Services, with a secondary code of EDAEAGAC, Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management. Its NAICS code is 51921.