Marengo-Union Library District

What Marengo-Union Library District does

The Marengo-Union Library District is a tax-supported public library district organized under Illinois state law and headquartered in Marengo, Illinois. Founded in 1884 as a public reading room and converted to an independent library district by community referendum in 1985, the district serves approximately 13,628 residents across Marengo, Union, and surrounding McHenry County. It operates a single physical facility at 19714 E. Grant Highway — opened in its current three-times-larger form in September 2014 — and is governed by a 7-member elected Board of Trustees, with 21 staff (3 full-time, 18 part-time) as of June 2026.

The district's core offering is built on the Vega Discover catalog system integrated with the PrairieCat consortium, providing patrons access to over 5 million items across 130+ Northern Illinois libraries. Its own holdings include 50,500+ physical items and 20,000+ electronic resources, supplemented by a digital ecosystem of vendor-supplied platforms: Libby/Overdrive and Boundless (ebooks/audiobooks via eRead Illinois), Kanopy (streaming video), Hoopla (digital media), Flipster (magazines), Mango Languages, Gale Presents: Udemy, World Book Online, and Brainfuse (tutoring). Specialized services include a Seed Library, Library of Things, Homebound Delivery, Book a Tech Guru, and Museum Adventure Passes. Technology infrastructure relies on III Sierra/Encore and Vega platforms — no proprietary AI/ML capabilities are developed in-house.

The business model is overwhelmingly tax-funded: the district's primary revenue is property tax levies from residents within its service area, with secondary income from a $125/year non-resident library card program, modest fees (printing, fax, replacement cards, lost materials), and tax-deductible donations via the Friends of the Library affiliate. Free access is the standard for in-district residents, with a freemium pricing structure layered by use-case-based fees for non-residents and ancillary services. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through the physical branch, the muld.org website, the PrairieCat mobile app, and a multi-channel social presence (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, email newsletter).

Name

Marengo-Union Library District

Legal name

Marengo-Union Library District

Website

https://muld.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1884

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Marengo-Union Library District is a tax-supported public library district in McHenry County, Illinois, serving approximately 13,628 residents from a single Marengo branch. It provides free physical and digital collections, interlibrary loan access to 130+ consortium libraries, educational programs, and community services funded primarily by local property taxes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

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)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community library resources
• Interlibrary loan services
• Digital lending platform
• Library educational programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Marengo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tax-funded Library Services: The library is a tax-supported public library district funded through local property taxes from residents within the Marengo-Union Library District service area.
2. Non-Resident Library Cards: Annual fee of $125 (or $120) for individuals and households outside the service area to access library services.
3. Fines and Fees: Fees for lost/damaged items (cost of replacement plus $5 processing fee), lost library cards ($2), and fines for certain items (New Books, Hot Spots, Library of Things). Most general fines have been eliminated.
4. Donations and Friends of the Library: Tax-deductible donations from community members, book donations, memorial gifts, and membership fees from the Friends of the Library organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Marengo-Union Library District is a public library district that provides residents of its Illinois service area with free access to a physical collection of 50,500+ items, 20,000+ digital resources, and 5+ million items through the PrairieCat consortium. The library also delivers community programs for all ages, technology access, meeting spaces, and specialized services including homebound delivery, interlibrary loan, and a Seed Library.

Product overview

Marengo-Union Library District provides public library services through an integrated physical and digital collection. The core offering centers on the Vega Discover catalog system (integrated with PrairieCat consortium) providing access to over 5 million items across 130+ Northern Illinois libraries. Digital lending services include the Boundless App for ebooks/audiobooks through eRead Illinois (30,000+ titles), Kanopy streaming video, Hoopla digital media, and Libby for Overdrive content. Educational resources encompass Mango Languages, ABC Mouse, Brainfuse tutoring, World Book Online, and Peterson's Test Prep. Physical holdings of 50,500 items include books, DVDs, video games, and specialized collections like the Library of Things (WiFi hotspots, tools, games), Seed Library, and 3D printing services. The library also provides community services including Homebound Delivery, Interlibrary Loan, Tech Guru assistance, public computers, and WiFi access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Friends of the Library: A volunteer organization that stimulates use of library resources and services, sponsors fund-raising events, and encourages gifts and endowments to the library. Operates a used bookstore at the rear of the library.

Products and services

• Vega Discover Catalog
• Libby Digital Lending (via Overdrive)
• Boundless App Digital Lending
• Kanopy Streaming Video
• Hoopla Digital Media
• Mango Languages
• PrairieCat Mobile App
• Library of Things
• Seed Library
• Interlibrary Loan Service
• Homebound Delivery Service
• Book a Tech Guru
• Public Computer and WiFi Access
• ABCmouse (Early Learning)
• Brainfuse Online Tutoring
• World Book Online
• Gale Presents: Udemy
• 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Program
• Tax Preparation Resources
• Museum Adventure Pass Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves approximately 13,628 residents (2020 census)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration21 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PrairieCat ConsortiumcoreTechnology or IntegrationPrairieCat is a library consortium providing shared catalog system and interlibrary loan services. MULD participates in this consortium, enabling patrons to access materials from over 130 other libraries in Northern Illinois and borrow items from across the network.
• Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRAILS is a library system that provides resources and support to member libraries across Illinois. MULD is a member of this system which facilitates resource sharing and professional development.
• eRead IllinoiscoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with eRead Illinois, a state-run entity operated by the Illinois State Library, providing access to over 30,000 ebook and audiobook titles. Works with Illinois authors, libraries, and publishers to expand digital access statewide.
• The Palace ProjectcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe Palace Project (formerly Boundless) is a digital media platform supported by Lyrasis in strategic partnership with the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA). Provides ebooks, audiobooks, and other digital media to libraries and patrons.
• Explore More IllinoisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural pass program providing offers and discounts to museums, park districts, cultural centers, and attractions across Illinois.
• Museum Adventure PassminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with over 20 Chicago area cultural destinations including Brookfield Zoo, Cantigny Park, Chicago Botanic Garden, and Legoland Discovery Center for free admission passes.
• Land Conservancy of McHenry CountyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration for the Art of the Land photo contest, showcasing landscapes and natural areas of McHenry County in the library.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Woodstock Public Library: McHenry County community library within the same regional market as MULD, operating as a similarly sized public library with overlapping programming and consortial digital offerings.
• Skokie Public Library: Award-winning Illinois public library district operating with a similar range of community programs, digital lending platforms, and Library of Things-style nontraditional lending.
• Schaumburg Township District Library: Larger Illinois township district library serving a comparable suburban profile with similar digital content breadth (Hoopla, Kanopy, Libby), programs for all ages, and PrairieCat-style resource sharing.
• Gail Borden Public Library District: Elgin-based Illinois library district of comparable district-library structure and PrairieCat/RAILS consortium membership, serving a similar-sized Kane County community with a comparable mix of physical and digital services.
• Algonquin Area Public Library District: Adjacent McHenry/Kane County Illinois district library with overlapping service geography and the same PrairieCat consortium access, making it a near-direct geographic and structural peer.
• Barrington Area Library: Illinois district library with comparable small-district operating model, broad digital platform adoption (Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy, etc.), and a similar emphasis on community programming and study/meeting spaces.

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Public Library: Major municipal library system offering overlapping digital content, programming, and Library of Things equivalents, but at city-scale scope — useful as a benchmark for what scaled library services can include.
• Newberry Library: Chicago-based independent research library with extensive special collections, genealogy, and educational programming — comparable to MULD's archival and adult learning offerings but at a much larger and more specialized scale.

Others

• Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS): Statewide library system of which MULD is a member; RAILS coordinates resource sharing, professional development, and digital access (eRead Illinois) across Illinois — a key peer/ecosystem enabler rather than direct competitor.
• PrairieCat Consortium: The shared catalog and interlibrary loan consortium of 130+ Northern Illinois libraries that powers MULD's Vega Discover integration; central infrastructure peer with direct operational relevance.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGcVSRJWsgclsY9T4rvtzRA/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/Marengo-Union-Library-District-50530616859
• Instagraminstagram.com/muldlibrary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marengo-union-library-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Marengo-Union Library District