Rochester Public Library (Minnesota)
Rochester Public Library is a municipal public library serving 156,036 residents of Rochester and Olmsted County, Minnesota, providing free access to 732,174 physical and digital items, technology services, programs, and community outreach through multiple physical and digital channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1895
- HeadquartersRochester, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) does
Rochester Public Library (RPL) is a municipal public library established in 1895 under Minnesota state statute, serving the residents of Rochester and Olmsted County, Minnesota — a combined service population of 156,036. The library operates from a downtown main branch at 101 2nd Street SE and extends service through a multi-channel distribution network: a bookmobile (the highest-circulation bookmobile in Minnesota) serving neighborhoods and rural areas including Byron, Oronoco, and Eyota; a 24/7 BookBox automated pickup locker at Fire Station 4; more than 200 community mini-libraries; and a Library at Home volunteer delivery program for homebound residents. As of December 31, 2024, RPL employed 75.87 FTE staff, served 55,269 registered cardholders (roughly 35% service-area penetration), and circulated a collection of 732,174 physical and digital items that generated 2,230,251 uses in 2024.
The library's technology stack is anchored by the SirsiDynix integrated library system for catalog and circulation management, supplemented by RFID tags for inventory tracking and theft prevention, an automated materials handling system installed in 2008, three self-check stations, and a mobile app for patron access. Digital content is delivered via third-party platforms including OverDrive/Libby (ebooks, audiobooks, digital magazines), Kanopy (streaming video), and EBSCO's Novelist Plus reader recommendation database. Operational support integrations include ePRINTit (remote printing), Volgistics (volunteer management), GovDelivery/Granicus (eNewsletter distribution), SRFax (HIPAA-compliant fax), LibraryMarket (events calendar), and the AskMN cooperative chat reference service.
RPL's operating model is government-funded rather than revenue-generating: the 2025 Operating Budget of $9,916,430 is financed primarily through a City of Rochester property tax levy, an Olmsted County appropriation under a per-capita formula, and supplemental library revenues. The library has operated without overdue fines since June 1, 2020. Auxiliary program funding flows from two affiliated nonprofits — the Rochester Public Library Foundation ($117,240 contributed in 2024) and the Friends of the Library ($89,575 plus $72,632 in bookstore sales in 2024). Core services are free to residents; transactional fees apply only to printing ($0.10 B&W / $0.25 color per page), faxing ($1.00/page), and non-resident visitor cards ($6 for 28 days).
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rochester Public Library (Minnesota)
- Legal name
- Rochester Public Library
- Website
- https://rplmn.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1895
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Rochester Public Library is a municipal public library serving 156,036 residents of Rochester and Olmsted County, Minnesota, providing free access to 732,174 physical and digital items, technology services, programs, and community outreach through multiple physical and digital channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Library Services
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (519210), Libraries and Archives (51921)
- 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 User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Library Collections & Cataloging Services (Acquisitions, Metadata, Circulation) (EDAEAGAE), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)
Keywords
Where Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rochester
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Government Funding: Primary funding from City of Rochester property taxes, Olmsted County appropriation, and library revenues. The 2025 Library Operating Budget is $9,916,430.
- Fines and Fees: Fees for printing ($0.10-0.25/page), faxing ($1.00/page), lost/damaged materials, and visitor cards ($6). No overdue fines since June 1, 2020.
- Foundation and Friends Support: Rochester Public Library Foundation contributed $117,240 in 2024; Friends of the Library contributed $89,575 in 2024 plus bookstore sales of $72,632.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Free Basic Library Card for service area residents |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Visitor Card for non-residents |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Printing - Black & White |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Printing - Color |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Faxing |
| Subscription | Monthly | Sound Booth Recording |
| Subscription | Monthly | Convert-O-Lab Media Digitization |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Community Passes |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rochester Public Library provides free public library services to Rochester and Olmsted County residents, including physical and digital lending of books, media, and special collections, plus access to computers, WiFi, printing, meeting rooms, and community programs. It operates a downtown main library, a Bookmobile serving neighborhoods and rural areas, a 24/7 BookBox pickup kiosk, a network of over 200 mini libraries, and a home delivery service for homebound residents, complemented by digital content via Libby/OverDrive and Kanopy.
Product overview
Rochester Public Library operates as a multi-service public library system serving Rochester and Olmsted County, Minnesota (156,036 service population). The library offers a unified platform combining physical and digital lending services centered on the SirsiDynix-powered catalog and patron account system, extended by OverDrive/Libby for digital content and Kanopy for streaming video. Core physical services include books, media, and special collections, while community engagement features include the Bookmobile mobile library, BookBox 24/7 self-service locker, Library at Home delivery, and a network of 200+ Mini Libraries. Facility amenities encompass meeting and study rooms, the Convert-O-Lab digitization lab, and Sound Booth recording studio. Technology services include hotspot lending, public computing, printing/scanning/faxing, and microfilm digitization. The library also provides specialized programs for teens (Teen Library Council), children (Summer Playlist, Storytime), adults (Book Groups, Custom Recommendations), and municipal services (Municipal ID Cards, Rochester Reading Champions literacy tutoring).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Library Card and Patron Account System
Quantifiable outcome
- 2,230,251 total collection uses in 2024
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Rochester Public Library (Minnesota)
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration14 records
AI capability1 record
Feature5 records
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SELCO (Southeastern Libraries Cooperating)coreRegional library system providing shared cataloging (OCLC), automation services, and Minnesota Library Legacy funding. The library withdrew from SELCO automation in 2003 for SirsiDynix but maintains regional partnerships.
- Minnesota Department of Natural ResourcesminorPartnership for Minnesota State Park Library Program providing free 7-day state park passes (8 available) covering vehicle entry fees to any state park or recreation area.
- Rochester Art CenterminorPartnership providing free museum passes (5 passes, up to 6 people each) for library cardholders to access the Rochester Art Center.
- SPARK Children's MuseumminorPartnership with SPARK Children's Museum at Apache Mall providing free passes (5 passes, up to 6 people each) for library cardholders.
- AskMN / MinitexcoreCooperative 24/7 online reference service of Minnesota libraries providing research help to all MN residents. Staffed by trained librarians in Minnesota and cooperative partners. Supported by Minnesota Office of Higher Education funding. RPL joined to expand access and improve ADA compliance.
- Little Free LibraryminorNonprofit organization supporting mini-library boxes. RPL registers mini libraries in Olmsted County and provides free book collections for community mini libraries.
- Mayo ClinicminorMajor Rochester employer that partnered with library for 2010 'RACE: Are We So Different?' exhibit (37,000+ visitors) and contributed to 1972 building purchase when library moved from old location.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- New York Public Library: Much larger municipal public library operating at scale across multiple boroughs; comparable core services (branches, digital lending, programming, research) but with materially greater funding, footprint, and brand reach.
- Chicago Public Library: Large urban public library system delivering a comparable bundle of physical lending, digital access, and community programming, but operating at city scale with significantly more branches and funding.
- Multnomah County Library: Mid-to-large urban county library (Portland, OR) with a comparable public-services mandate, branch-plus-digital service mix, and community partnership approach.
- King County Library System: Large metropolitan county library in the Pacific Northwest offering similar services (digital lending, programming, bookmobile) but serving a much larger population across a multi-city geography.
Direct peers
- Saint Paul Public Library: Minnesota municipal public library with a comparable mix of physical branches, digital lending via Libby/OverDrive, community programming, and foundation/friends fundraising.
- Anoka County Library: Minnesota county library system with overlapping service population characteristics, county tax funding, and shared digital lending partnerships.
- Ramsey County Library: Suburban Minnesota county library system with overlapping funding model (county appropriation), collections, and outreach programs aimed at a comparable-sized service population.
- Dakota County Library: Adjacent Minnesota county library sharing SELCO regional infrastructure and serving suburban communities with a comparable operating budget and programming structure.
- Hennepin County Library: Twin Cities-area public library system serving a similar Minnesota municipal-government population with comparable physical and digital lending, programming, and outreach services.
Others
- Minitex / University of Minnesota Libraries: Minnesota statewide library cooperative that powers RPL's AskMN 24/7 reference chat and shared resource sharing; comparable as an ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) social profiles
Digital presenceRochester Public Library (Minnesota) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) 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 Rochester Public Library (Minnesota)
What does Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) do?
Rochester Public Library provides free public library services to Rochester and Olmsted County residents, including physical and digital lending of books, media, and special collections, plus access to computers, WiFi, printing, meeting rooms, and community programs. It operates a downtown main library, a Bookmobile serving neighborhoods and rural areas, a 24/7 BookBox pickup kiosk, a network of over 200 mini libraries, and a home delivery service for homebound residents, complemented by digital content via Libby/OverDrive and Kanopy.
Is Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) a public or private company?
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) founded?
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) was founded in 1895. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) based?
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) is headquartered in Rochester, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are fines and Fees and foundation and Friends Support.
Who are Rochester Public Library (Minnesota)'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library, Multnomah County Library and King County Library System. Direct peers are Saint Paul Public Library, Anoka County Library, Ramsey County Library, Dakota County Library and Hennepin County Library. Minitex / University of Minnesota Libraries is listed as an others.
Does Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rochester Public Library (Minnesota).
What industry is Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) in?
Rochester Public Library (Minnesota)'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 519210 and its SIC code is 8200.