SALINE COUNTY LIBRARY

What SALINE COUNTY LIBRARY does

Saline County Library is a public county library system headquartered in Benton, Arkansas, serving all of Saline County across a 99-mile geographic footprint through three branches — Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library (32,000 sq ft, opened 2003), Mabel Boswell Memorial Library in Bryant (14,000 sq ft, opened 2002 with a 2007 children's wing), and the newly opened East End Branch Library in Hensley (3,000 sq ft, opened 2024) — supplemented by the Gann Museum of Saline County, a National Register historic site. The library is funded primarily through a voter-approved 0.7% millage increase and a quarter-cent countywide sales tax passed in 1998, with supplemental grant funding from the Arkansas State Library via IMLS-administered American Rescue Plan Act dollars, and operates as a government state entity under a Board of Trustees.

The library's product surface spans traditional physical lending (books, audiobooks, DVDs, video games), digital lending via Libby, Overdrive, Kanopy, and Hoopla, a Makerspace equipped with Glowforge Pro laser cutters and Bambu Lab X1 Carbon 3D printers, a Library of Things (learning kits, hotspots, outdoor gear, seed library), passport acceptance services, notary services, genealogy research, homebound delivery, bookmobile service, and eight 24/7 community book boxes. Technology is built on Bibliocommons catalog, Sirsi Dynix circulation management, and a centralized Mid-Ark Regional Library System mobile app, with no proprietary AI or ML capabilities — all digital lending and streaming is delivered through third-party platforms.

Saline County Library generates the vast majority of its revenue through county tax appropriations and is free at point of use for Saline County residents, property owners, workers, and students; minor transaction revenue comes from a $35 passport execution fee, $10 non-resident cards, $1 interlibrary loan requests, printing fees, and the Friends of the Library Used Book Store. The library is a member of the Mid-Arkansas Regional Library Consortium with four other Arkansas county libraries, enabling cross-county cardholder access and shared bookmobile service. With 23 employees, the institution operates at the scale of a small public agency rather than a commercial enterprise.

Name

SALINE COUNTY LIBRARY

Legal name

Saline County Library

Website

https://salinecountylibrary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Saline County Library is a public county library system in Arkansas operating three branches and the Gann Museum, serving Saline County residents with free physical and digital lending, makerspace access, passport services, and programming, funded primarily by voter-approved county millage and sales tax.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192), Libraries and Archives (519210)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Library Collections & Cataloging Services (Acquisitions, Metadata, Circulation) (EDAEAGAE), Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing) (EDAEAGAF), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community library programs
• Digital library access
• Library resource sharing
• Makerspace services

Headquarters

HQ city

Benton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Public library funded primarily through county millage taxes and voter-approved sales tax. In 1998, a 0.7% mileage increase and quarter cent countywide sales tax was approved by voters to fund library improvements.
2. Grant Funding: Funding provided by the Arkansas State Library with American Rescue Plan Act funds through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
3. Non-Resident Library Cards: Non-resident cards available for $10 per year for those who do not live, own property, work, or attend school in Saline County or reciprocal counties
4. Passport Services: $35 execution fee for passport applications, plus $10 for passport photos. Execution fee waived for renewals.
5. Used Book Store Sales: Friends of the Library operate a used bookstore selling donated and withdrawn materials (hardcovers $1, paperbacks $0.50, DVDs/CDs $1, etc.) to raise money for library projects

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Saline County Library provides free public library services to residents of Saline County, Arkansas, including lending of physical and digital books, audiobooks, DVDs, and video games; a Library of Things; Makerspace fabrication access; the Gann Museum of Saline County; passport acceptance and notary services; genealogy and local history research support; meeting room reservations; bookmobile and books-by-mail delivery; and age-specific programming for children, tweens, teens, and adults. Services are delivered through three branches, eight 24/7 book boxes, a bookmobile, and integrated digital platforms (Libby, Overdrive, Kanopy, Hoopla).

Product overview

Saline County Library is a public library system operating as a unified service across multiple locations, offering traditional physical lending combined with extensive digital services. The core offering centers on physical library collections (books, DVDs, video games, board games) accessible at Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library in Benton, Mabel Boswell Memorial Library in Bryant, and East End Branch Library, supported by the Mid-Ark Regional Library consortium for expanded access. Digital services operate through eLibrary platforms including Overdrive/Libby for eBooks and audiobooks, Kanopy for streaming video, and Hoopla for additional digital media. The Library of Things extends traditional lending to non-book items like learning kits, hotspots, and kitchen equipment, while the Makerspace at Benton and Bryant provides access to 3D printers, laser cutters, and other fabrication tools. Specialized services include the Gann Museum (historic site and archive), passport processing, notary services, meeting room reservations, genealogy resources, homebound delivery, and book club kits. Youth programming includes storytime, reading challenges, and homework help, with parallel adult services spanning career support, continuing education, and cultural programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gann Museum of Saline County: A historical museum operated by the library featuring Niloak pottery, Native American artifacts, and Saline County history. Built in 1893, it is the only known bauxite building in existence.

Products and services

• Physical Library Collections Traditional lending of books, audiobooks, DVDs, video games, board games, and other physical materials across three library locations in Benton, Bryant, and East End.
• eLibrary Digital Services Online access to eBooks, eAudiobooks, streaming video (Kanopy), and digital media (Hoopla) via Overdrive/Libby platform using library card credentials.
• Makerspace Hands-on maker facility at Benton and Bryant locations featuring 3D printers (Bambu Lab X1 Carbon), Glowforge laser cutter/engraver, Silhouette Cameo 4, Cricut Maker, sublimation printer, and crafting supplies with required certification classes.
• Library of Things Nontraditional collection of loanable items including arts and crafts kits, educational learning kits, board games, preloaded tablets, hotspots, wellness kits, kitchen equipment, outdoor recreation gear, language learning materials, and a Seed Library.
• Gann Museum of Saline County Historic 1893 bauxite building housing collections of Niloak pottery, Native American artifacts, and Saline County history, with exhibits on local heritage and Dr. Gann Sr.'s medical practice.
• Passport Services U.S. passport application assistance at Benton and Bryant locations, including photo services ($10), DS-11 form processing, and $35 execution fee collection.
• Genealogy and Local History Resources Research resources including Ancestry Library (in-library use), obituaries, Saline County records, and David O. Demuth Arkansas Collection with digital archives.
• Computer Labs and Technology Access Public desktop computers, laptop lending, free WiFi, and technology assistance with session limits (60-minute for children's computers, 90-minute for adult computers).
• Meeting Room Reservations Reservable meeting spaces with capacities of 75 in Benton, 30 in Bryant, and 15 in East End available for non-profit community use.
• Notary Services Free notary public services available at Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library (Benton) and Mabel Boswell Memorial Library (Bryant) during business hours.
• Homebound Services and Books by Mail Delivery and mailing service for patrons unable to visit libraries due to age, disability, illness, or distance (more than 15 miles from branches), with up to 4 items per patron.
• Pocket Librarian Personalized reading recommendations and customized reading lists created by library staff based on patron interests.
• Youth and Teen Programs Age-specific programming including storytime, 1,000 Books Challenge, homework help, teen tutoring, driver license prep, and 100 Books Challenge for children and teens.
• Book Club Kits and Book Clubs Pre-packaged kits containing 5-10 copies of selected novels plus discussion questions and tote bags for patron-led book clubs, along with multiple recurring book clubs including Monday Afternoon, Adultish, Benton Library, East End Elevenses, Nostalgia Bait, Who-Dun-It, and Literary Tea Society.
• Used Book Store Used bookstore operated by Friends of the Library at Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library selling donated and withdrawn materials (hardcovers $1, paperbacks $0.50, DVDs/CDs $1) to raise money for library projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free access to all library services including books, eBooks, audiobooks, programs, and museum visits for residents
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mid-Arkansas Regional Library Consortium (Mid-Ark)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Consortium of five Arkansas libraries (Cleveland County, Dallas County, Grant County, Malvern-Hot Spring County, and Saline County) enabling resource sharing. Cardholders can use their library card at any consortium location, return materials to any branch, and access a shared bookmobile serving outlying communities. This consortium enables access to significantly expanded collections and services beyond what a single county library could offer.
• Arkansas Digital Library ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Overdrive and Libby access to public and school libraries across Arkansas, enabling digital content sharing statewide.
• Mockingbird Resource SharingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide resource sharing network allowing libraries across Arkansas to share catalogs and resources with each other and their patrons.
• Arkansas State LibrarycoreOthersProvides funding through American Rescue Plan Act funds via the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Also provides access to databases purchased with state funds for all public library systems across Arkansas.
• Friends of the LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer organization established March 2017 that operates the Used Book Store, raises funds for library improvements, and supports library programs. Has funded the Beyond the Stacks magazine, outdoor bench, furniture, and donated books to nonprofits.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cleveland County Library (Arkansas): Member of the Mid-Arkansas Regional Library Consortium alongside Saline County Library. Both are small Arkansas county library systems sharing catalogs, bookmobile, and consortium-level digital infrastructure.
• Dallas County Library (Arkansas): Mid-Ark consortium partner; another small Arkansas county library system with comparable services, footprint, and funding model as Saline County Library.
• Grant County Library (Arkansas): Mid-Ark consortium partner; comparable small-county Arkansas public library offering shared consortium digital and bookmobile services to its patrons.
• Malvern-Hot Spring County Library (Arkansas): Mid-Ark consortium member offering shared digital and physical resource access; operates in Hot Spring County, AR with similar scale and service scope as Saline County Library.

Regional players

• Central Arkansas Library System (CALS): Regional library system serving the broader Little Rock metropolitan area in Arkansas. Larger scope and budget than Saline County Library, but operates in the same state with overlapping digital content offerings.
• Pulaski County Library System: County library system in neighboring Pulaski County, Arkansas; offers similar services (branches, digital lending, community programming) at greater scale than Saline County Library.

Broad incumbents

• Overdrive (Libby): Dominant digital-content platform powering Saline County Library's eBook, audiobook, and streaming services through the Libby app. Operates broadly across all public libraries, not a direct competitor but a critical infrastructure provider.

Others

• BiblioCommons: Catalog and discovery platform provider used by Saline County Library for patron account management, holds, and renewals. Serves hundreds of public libraries globally as a SaaS infrastructure partner.
• SirsiDynix: Integrated library system (ILS) vendor whose SirsiDynix ENT/SIRSI platform powers Saline County Library's patron records and circulation. A major backend infrastructure provider across US public libraries.
• Hoopla Digital: Digital content platform offering ebooks, audiobooks, comics, music, and video to library patrons. Saline County Library cardholders access Hoopla directly; relevant as a complementary digital-lending vendor.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SCLIBRARY
• Facebookfacebook.com/Saline-County-Library-76479535148
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saline-county-library
• Instagraminstagram.com/sclibrary_
• TikToktiktok.com/@salinecountylibrary

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 SALINE COUNTY LIBRARY