School Library
School Library Journal (SLJ) is a 70-year-old monthly trade publication and digital platform owned by Media Source Inc., providing book reviews, news, professional development courses, and events for school and public librarians serving children and young adults.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1954
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What School Library does
School Library Journal (SLJ), founded in 1954 and headquartered in New York, NY, is a monthly trade magazine and digital publishing platform serving school and public librarians, educators, and the broader children's and young adult literature community. The company is a subsidiary of Media Source Incorporated, which also owns Library Journal, The Horn Book, Junior Library Guild, and AKJ Education. SLJ operates with approximately 115 employees and reaches its audience through the slj.com website, a print magazine, a network of 8+ specialized blogs (Heavy Medal, A Fuse #8 Production, Good Comics for Kids, Teen Librarian Toolbox, The Yarn, and others), social channels, email newsletters, and annual events including the SLJ Summit and Day of Dialog.
The core platform combines news, features, and the exclusive Reviews+ subscription product, which provides unlimited access to an archive of book and media reviews dating back to 2010 with a 'starred' designation for standout titles. The technology stack is a digital publishing platform with content management, subscriber authentication capped at three simultaneous device logins, and a separate online course delivery infrastructure at course.libraryjournal.com hosting professional development programs such as Science of Reading and Frontline Safety Training. The product portfolio also includes a Job Zone career board and curated booklists for collection development.
SLJ monetizes through three primary revenue streams: subscription recurring revenue from individual and institutional subscribers to the magazine and Reviews+; advertising and sponsorships served across the website and branded editorial features; and professional services revenue from in-person events, webcasts, online courses, and master classes. Distribution is predominantly self-serve via the website and course platform with annual billing, supplemented by direct-sales channels for in-person events. Strategic partnerships with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), and the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation anchor co-branded awards programs and editorial initiatives, reinforcing SLJ's position as the leading professional resource in the school librarian segment.
School Library firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- School Library
- Legal name
- School Library Journal
- Website
- https://schoollibraryjournal.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1954
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- School Library Journal (SLJ) is a 70-year-old monthly trade publication and digital platform owned by Media Source Inc., providing book reviews, news, professional development courses, and events for school and public librarians serving children and young adults.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
School Library industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Trade Media & Publishing
- NAICS
- Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Literature & Book Clubs / Guided Reading Groups (EDAMAJAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Children’s Educational & Curriculum Publishing (MPAJAFAF)
Keywords
Where School Library is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
School Library business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscription Revenue: Paid subscriptions providing unlimited access to reviews, news content, and digital archives dating back to 2010. Both print and digital access options available with multi-device licensing (up to 3 simultaneous devices).
- Advertising & Sponsorships: Sponsored content sections on the website and branded editorial features. Advertise link visible in footer pointing to media.libraryjournal.com.
- Events & Professional Development: Revenue from in-person events (SLJ Summit, Day of Dialog), online courses, webcasts, and master classes for professional development.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Digital and Print Subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
School Library product offering
Product offeringCore offering
School Library Journal (SLJ) is a monthly trade magazine and digital platform that provides news, features, exclusive book reviews (with archives back to 2010), curated booklists, and professional resources for K-12 school librarians, public youth-services librarians, and educators serving children and young adults. The publication is complemented by a multi-blog network (including 100 Scope Notes, A Fuse #8 Production, Good Comics for Kids, Heavy Medal, Teen Librarian Toolbox, The Yarn, and others), online professional development courses, and live/virtual events such as the annual SLJ Summit and Day of Dialog.
Product overview
School Library Journal (SLJ) is a single publication platform offering a monthly magazine and comprehensive digital content hub for library professionals. The core offering consists of the SLJ magazine and website providing news, book reviews, and professional resources. Premium subscription add-ons include Reviews+ for unlimited access to review archives, and Online Courses for professional development. The SLJ Blog Network extends coverage through specialized topic-focused blogs. Events programming and Job Zone provide additional community resources. The product portfolio centers on one publication supported by multiple content delivery and professional development modules.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- School Library Journal (SLJ) Magazine and Digital Platform
- SLJ Reviews+ Premium Review Archive
- Online Professional Development Courses
- SLJ Live Events and Professional Development Programming
- Job Zone Career Board
Companies that use School Library
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
School Library technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
School Library partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA)coreBCALA and SLJ co-present the annual Children & Youth Literary Awards, celebrating the diversity of the Black experience in children's and YA literature.
- National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)coreSLJ and NCTE collaborate on book-related initiatives including the Refreshing the Canon project to modernize summer reading lists, joint survey launches, and co-branded award programs including Orbis Pictus and Charlotte Huck awards.
- Ezra Jack Keats FoundationcorePartnership for the Ezra Jack Keats Writer and Illustrator Awards, recognizing excellence in children's literature. SLJ provides coverage and promotion of award winners.
- Media Source IncorporatedcoreParent company of School Library Journal, Library Journal, and related properties. SLJ is a subsidiary of Media Source Inc, part of a network of library industry publications.
- Junior Library GuildminorRelated library industry organization under the Media Source Inc. network, featured in SLJ's partner/logo section.
- The Horn BookminorChildren's literature review publication under Media Source Inc. family, co-featured in SLJ's partner section.
- AKJ EducationminorEducation materials provider under Media Source Inc. network, featured in SLJ's partner/logo section.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
School Library competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Booklist (ALA): American Library Association's review publication for libraries, covering youth and adult titles. Directly competes with SLJ Reviews+ for librarian subscription and collection-development mindshare.
- Library Journal: Sister publication under Media Source Inc. targeting public and academic librarians with reviews, news, and PD. Closest direct analogue and natural cross-sell partner for SLJ.
- Kirkus Reviews: Major book review publication offering librarian-relevant reviews, industry coverage, and awards. Competes with SLJ for paid review subscriptions and editorial influence on collection development.
- School Library Connection: Subscription resource providing lessons, articles, and reviews for school librarians. Direct competitor to SLJ in the K–12 librarian professional-development and content space.
- Junior Library Guild: Subscription book-selection service for K–12 libraries, also under Media Source Inc. Competes with/extends SLJ's collection-development value proposition through curated, pre-selected shipments.
- The Horn Book: Children's and YA literature review publication also under Media Source Inc. Overlaps with SLJ's review franchise and shares editorial and award programming adjacencies.
Broad incumbents
- American Libraries Magazine: ALA's flagship publication covering the broader library profession including school libraries. Adjacent incumbent that competes for the same librarian audience across news and advocacy.
- Education Week: Leading K–12 education news publication. Competes with SLJ for the school librarian and educator audience on broader education-policy, budget, and curriculum news.
- Publishers Weekly: Long-standing trade publication covering the book industry end-to-end. Overlaps with SLJ in children's/YA coverage and publisher-facing news but serves a much broader trade audience.
Emerging players
- Reading Rockets: Public television-supported literacy education resource serving educators and librarians. Adjacent competitor in the literacy/reading-instruction content space where SLJ's Classroom section also plays.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
School Library social profiles
Digital presenceSchool Library financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
School Library leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
School Library funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
School Library 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 School Library
What does School Library do?
School Library Journal (SLJ) is a monthly trade magazine and digital platform that provides news, features, exclusive book reviews (with archives back to 2010), curated booklists, and professional resources for K-12 school librarians, public youth-services librarians, and educators serving children and young adults. The publication is complemented by a multi-blog network (including 100 Scope Notes, A Fuse #8 Production, Good Comics for Kids, Heavy Medal, Teen Librarian Toolbox, The Yarn, and others), online professional development courses, and live/virtual events such as the annual SLJ Summit and Day of Dialog.
Is School Library a public or private company?
School Library is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was School Library founded?
School Library was founded in 1954. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is School Library based?
School Library is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does School Library make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Subscription Revenue is the primary driver. The others are advertising & Sponsorships and events & Professional Development.
Who are School Library's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Booklist (ALA), Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Connection, Junior Library Guild and The Horn Book. Broad incumbents are American Libraries Magazine, Education Week and Publishers Weekly. Reading Rockets is listed as an emerging player.
Does School Library have an API?
No public API is recorded for School Library.
What industry is School Library in?
School Library's product category is Trade Media & Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAJAG, Literature & Book Clubs / Guided Reading Groups, with a secondary code of MPAJAFAF, Children’s Educational & Curriculum Publishing. Its NAICS code is 5192 and its SIC code is 2721.