Southeast Library System

What Southeast Library System does

Southeast Library System (SELS) is a 501(c)(3) regional library consortium headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, that serves member libraries across a 20-county area of southeast Nebraska. Its member base spans public libraries (including Beatrice, Fairbury, Crete, Seward Memorial, Lincoln City, Kilgore Memorial, and others), academic libraries (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Southeast Community College), and school media centers. The organization operates with approximately six staff members, led by Executive Director Deb Robertson (appointed March 19, 2026), Assistant Director Todd Schlechte, and Administrative Assistant Catherine Sokol.

SELS delivers a portfolio of non-software services to member libraries: consulting and advisory support, continuing-education classes and workshops (including an annual Training Extravaganza and AI-literacy sessions), monthly PDF newsletters distributed via an email listserv, multiple-copy book discussion kits (typically 8–25 copies per title) for book clubs and classrooms, a journal article request service that scans and emails tables of contents and articles from periodicals such as Library Journal and School Library Journal, scholarships (primarily for the Joint Youth Services Retreat), Breakout Edu kits for team-based problem-solving programming, and a curated Policy Examples library of templates contributed by member libraries. SELS operates on standard web platforms (a WordPress site, Zoom for webinars, email listservs) and does not maintain proprietary technology, a public API, or a software product.

The business model is grant-funded rather than commercial: SELS is financed primarily through state appropriations and federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds administered by the Nebraska Library Commission, with supplemental cost-recovery revenue from training events ($25 per attendee for the Training Extravaganza, $60–$190 for the Joint Youth Services Retreat). Distribution is direct-to-member via the Lincoln office, with services accessed by libraries through email, phone, website registration (Google Forms), and in-person events at member-library venues such as Seward Memorial Library and Camp Carol Joy Holling. Marketing is conducted through monthly newsletters, website blog posts, Zoom webinars, and annual in-person events, with newsletter archives maintained back to 2004.

Name

Southeast Library System

Legal name

Southeast Library System

Website

https://selsne.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Southeast Library System is a 501(c)(3) regional library consortium serving public, academic, and school libraries across a 20-county area of southeast Nebraska through consulting, training, book kits, newsletters, and scholarships funded by state and federal sources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), 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), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL)

Keywords

• Library consortium services
• Continuing education training
• Book kit circulation
• Library consulting support
• Regional library coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. State and Federal Funding: As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Southeast Library System is funded through state and federal sources administered by the Nebraska Library Commission. Funding supports operational costs and programming services for member libraries across the 20-county service area.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Southeast Library System is a 501(c)(3) regional library consortium that provides consulting, continuing education, and shared resource services to public, school, and academic libraries across a 20-county area in southeast Nebraska. Core offerings include book discussion kits, a journal article request service, scholarships, breakout edu kits, monthly newsletters, and annual training events such as the Training Extravaganza and Joint Youth Services Retreat.

Product overview

Southeast Library System is a 501(c)(3) regional library consortium serving member libraries across a 20-county area of southeast Nebraska. It is not a technology product company; its offering consists entirely of member-facing services including Consulting, Continuing Education Classes (notably the annual Training Extravaganza and workshops on topics such as AI tools, WordPress, Canva, Cricut, and WCAG accessibility), a Monthly Newsletter distributed via email listserv, Book Discussion Kits (multiple-copy circulating kits for book clubs and classes), a Journal Article Request Service (periodical TOC scanning and article delivery), Scholarships (primarily for the Joint Youth Services Retreat), Breakout Edu Kits, and a Policy Examples library of templates from member libraries. The system does not operate a software product, platform, or public API.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consulting Services Advisory and consulting support provided to member libraries across southeast Nebraska, covering operational, programmatic, and strategic topics.
• Continuing Education Classes Ongoing professional development and training classes for library staff, including the annual Training Extravaganza events and workshops on topics such as AI tools, WordPress websites, Canva, Cricut Design Space, accessibility (WCAG), customer service, and grant writing.
• Monthly Newsletter A PDF newsletter published monthly, covering news, events, training opportunities, and updates for member libraries. Available via email subscription through the listserv, with archives dating back to 2004.
• Email Listserv An email-based listserv through which member libraries receive newsletters, announcements, and system-wide communications.
• Book Discussion Kits Multiple-copy book kits (typically 8–25 copies per title) available for checkout by school media centers and public libraries within the SELS service area for use in book clubs, classes, and discussion groups. Kits cover a wide range of fiction, nonfiction, and young adult titles, including works with Nebraska or Great Plains themes.
• Journal Article Request Service A table-of-contents scanning and article distribution service. The SELS office scans and emails the TOC of newly arrived periodicals; member library staff can request specific articles, which are then scanned and emailed. Journals include American Libraries, Library Journal, Public Libraries, School Library Journal, and Young Adult Library Services.
• Scholarships Financial assistance awarded to library staff and residents of the SELS service area, with particular emphasis on covering registration fees for the annual Joint Youth Services Retreat. Administered by the SELS board.
• Breakout Edu Kits Educational kit lending program that provides member libraries with Breakout Edu kits — lockbox-style educational games used for team-based problem-solving and learning activities, applicable for both children's and adult programming.
• Policy Examples Library A curated collection of policy templates and examples from member libraries covering patron behavior, circulation, privacy, collection development, reconsideration, disaster preparedness, records retention, social media, advocacy, and meeting room policies.
• Events and Meetings Coordination Calendaring and registration coordination for system-wide events including the Joint Youth Services Retreat, Training Extravaganzas, CASTL meetings, and joint conferences with the Mountain Plains Library Association and Nebraska Library Association.

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Nebraska Library CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNebraska Library Commission administers state and federal funding for SELS and provides access to databases, technology kits, and resources. SELS participates in Commission programs including the One Book for Nebraska Kids/Teens initiative and utilizes Commission services for member libraries.
• Mountain Plains Library AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSELS co-sponsors the annual Joint Youth Services Retreat with other regional library systems. SELS also participates in MPLA conferences and joint events with the Nebraska Library Association.
• Nebraska Library Association (NLA) - Public Library and Trustee SectionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSELS co-hosts the annual Training Extravaganza with the NLA Public Library and Trustee Section (PLTS) for Eastern Spring Meeting, combining resources for professional development events.
• Camp Carol Joy HollingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe retreat venue near Ashland hosts the annual Joint Youth Services Retreat, providing facilities for SELS-sponsored professional development and networking events.
• GROW NebraskaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGROW Nebraska presented marketing tips, tools, and tactics at SELS Training Extravaganza to help libraries boost their presence and engage communities.
• Nebraska Arts CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNebraska Arts Council partners with SELS to provide grant programs that help libraries host Nebraska artists and incorporate arts programming through NAC funding opportunities.
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNL Extension partners with SELS to provide STEM programming resources and educational opportunities for libraries' summer reading programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Amigos Library Services: Multi-state library consortium providing continuing education, cooperative purchasing, consulting, and shared resource services to member libraries across the south-central and southwestern U.S. Operates at a larger multi-state scale than SELS but with a structurally similar library-cooperative value proposition.
• Califa Library Group: California-based library consortium delivering shared e-resource procurement, continuing education, and consulting to member libraries. Operates at a larger scale and on a multi-type library basis comparable to SELS's regional-cooperative model, though with a heavier emphasis on digital resource aggregation.
• Nebraska Library Commission: The state-level library agency that administers LSTA funding for SELS and operates statewide programs including One Book Nebraska and continuing education initiatives. Overlaps with SELS's training and consulting offerings at a wider geographic scale and serves as both funder and complementary service provider.

Regional players

• Iowa Library Services / State Library of Iowa: State library agency administering LSTA and state funding for library development across Iowa. Delivers continuing education, consulting, and resource-sharing services to Iowa libraries that structurally mirror what SELS provides at a sub-state regional level in Nebraska.
• South Dakota State Library: State library agency serving a comparable rural-midwest library constituency with continuing education, consulting, and shared resource programs. Operates at a state-wide (rather than sub-state regional) scale but follows a structurally similar library-development mission funded by state and LSTA dollars.

Direct peers

• Panhandle Library System (Nebraska): Another Nebraska regional library system serving the western panhandle counties with the same consortium-based service model (consulting, training, book kits). Operates as a sister regional system alongside SELS under the same Nebraska Library Commission funding framework.
• Nebraska Library Association (NLA): Statewide professional association for Nebraska library staff and trustees. Co-hosts the annual Training Extravaganza with SELS and provides overlapping continuing education, advocacy, and networking services to the same member library population.
• Meridian Library System (Nebraska): One of Nebraska's regional library systems serving central and south-central counties with a membership model comparable to SELS's. Delivers similar consulting, continuing education, and shared resource services to member public, school, and academic libraries.
• Northeast Nebraska Library System: Another Nebraska regional library system providing consulting, training, and shared resources to member libraries under the Nebraska Library Commission. Operates with an identical structural model — membership-based, state and LSTA funded, multi-county service area — making it the closest direct peer to SELS.
• Mountain Plains Library Association (MPLA): Multi-state regional library association covering 12 plains and mountain states. Co-sponsors the Joint Youth Services Retreat with SELS and other regional systems, and offers overlapping continuing education, networking, and professional development services to library staff across a much broader region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southeast-library-system

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Southeast Library System