Bethlehem Public Library
Bethlehem Public Library is a nonprofit public library chartered by the New York State Board of Regents in 1913, serving Bethlehem Central School District residents from a Delmar, NY facility with 250,000+ items and 221,744 annual visitors in 2024.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1913
- HeadquartersDelmar, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Bethlehem Public Library does
Bethlehem Public Library is a nonprofit public library chartered by the New York State Board of Regents in 1913 and operating under New York State Education Law from a single facility at 451 Delaware Avenue in Delmar, New York. The library provides free library cards and services to all residents of the Bethlehem Central School District, with eligibility extended to residents of Albany and Rensselaer counties through the Upper Hudson Library System (UHLS), a 29-member consortium. The library is governed by a Board of Trustees under Library Director Geoffrey Kirkpatrick and recorded 221,744 visitors and 1,032 sponsored programs in 2024.
The library's core product is the lending of more than 250,000 physical and digital items — books, DVDs, music CDs, audiobooks, eBooks, eMagazines, and a Library of Things assortment of tools, instruments, electronics, science kits, and museum passes. Operationally, the library runs on the Sierra/IIIVEga integrated library management system for catalog, circulation, and patron management, supplemented by third-party digital content platforms (Hoopla, OverDrive/Libby, Kanopy) and a vendor-provided Brainfuse platform for online tutoring and live job coaching. In-house infrastructure includes 20 public access computers with Microsoft Office and Adobe software, a Studio Makerspace, four study rooms, reservation-based Board and Community rooms, an in-house BCN-TV public access television studio, and free outdoor WiFi hotspots at four community locations.
The business model is primarily tax-funded: operating revenue is collected through the Bethlehem Central School District tax base, with secondary revenue streams from printing (10–25 cents per page), $25 exam proctoring fees for non-residents, eReader overdue fees (capped at the $320 replacement cost for a lost Kindle Paperwhite), facility rentals through Facility Use Contracts, and donations including a matched Krakower-Storch Family Technology Fund and contributions routed through the Friends of Bethlehem Public Library nonprofit. Distribution is hybrid — in-person at the main building, no-contact curbside pickup (seasonal hours), biweekly van-based home delivery for homebound residents, an online catalog, and dedicated school outreach staff embedded at each school in the district. A fine-free lending policy applies to most materials.
Bethlehem Public Library firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bethlehem Public Library
- Legal name
- Bethlehem Public Library
- Website
- https://bethlehempubliclibrary.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1913
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Bethlehem Public Library is a nonprofit public library chartered by the New York State Board of Regents in 1913, serving Bethlehem Central School District residents from a Delmar, NY facility with 250,000+ items and 221,744 annual visitors in 2024.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bethlehem Public Library 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 Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL)
Keywords
Where Bethlehem Public Library is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Delmar
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Bethlehem Public Library business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Public Tax Funding: Primary funding source from public tax revenue for residents of the Bethlehem Central School District. Operates as a public library with free services to district residents.
- Fee-based Services: Nominal fees for specific services including printing (10¢/page B&W, 25¢/page color), exam proctoring for non-residents ($25), eReader overdue fees ($1/day), and replacement costs for lost materials.
- Donations and Memorial Gifts: Monetary donations for memorial book purchases, Krakower-Storch Family Technology Fund, and support from Friends of Bethlehem Public Library nonprofit organization.
- Facility Rental: Meeting room and space rentals through Facility Use Contracts for private events, with rental fees based on room type and attendance capacity.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free basic services for district residents |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Printing services |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Exam proctoring - non-residents |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | eReader borrowing |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Facility rental for private events |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Bethlehem Public Library product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bethlehem Public Library provides free public library services to community residents, including lending of physical and digital books and media, access to research databases, reference assistance, educational and cultural programming for children and adults, and use of community meeting space. The library's offering is a publicly funded service rather than a commercial product.
Product overview
Bethlehem Public Library operates as a traditional public library system serving the Bethlehem Central School District in Delmar, NY, offering a unified suite of services rather than a modular software product. The core offerings center on physical and digital content lending—books, DVDs, music CDs, and audiobooks—with standard loan periods. Digital services include ebooks, emagazines, and streaming video via Libby/OverDrive and Hoopla. The Library of Things program extends lending to non-traditional items including tools, instruments, electronics, and museum passes. Facility-based services encompass meeting room reservations, study rooms, the Studio Makerspace with video production equipment, and the Bethlehem Community Network Television (BCN-TV) public access station. Patron support services include home delivery (Books to People), exam proctoring, reference and research assistance, job coaching through Brainfuse, and school/community outreach programs. Accessibility services provide assistive listening devices, large print materials, Braille cards, and home delivery for patrons with disabilities. The library maintains extensive local history and genealogy collections alongside digital research databases.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 221,744 annual visitors (2024)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Bethlehem Public Library
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Bethlehem Public Library technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Bethlehem Public Library partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Upper Hudson Library System (UHLS)coreBethlehem Public Library is a member of the 29-library Upper Hudson Library System. This membership allows Bethlehem cardholders to access resources from all system libraries and enables interlibrary loan capabilities across the system.
- Bethlehem Central School DistrictcoreComprehensive partnership including school outreach programs, book talks, after-school enrichment, writing workshops, 3D printing, STE(A)M, and makerspace activities. Dedicated library staff assigned to each school for ongoing engagement.
- Friends of Bethlehem Public LibrarycoreNonprofit organization supporting the library through increased community awareness, cultural and educational programs, and assistance with special projects. Supports Library of Things collection and other programs.
- Bethlehem Senior ProjectsminorCommunity partnership for older adult outreach programming and services to seniors in the Bethlehem community.
- BrainfusecoreProvides JobNow (live job coaching, resume critique, interview techniques) and HelpNow (online tutoring and learning tools for all ages) services to library patrons through integrated digital platform.
- Better World BooksminorBook donation bin located in library parking lot. Proceeds from donated book sales benefit Friends of Bethlehem Public Library.
- Wildwood ProgramsminorCommunity partner featuring Bethlehem Public Library in video showcasing local organizations committed to employing staffers of all abilities.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Bethlehem Public Library competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Brainfuse: Online tutoring and job coaching platform integrated with the library's services. Provides JobNow and HelpNow offerings, comparable as technology vendor enabling digital service delivery.
- Upper Hudson Library System: Consortium of 29 libraries including Bethlehem. Enables shared catalog, interlibrary loan, and joint digital platform procurement - directly comparable enabling partner for cooperative purchasing and content distribution.
- Better World Books: Book donation and resale partner running a donation bin in the library parking lot. Comparable as a complementary for-profit ecosystem participant in the public library content lifecycle.
Broad incumbents
- New York Public Library: Massive statewide public library system also chartered by NY State Board of Regents. Operates with similar governance and statutory framework but at vastly larger scale, providing strategic benchmarks for service innovations.
Regional players
- Albany Public Library: Capital region public library serving Albany, NY with similar offerings including digital lending, programming, and community outreach. Comparable municipal-library operating model with tax-based funding.
- Troy Public Library: Capital region public library serving Troy, NY. Same Upper Hudson Library System membership and similar mix of physical, digital, and community programming services.
- Schenectady County Public Library: Regional public library system in the greater Capital District. Comparable in operational scope, digital lending platform adoption, and community programming breadth.
Direct peers
- Voorheesville Public Library: Adjacent Albany County public library also chartered by NY State Board of Regents, serving a small school district. Closest geographic and structural peer with similar scale and budget constraints.
- East Greenbush Community Library: Rensselaer County public library serving a comparable suburban school district population. Similar mid-sized upstate New York public library with overlapping services and digital platform usage.
- Guilderland Public Library: Albany County public library serving the Guilderland Central School District. Directly comparable suburban public library with similar tax funding structure, collection size, and programming model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Bethlehem Public Library social profiles
Digital presenceBethlehem Public Library financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bethlehem Public Library leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Bethlehem Public Library funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bethlehem Public 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 Bethlehem Public Library
What does Bethlehem Public Library do?
Bethlehem Public Library provides free public library services to community residents, including lending of physical and digital books and media, access to research databases, reference assistance, educational and cultural programming for children and adults, and use of community meeting space. The library's offering is a publicly funded service rather than a commercial product.
Is Bethlehem Public Library a public or private company?
Bethlehem Public Library is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Bethlehem Public Library founded?
Bethlehem Public Library was founded in 1913. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Bethlehem Public Library based?
Bethlehem Public Library is headquartered in Delmar, United States, in the North America region.
How does Bethlehem Public Library make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Public Tax Funding is the primary driver. The others are fee-based Services, donations and Memorial Gifts and facility Rental.
Who are Bethlehem Public Library's main competitors?
Others on record are Brainfuse, Upper Hudson Library System and Better World Books. New York Public Library is listed as a broad incumbent. Regional players are Albany Public Library, Troy Public Library and Schenectady County Public Library. Direct peers are Voorheesville Public Library, East Greenbush Community Library and Guilderland Public Library.
Does Bethlehem Public Library have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bethlehem Public Library.
What industry is Bethlehem Public Library in?
Bethlehem Public Library's product category is Public Library Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAGAC, Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management, with a secondary code of EDAAAFAA, Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries). Its NAICS code is 519210 and its SIC code is 8200.