Waterford Public Library

What Waterford Public Library does

Waterford Public Library is a municipal public library located at 101 N. River Street in Waterford, Wisconsin, serving the Village of Waterford, Town of Norway, Town of Waterford, and surrounding communities. The library has operated continuously since the 1920s and has occupied its current Fox River location since March 12, 2001. It is governed by a Library Board under Wisconsin Statutes Section 43.58 and operates as part of the Prairie Lakes Library System and SHARE Consortium, which provide shared catalog, circulation, and interlibrary loan infrastructure across multiple Wisconsin counties.

The library's core service portfolio includes physical lending of books and media, a Library of Things program for non-book items, meeting and study room rentals, homebound delivery, wireless printing, proctoring services, and a Summer Reading Challenge for ages 0-100. Digital services are delivered through third-party platforms: the SHARE online catalog, Libby by Overdrive for eBooks and audiobooks, BadgerLink for research databases, and specialized tools including Ancestry Library Edition, LinkedIn Learning, MasterClass, Mango Languages, Heritage Quest, NoveList, Consumer Reports, and the WISCAT interlibrary loan system. Age-segmented programming covers youth (storytimes, STEAM, sensory play), teens (Teen Advisory Board, volunteer opportunities), and adults (book clubs, yoga, crafting, game meetups).

Revenue is derived primarily from municipal appropriations through the Village of Waterford budget, supplemented by Friends of WPL memberships ($25-$100/year across four tiers), endowment donations, the Buy a Brick program ($100 one-time), merchandise sales through the WPL Store, meeting room rental fees, a $100 annual fee for Milwaukee County residents, and $2 replacement card fees. The library's customer base is geographically diffuse across Wisconsin, with programming segmented by age group and use case, and its go-to-market is community-led through in-person engagement, a monthly e-newsletter, and organic social media on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Name

Waterford Public Library

Legal name

Waterford Public Library

Website

https://waterford.lib.wi.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Waterford Public Library is a municipal public library in Waterford, Wisconsin, serving Village and Town residents with physical and digital lending, research databases, educational programs, and community services for all ages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), 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), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community lending programs
• Digital library resources
• Children's literacy programs
• Genealogy research databases

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Municipal Funding: Primary funding from local municipal sources as part of the Village of Waterford's budget, governed by Wisconsin Statutes Section 43.58 which gives the Library Board exclusive control of library expenditures.
2. Endowment Donations: Tax-deductible donations to the Waterford Public Library Endowment. Donations are invested, with annual income supporting the library's mission. Federal tax ID: 39-6006399.
3. Friends of WPL Memberships: Annual membership fees supporting library programs and services. Membership tiers include Individual ($30), Senior Citizen ($25), Family ($50), and Business ($100).
4. Buy a Brick Program: Donation program where supporters pay $100 for a custom brick installed in the library's main entrance walkway.
5. Library Merchandise Sales: Sales of branded merchandise including T-shirts, hoodies, and tote bags through the WPL Store. Proceeds support the Friends of Waterford Public Library.
6. Library Card Fees: Free library cards for Wisconsin residents. Milwaukee County residents pay a $100 yearly fee due to non-reciprocal borrowing policy. $2 replacement card fee.
7. Meeting Room Rental: Community room, history room, and study rooms available for community groups with applicable fees per the meeting room policy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Waterford Public Library provides free public library services to Wisconsin residents, including lending of physical and digital books, audiobooks, and media, research database access, genealogy resources, language and professional development learning platforms, age-specific educational programs, community meeting spaces, and interlibrary loan. The library is part of the Prairie Lakes Library System and SHARE Consortium, enabling patrons to access shared materials across multiple Wisconsin counties.

Product overview

Waterford Public Library operates as a public library system offering a unified service combining physical and digital resources. The core product portfolio centers on library materials lending (physical books, media, and Library of Things) augmented by extensive digital services including the SHARE Consortium catalog, Libby/Overdrive digital lending, BadgerLink research databases, and specialized platforms like NoveList for reading recommendations, Ancestry for genealogy, Mango Languages for learning, and LinkedIn Learning/MasterClass for professional development. Additional services include interlibrary loan via WISCAT, summer reading programs, meeting room reservations, homebound delivery, wireless printing, and age-specific programming for youth, teens, and adults. The library's digital services integrate multiple third-party platforms providing patrons access to Wisconsin's Digital Library consortium.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SHARE Catalog Online library catalog and account portal enabling patrons to search, check out, renew materials, place holds, and manage their library accounts across SHARE consortium libraries spanning multiple Wisconsin counties.
• Libby by Overdrive Digital Lending Digital lending platform providing access to eBooks and eAudiobooks from Wisconsin's Digital Library, available via app or web browser with no late fees, accessible 24/7.
• BadgerLink Research Databases Wisconsin research database platform providing licensed content including Auto & Engine Repair, Business, Genealogy, Health, Literature, Science, newspapers, Consumer Reports, and educational resources.
• Ancestry Library Edition Genealogical research database available in-library only, providing census, vital, church, court, and immigration records from US, UK, Canada, Europe, and Australia.
• Summer Reading Challenge Annual reading program with activities, programs, and prizes for ages 0-100, featuring weekly reading records and grand prize drawings.
• Library of Things Collection of non-traditional items available for checkout, including technology and equipment, expanding library services beyond traditional books and media.
• Interlibrary Loan Service providing access to materials not available within the SHARE Consortium by borrowing from libraries across Wisconsin via the WISCAT platform.
• Homebound Delivery Delivery service for Village of Waterford residents unable to visit the library due to temporary or permanent physical disabilities.
• Wireless Printing Patron printing service allowing wireless submission of print jobs from personal devices at the library.
• Meeting Rooms Community room, history room, and two study rooms available for individuals and community groups to reserve for meetings and events.
• Youth Programs Early literacy programs including storytimes and sensory play for ages 0-5, plus STEAM activities, therapy dog readalouds, and workshops for school-age children.
• Teen Advisory Board (TAB) Teen-only events, volunteer opportunities, and advisory board for middle and high schoolers to connect, create, and contribute to library services.
• Adult Programs Recurring adult programs including crafting groups, yoga sessions, game meetups, and book clubs in a welcoming library environment.
• Mango Languages Personalized, adaptive language-learning platform offering 70+ languages, American Sign Language (ASL Insider), and Little Pim modules for children ages 0-5.
• LinkedIn Learning Online learning platform with thousands of courses in in-demand skills from industry experts, accessible with library card.
• MasterClass Online education platform featuring classes taught by experts in arts, business, writing, food, home, music, sports, and gaming; library provides no-cost annual memberships.
• NoveList Fiction recommendation resource providing read-alikes, discussion guides, and reading lists to help adult and teen readers discover new books.
• Friends of WPL Memberships Annual membership program supporting library services with tiers including Individual ($30), Senior Citizen ($25), Family ($50), and Business ($100). Includes store discount and volunteer opportunities.
• Buy a Brick Program Donation program where supporters pay $100 for a custom brick installed in the library's main entrance walkway for permanent recognition.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free library cards available to Wisconsin residents
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Prairie Lakes Library SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterford Public Library is part of the Prairie Lakes Library System, which provides support, resources, and consortium benefits to member libraries in the region.
• SHARE ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SHARE (Systemwide Hacking and Retaining Electronic Access) Consortium allows Waterford patrons to access shared materials across multiple counties through a unified catalog and circulation system.
• Village of WaterfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVillage of Waterford provides municipal funding and governance oversight. The Library Board operates under Wisconsin Statutes Section 43.58 with Village representation.
• Waterford Graded School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district appointee serves on the Library Board. Library provides educational programs and resources for students.
• Friends of Waterford Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer and donor organization supporting library services and programs. Manages the Friends Shop, annual memberships, fundraising events, and proceeds supplement the library's operating budget.
• Wisconsin Digital Library / OverdrivecoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides Libby platform access to eBooks and audiobooks through the Wisconsin Digital Library consortium, available 24/7 with no late fees.
• BadgerLinkcoreTechnology or IntegrationWisconsin's online resources providing licensed trustworthy content including Britannica, EBSCO databases, newspapers, and educational resources not available from free search engines.
• Village of WaterfordminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Village website linked from library's community links page for local information sharing.
• Waterford Graded School DistrictminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSchool district website linked for community resources and coordination on educational programs.
• Central Racine County Health DepartmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealth department resource linked for community health information access.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Overdrive / Libby: Overdrive operates Libby, the digital lending platform that powers Waterford's eBook and audiobook access via the Wisconsin Digital Library. It is a critical technology vendor rather than a peer library, but its product is integral to the patron experience.
• Prairie Lakes Library System: Prairie Lakes Library System is the regional library system that Waterford belongs to, providing shared services, interlibrary loan coordination, and member-library support across multiple Wisconsin counties. It is an ecosystem enabler rather than a direct competitor.
• SHARE Consortium: SHARE Consortium is the shared-catalog and circulation system that connects Waterford with peer libraries across multiple counties. It is an enabling infrastructure partner rather than a competing library.
• Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (BadgerLink): The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction administers BadgerLink, the statewide research database service that Waterford makes available to patrons. It is a state-level enabling partner rather than a competing entity.

Direct peers

• Burlington Public Library: Burlington Public Library is a small municipal library in Burlington, Wisconsin serving a similar community profile in Racine County. It is part of the same SHARE Consortium as Waterford, operates a comparable programming model, and faces the same municipal funding dynamics — making it the closest functional peer.
• East Troy Public Library: East Troy Public Library is a small Wisconsin municipal library in Walworth County serving a community of similar size and demographic profile. Operates with a comparable municipal funding model and offers analogous programming for all ages.
• Muskego Public Library: Muskego Public Library is a Wisconsin municipal library serving a similar suburban/small-city population, also part of a SHARE-affiliated regional catalog system. Comparable in governance, funding mix, and digital resource offerings.
• Mukwonago Community Library: Mukwonago Community Library is a Waukesha County, Wisconsin public library of similar scale serving a comparable suburban community, sharing consortium participation and offering overlapping programs for children, teens, and adults.
• Twin Lakes Public Library: Twin Lakes Public Library is a small Wisconsin municipal library serving a Kenosha County community of similar scale to Waterford, with analogous programs, funding structure, and consortium participation.
• Lake Geneva Public Library: Lake Geneva Public Library is a Wisconsin public library serving a comparable small-town community in Walworth County with similar programming, consortium membership, and municipal funding model. Comparable in scale, patron demographics, and service breadth to Waterford Public Library.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjErpv-sm0Q0Dx7036vXAsA
• Facebookfacebook.com/waterfordlibrary.wi
• Instagraminstagram.com/waterford_library_wi
• Pinterestpinterest.com/waterfordlib
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waterford-public-library

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Waterford Public Library