What Prairie River Library District does

Prairie River Library District (PRLD) is a public library district and political subdivision of the state of Idaho, operating eight branch libraries across communities along the Clearwater River and Camas Prairie in north-central Idaho. The district headquarters is located at the Lapwai Community Library (611 Main Street, Lapwai, ID 83540). PRLD is a member of the Valnet consortium, which links over 40 public and school libraries in north-central Idaho and southeast Washington through a shared Koha-based catalog system. Its mission is to "enrich lives and strengthen communities through universal access to information and services."

PRLD's core offerings include physical lending (books, movies, materials), digital lending via Libby by OverDrive (ebooks, audiobooks, magazines), and access to databases such as A-Z World Food, LiLI, and Chilton Library. The district extends its reach through a Mobile Library serving Nez Perce, Lewis, and Idaho Counties, Homebound Services for residents unable to visit branches, accessibility services (Talking Book Services), and community resources including a Makerspace, Seed Library, and a telehealth space at Craigmont. Technology is built on third-party platforms (Koha, OverDrive/Libby, IDEA) rather than proprietary systems, with no AI or API capabilities disclosed.

PRLD is funded by public tax revenue and accepts donations and grants (Tax ID #82-0332669; Idaho tax credits available for donations up to $1,000 joint or $500 single). All library services are free to patrons. The district is governed by a six-member elected Board of Trustees serving six-year terms, with Ellamae Burnell serving as Director and Board Clerk. Active capital projects include the Kooskia Library Project (new building to replace the 1,500 sq ft branch) and Lapwai renovations underway in 2025, both funded without new taxes.

Name

Prairie River Library District

Legal name

Prairie River Library District

Website

https://prld.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Public library district in north-central Idaho operating eight branches plus a mobile library across three counties, offering free physical and digital lending, databases, and community programs as a member of the Valnet consortium of 40+ libraries.

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 Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Library Collections & Cataloging Services (Acquisitions, Metadata, Circulation) (EDAEAGAE)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community library branches
• Digital library resources
• Mobile library outreach
• Consortium catalog access

Headquarters

HQ city

Lapwai

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Funding (Tax Revenue): District operates with public funding through tax revenue. No new taxes needed for library projects.
2. Donations and Grants: Accepts charitable donations by check or online. Tax ID #82-0332669. Idaho tax credits available for donations up to $1000 (joint) or $500 (single). Mobile library funded by American Rescue Plan Act through Idaho Commission for Libraries.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Prairie River Library District operates eight public library branches serving communities along the Clearwater River and Camas Prairie in Idaho. The district provides free access to physical and digital library materials, programs, computer/WiFi access, and community resources through the Valnet consortium catalog and Libby/OverDrive digital platform.

Product overview

Prairie River Library District operates as a multi-branch public library system with eight branches serving communities along the Clearwater River and Camas Prairie in Idaho, serving as a member of the Valnet consortium. The district's core offerings include physical library services (books, movies, materials lending), the Valnet/Koha online catalog, and digital reading through Libby by OverDrive for ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines. Supporting services include specialized databases (A-Z World Food, LiLI, Chilton Library), accessibility services (Talking Book Services), outreach programs (Mobile Library, Homebound Services, Literacy Centers), and community resources. The district is currently undertaking the Kooskia Library Project to build a new facility, with district headquarters located at the Lapwai branch.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Library Catalog (Valnet/Koha) Online library catalog providing access to physical and digital collections across the Valnet consortium of over 40 public and school libraries in north-central Idaho and southeast Washington; available free to patrons with a library card.
• Libby by OverDrive Digital reading app for borrowing ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines free with a Prairie River Library District library card.
• Mobile Library American Rescue Plan Act-funded outreach service bringing library resources to communities across Nez Perce, Lewis, and Idaho Counties, focusing on areas with limited library access.
• Homebound Services Delivery service for residents unable to visit the library, providing selected materials based on borrower interests delivered to homes in Lapwai and Sweetwater Community.
• Talking Book Services Free audiobook library service for Idaho residents who are blind, have perceptual or reading disabilities, or cannot read standard print due to visual impairment or physical disability.
• LiLI Databases Suite of online databases providing access to full text of magazines, professional journals, reference materials, newspapers, auto repair resources, health information, genealogy, and practice tests.
• A-Z World Food Digital database featuring over 7,000 traditional recipes from 174 countries, along with ingredient, food culture, and reference articles.
• Chilton Library Vehicle maintenance and repair database providing step-by-step procedures, wiring diagrams, specification tables, and labor estimating tools.
• Idaho Digital E-Book Alliance (IDEA) Statewide partnership between the Idaho Commission for Libraries, public libraries, and school libraries expanding access to digital e-books and e-audio content via OverDrive.
• Makerspace Creative makerspace at Lapwai Community Library offering equipment and resources for hands-on making and learning.
• Seed Library Seed sharing program at Lapwai Community Library allowing patrons to borrow seeds for gardening; launched in February 2023.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free services for all community members

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Valnet ConsortiumcoreTechnology or IntegrationPRLD is a member of Valnet, a consortium of over 40 public and school libraries in north-central Idaho and southeast Washington. Provides shared catalog system and resource sharing.
• Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide partnership through IDEA (Idaho Digital E-Book Alliance) expanding access to digital e-books and e-audio content. Also provided ARPA funding for Mobile Library.
• Friends of the Kooskia Community LibraryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVolunteer organization supporting the Kooskia library through fundraising and community advocacy.
• Impact Library ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided the Pi-Nee-Waus Book Exchange Little Free Library to the Lapwai community through the Impact Library Program.
• Nez Perce TribeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndorsed the Little Free Library project and agreed to house it on Pi-Nee-Waus Community Center grounds.
• Laundromat Library LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKamiah library participates in the Laundromat Library League with book exchange locations in over 30 states.
• Friends of the Lapwai LibraryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal volunteer organization supporting the library through fundraising and community activities.
• Craigmont Library FriendsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMonthly volunteer meetings supporting the Craigmont library.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• Community Library Network: Idaho multi-branch library system serving Kootenai County with similar branch-based service delivery, Koha/Valnet-style catalog participation, and rural/suburban community programming. Closest structural analog to PRLD's branch network model.
• Lewiston City Library: Public library located in Lewiston, the principal city adjacent to PRLD's service area in Nez Perce County. Comparable Idaho public library serving a similar regional population and offering overlapping digital and physical services to overlapping patrons.
• Meridian Library District: Multi-branch Idaho library district serving a similar community profile with comparable services, governance structure (elected board, tax-funded), and Valnet/OverDrive-era digital catalog. Directly comparable operating model to PRLD with broader suburban scale.
• Twin Falls Public Library: Idaho public library providing similar catalog, digital lending, and community programming services in a comparable Idaho market. Useful benchmark for PRLD's service design and digital content strategy.
• Idaho Falls Public Library: Idaho public library offering comparable branch programming, digital lending, and community resources in a similar mid-size market. Comparable operating model and patron mix for benchmarking circulation, digital adoption, and program breadth.

Others

• OverDrive: Digital content platform that powers PRLD's Libby ebooks/audiobooks/magazines lending and the IDEA statewide consortium. Enabling technology partner rather than a direct competitor, central to PRLD's digital service delivery.
• Idaho Commission for Libraries: State library agency that administers IDEA, Talking Book Services, and the ARPA-funded Mobile Library program that supports PRLD. Coordinating/statewide authority that shapes PRLD's funding and digital resource availability.

Broad incumbents

• Boise Public Library: Largest Idaho public library system with broader scope, larger budget, and a wider portfolio of programs and facilities than PRLD. Serves as the statewide scale benchmark for service depth and digital investment.

Regional players

• Flathead County Library System: Multi-branch rural public library system serving a geographically dispersed population in Montana. Comparable rural multi-branch operating model and challenges around geographic reach and per-capita funding.
• North Olympic Library System: Rural multi-branch public library system in Washington State with similar geographic dispersion, branch-network structure, and rural outreach model. Comparable operating context to PRLD's multi-community service footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PrairieRiverLibraries
• Instagraminstagram.com/prairieriverlibrarydistrict
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prairie-river-library-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries9 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 Prairie River Library District