Ulysses Philomathic Library

What Ulysses Philomathic Library does

Ulysses Philomathic Library is a non-profit public library operating from a single location at 74 East Main Street in Trumansburg, New York (also doing business as Trumansburg-Ulysses Philomathic Library). The institution offers free library cards and borrowing services for print and digital collections, eight public computers with free wireless internet access (24/7 LibraryPublic network), meeting room rentals (Local History Room and Melvin Community Meeting Room), fee-based printing/copying/faxing, and free scanning. Its services are organized around four primary customer segments: the general public, homeschool families, seniors (with weekly delivery to Juniper Manor), and children/teens (with story times, Summer Reading Program, D&D Teen Book Club, and Makerspace).

The underlying technology stack is built entirely on third-party, consortium-provided platforms rather than proprietary systems. Core operations run on the Polaris Integrated Library System through membership in the Finger Lakes Library System (FLLS), which provides shared catalog search, patron account management, holds, and interlibrary loan. Digital media lending is delivered through Overdrive (e-books and audiobooks) and Kanopy (video streaming). The library offers integrated Google Calendar event scheduling and references D&D Beyond as a character creation resource for teen programming. No custom-developed platforms, mobile apps, or API infrastructure are in evidence.

The organization's revenue model combines association memberships (flexible tax-deductible donations providing voting rights), general monetary donations via PayPal, the Book Endowment Fund (memorial contributions), nominal fee-based services (printing, copying, faxing — $0.20-$0.50 per page), and likely municipal/public funding as part of the Finger Lakes Library System. The library uses a direct-to-consumer go-to-market motion with no paid marketing; outreach occurs through community events, word-of-mouth, the library website, an active Facebook presence, and an email newsletter. Grant funding comes from a diversified set of foundations (NYSCA, United Way of Tompkins County, Nelson B. Delavan Foundation, NBD Foundation) administered in some cases through Community Arts Partnership.

Name

Ulysses Philomathic Library

Legal name

Ulysses Philomathic Library

Website

https://trumansburglibrary.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ulysses Philomathic Library is a non-profit public library in Trumansburg, NY providing free borrowing, public computers, WiFi, meeting rooms, and community programs for all ages as a member of the Finger Lakes Library System.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)

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), Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing) (EDAEAGAF), Library, Reading Motivation & Independent Reading Programs (EDAMAJAO), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community library programs
• Digital media lending
• Library meeting rooms
• Youth reading programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Trumansburg

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, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Association Memberships: Flexible donation amounts for voting membership in the library association. Financial contributions are tax-deductible and form an essential part of the annual operating budget. Board of Trustees are elected by association members.
2. Monetary Donations: General monetary donations accepted through PayPal. Memorial endowments available through the Book Endowment Fund to stabilize the library's book budget and honor community members.
3. Fee-based Services: Printing/copying services (20¢ per black page, 50¢ per color page), faxing (50¢ per page), and other ancillary services generate nominal revenue.
4. Municipal/Public Funding: Operates as a public library likely receiving municipal funding support in addition to association contributions and fee-based revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ulysses Philomathic Library is an independent nonprofit public library providing free access to physical and digital collections (books, e-books, audiobooks, DVDs, video games, databases), public computers and WiFi, meeting rooms, and a broad slate of community programs for all ages. It also runs fee-based print/copy/fax services and outreach home delivery to Juniper Manor senior residents as part of its core service mix.

Product overview

Ulysses Philomathic Library is a community public library offering a unified set of core services centered on physical and digital media lending. The library's primary offerings include free public computer access (8 computers) and wireless internet (LibraryPublic network, 24/7), meeting room rentals (Local History Room and Melvin Community Meeting Room), and fee-based print/copy/fax/scan services. Digital services include Overdrive e-books/audiobooks and Kanopy video streaming through the Finger Lakes Library System consortium. The library runs diverse programming including Story Time, Dungeons & Dragons Teen Book Club, UPL Book Club, Watercolor Club, Chair Yoga, Makerspace, Summer Reading Program, and Trumansburg Harvest Table food distribution. Homebound delivery is available to Juniper Manor residents. The library maintains fine-free borrowing with 3-week standard loans and 1-week loans for DVDs and videogames.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Library Card and Borrowing Services Free library cards for all residents with proof of name and address; fine-free lending with 3-week loans for most items, 1-week loans for DVDs and videogames, and 11-day holds pickup.
• Public Computer Access Eight public computers available with 30-minute sessions extendable to 4 hours; connected to printer/copier with no filtering software.
• Free Wireless Internet (LibraryPublic) Free WiFi network available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week across the library.
• Print, Copy, Fax and Scan Services Fee-based document services: black printing at 20 cents/page (first 5 free), color printing at 50 cents/page (first 2 free), faxing at 50 cents/page (first page free), and free scanning to PDF.
• Meeting Room Rental Two public meeting spaces available: the Local History Room for groups of 1-8 people and the Melvin Community Meeting Room for larger groups with key access after hours.
• Delivery to Juniper Manor (Homebound Services) Free weekly delivery of books, DVDs, and other materials to residents of Juniper I and Juniper II senior living facilities.
• Accessibility Services ADA parking, ground-level entrance with automatic doors, accessible restrooms, wheelchair-accessible workstations, adaptive equipment (walker with seat), and curbside service.
• Homeschool Resources Curated resource lists (math, ELA, science, NYS history), museum and park passes, nature activity backpacks, database access, and staff assistance for homeschooling families.
• Story Time with Miss Clay Weekly story time program for children birth to five and their caregivers featuring stories, songs, and activities.
• Chair Yoga Weekly gentle yoga class led by Caryn Sheckler using seated or standing postures with chair support to improve balance and flexibility.
• Dungeons and Dragons Teen Book Club Weekly D&D club for teens combining reading books with tabletop gaming to earn XP and experience; no prior experience required.
• UPL Book Club Monthly book discussion group meeting on the last Wednesday of each month at 1pm in the Melvin Community Meeting Room.
• Watercolor Club Weekly drop-in painting session on Tuesdays at 10am for adults; participants bring their own materials.
• Art Exhibits Program Rotating art exhibitions in the library gallery showcasing local and regional artists.
• Summer Reading Program 2026 Annual youth reading program with free book rewards for reading reports and a community-wide reading goal.
• Trumansburg Harvest Table Weekly food distribution event co-hosted with Trumansburg Harvest, sharing free local produce for patrons of all ages; held Tuesdays 4-6pm.
• Makerspace Weekly STEAM program for tweens and teens exploring topics from buttons and embroidery to electricity; held Thursdays at 3:30pm in the Teen Scene.
• 1 on 1 Tech Help Individual technology assistance sessions helping patrons with the Libby app, Kanopy accounts, and general tech questions.
• E-books and Audiobooks (Overdrive) Digital media lending service providing access to e-books and audiobooks through the Overdrive platform via the Finger Lakes Library System.
• Kanopy Video Streaming On-demand streaming service for films and documentaries available to library patrons with a valid library card.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Trumansburg HarvestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner co-hosting the Trumansburg Harvest Table food distribution events at the library. Events share free local produce with community members of all ages. Library provides venue and volunteers for the program.
• Finger Lakes Library SystemcoreTechnology or IntegrationMember of FLLS consortium providing shared Polaris catalog system, interlibrary loan, databases, and accessibility resources. The library uses FLLS's integrated catalog and discovery platform.
• REV TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer Performer Series visiting act during library programming.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Brooklyn Public Library: Large urban public library system in New York; shares the same statewide ecosystem as UPL and pursues a similar mission of free public access, programming, and community engagement, but at much larger scale.
• New York Public Library: Massive public library system serving New York City; comparable mission (free public access to information, programs, community anchoring) but operates at vastly greater scale and with broader geographic and demographic reach.

Direct peers

• Interlaken Public Library: Small Finger Lakes village public library sharing the FLLS consortium; directly comparable in scale, rural community setting, and basic public library services.
• Dryden Public Library: Small rural public library in nearby Dryden, NY; a fellow Finger Lakes Library System member with very similar scale, mission, free-card model, and program mix to Ulysses Philomathic Library.
• Newfield Public Library: Small community public library in Newfield, NY, also within the Finger Lakes Library System; comparable in size, community-library mission, and service offering.
• Tompkins County Public Library: Public library serving Ithaca and Tompkins County in the same Finger Lakes region; operates as a comparable community library within the Finger Lakes Library System with similar program, lending, and meeting room offerings.

Others

• Finger Lakes Library System: Regional library consortium of which UPL is a member; provides the Polaris integrated catalog, interlibrary loan, and shared digital infrastructure that UPL relies on for core service delivery.
• Overdrive: Digital lending platform used by UPL (via the FLLS consortium) to distribute e-books and audiobooks; an enabling technology provider rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ulyssesphilomathiclibrary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ulysses-philomathic-library

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Ulysses Philomathic Library