Salina Public Library

What Salina Public Library does

Salina Public Library is a municipal public library system headquartered in Salina, Kansas, operating as a government-funded civic institution that provides free access to information, educational resources, and community programming for local residents. The system comprises the main library branch and the McKenzie Center location, supplemented by an outreach program ("Library on the Go" and home book delivery) that extends service beyond the physical footprint. As of FY 2025, the library served 32,459 active cardholders, recorded 145,873 building visits, and facilitated 499,738 checkouts against a total collection of approximately 2,097,790 items.

The library's service architecture combines a traditional physical collection with an extensive digital platform stack. Subscribed digital resources include Kanopy, Hoopla, TumbleBooks, Vooks, Britannica Collective, and Mango Languages, delivered alongside public WiFi (38,648 sessions), computer access, and a mobile hotspot lending program (3,124 checkouts). On the programmatic side, the library hosted 1,788 events attended by 31,981 patrons in FY 2025, supported by 135 partner organizations and 1,475 volunteer hours. The library has launched a "Re-Imagining Our Library" fundraising initiative, signaling possible future facility or service expansion.

As a public-sector entity, the library operates on a non-commercial funding model: revenue is sourced from municipal tax appropriations, state-level coordination through the Kansas State Library, and private philanthropy (390 donors in FY 2025). It charges no fees for core services and competes on access rather than price, making it the de facto monopoly provider of free public library services within its jurisdictional boundaries.

Name

Salina Public Library

Legal name

Salina Public Library

Website

https://salinapubliclibrary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Salina Public Library is a municipal library system serving Salina, Kansas through physical branches, digital platforms, and community programming. It provides free access to books, media, technology, and educational resources funded by public appropriations and private donations.

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 (519)

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 programs
• Digital lending platforms
• Educational resource access
• Library outreach services

Headquarters

HQ city

Salina

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Library Services: The Salina Public Library operates as a free public library funded primarily through public tax revenue and donations. Services are free to all library cardholders, including access to physical materials, digital content, technology services, programs, and meeting room reservations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Salina Public Library is a municipal public library providing free access to a 2+ million item collection of physical and digital library materials, including books, eBooks, audiobooks, streaming video, music, and educational databases. It lends technology such as hotspots, operates public computers and WiFi, and offers a Makerspace, remote printing, notary service, and meeting room reservations. The library also delivers community programming for children, teens, and adults (1,788 events in 2025) and outreach services (Library on the Go, home/jail/childcare deliveries, Little Libraries) to homebound, incarcerated, and underserved populations.

Product overview

Salina Public Library provides a comprehensive suite of library services combining physical collections and digital resources. The core offering includes traditional checkout of books, media, DVDs and CDs (with nearly 500,000 items checked out annually), alongside digital platforms like TumbleBooks, Kanopy, Vooks, Hoopla, and Britannica Collective for eBooks, streaming video, and educational content. Technology services include public computers and WiFi, Print from Anywhere, technology lending (including 3,124 hotspots), and a Makerspace. The library also offers extensive programming including Summer Reading, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, Book Club to New Worlds, Salina Reads, and Gallery 708 exhibitions. Outreach services encompass home delivery, Library on the Go mobile services, and Little Libraries, with 2025 seeing over 31,900 patrons attending 1,788 library events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Physical Library Collections

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Salina Art Center CinemaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2025Co-hosts the Reel Film Fans movie screening and discussion program featuring film adaptations of books. The library partners with the cinema for Salina Reads events, screening films like 'True Grit' followed by community discussions. This partnership enhances literary engagement by connecting books with visual media experiences.
• Ad Astra Books & Coffee HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal bookstore and coffee house serves as meeting location for the Book Club to New Worlds library book discussion group. The book club meets on second Sundays at this venue, supporting local business while providing a community space for literary discussions.
• Kansas State LibrarycoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides access to digital resources including Vooks, Britannica Collective, and other eContent through the Kansas State Library platform. Library cardholders can access these resources using their Kansas Library eCard on the state library website.
• KanopycoreTechnology or IntegrationStreaming video partner providing nearly 30,000 movies and documentaries to library cardholders. Cardholders receive 20 tickets per month to rent films, with unlimited access to Kanopy Kids curated collection. New titles added monthly.
• TumbleBookscoreTechnology or IntegrationElectronic children's books platform providing animated, talking picture books, chapter books, non-fiction titles, and educational content. No library card required; accessible directly through the library website for children of all ages.
• Ancestry Library EditioncoreTechnology or IntegrationGenealogy research database available to library cardholders inside the library building. Supports community members researching family history and local genealogy through the Ancestry platform.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Brooklyn Public Library: Urban public library with comparable free services, digital lending partnerships (Kanopy, Hoopla), and outreach programming for diverse community segments.
• Seattle Public Library: Municipal public library with comparable digital lending, eCard programs, makerspace offerings, and robust programming and outreach to underserved populations.
• Denver Public Library: Large urban public library with extensive digital lending, makerspace, and outreach programs. Comparable in service breadth and digital platform partnerships.
• Kansas City Public Library: Major Missouri-Kansas metro library system with deeper physical footprint, comparable digital and educational programming offerings, and similar reliance on municipal and donor funding.
• New York Public Library: Iconic municipal public library offering comparable free membership, digital lending, programming, and outreach services at much larger scale; useful for service-model benchmarking.
• Los Angeles Public Library: Large municipal public library with comparable free cardholder model, digital collections, eCard access, and extensive youth and adult programming.
• Enoch Pratt Free Library: Historic free public library system in Baltimore with comparable free-cardholder model, digital resources, community programming, and outreach to underserved populations.
• Chicago Public Library: Major urban public library with comparable free services, digital lending platforms, hotspot lending programs, and broad community programming serving a similar municipal population.

Regional players

• Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library: Another Kansas municipal public library system offering comparable physical collections, digital lending, programming, and outreach in a similar Midwestern city context. Direct comparable in mission, scale, and funding model.
• Wichita Public Library: Larger Kansas public library serving Wichita with similar free cardholder model, digital platforms (OverDrive/Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy), and community programming. Closest in-state scale comparable.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/salina-public-library

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Salina Public Library