What SELCO (Southeastern Libraries Cooperating/Southeast Library System) does

SELCO (Southeastern Libraries Cooperating) is a Minnesota not-for-profit corporation established in 1971, headquartered in Rochester. It operates as one of Minnesota's twelve statutory Regional Library Systems, serving a federation of locally autonomous public libraries and 11 counties across southeastern Minnesota (Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona). Through its sister organization SELS (Southeast Library System), SELCO also extends multitype services to academic, school, and special libraries, with SELS voluntary membership comprising 120+ libraries on top of the 35 member public libraries. The organization's purpose is to enable equitable access to quality library services across rural and urban communities through shared technology, resource sharing, advocacy, and professional development.

The core operational platform combines an open-source Evergreen Integrated Library System (ILS) supporting over 3.5 million items, a patron-facing Online Discovery Catalog and Mobile App, and OverDrive-powered digital lending for eBooks, audiobooks, and eMagazines. Physical infrastructure includes a delivery service handling approximately 3,500 items daily across the 11-county region via a contracted vendor plus in-house sorting. SELCO additionally provides WordPress domain and site hosting to member libraries, internet and PC support, interlibrary loan coordination, consulting, continuing education, scholarships, mini-grants, special collections, and Library Legacy Programs funded through Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Member-facing portals (Directors Portal, Information Portal, Legacy Portal, SELS Portal) segment resources by library role and function.

Revenue mechanics are subscription/government-funded rather than commercial: SELCO receives member dues and federation fees from public libraries and 11 counties, state funding as a designated Regional Library System, and supplemental grant dollars including the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; membership terms are set through cooperative agreements with member libraries and counties. Go-to-market is community-led/consortium-driven, with services delivered directly to member entities under voluntary participation; there is no external equity, no M&A activity, and no IPO. Approximately 15-20 staff run the organization across Administration, Outreach & Engagement, Resource Sharing, and Technology departments.

Name

SELCO (Southeastern Libraries Cooperating/Southeast Library System)

Legal name

SELCO, Southeastern Libraries Cooperating

Website

https://selco.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SELCO is a Minnesota non-profit regional library cooperative established in 1971, delivering technology infrastructure, resource sharing, and member support services to public, school, academic, and special libraries across an 11-county region of southeastern Minnesota.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Library Cooperative Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) & Resource Sharing Operations (EDAEAGAK), Library & Learning Space Managed Operations (Circulation, Scheduling, Staffing) (EDAEALAL), Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Library consortium services
• Integrated library system
• Interlibrary loan services
• Library technology infrastructure
• Continuing education libraries

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Member Dues and Federation Fees: As a federation of public libraries and counties, SELCO receives dues and fees from member libraries and 11 counties in southeastern Minnesota
2. State Funding: SELCO is one of Minnesota's twelve Regional Library Systems receiving state support; also receives grant dollars through Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund
3. Grant Funding: Undertaking grant writing to supplement SELCO basic operational budget and programs

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SELCO operates a regional library cooperative providing technology infrastructure, resource sharing, and support services to public, school, academic, and special libraries across 11 counties in southeastern Minnesota. Core offerings include an Evergreen-based Integrated Library System managing over 3.5 million items, daily physical delivery handling approximately 3,500 items, an Online Discovery Catalog and mobile app for patron access, OverDrive digital content, internet and PC support, and continuing education programs. Member libraries receive consulting, interlibrary loan coordination, and access to specialized programs funded through the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Product overview

SELCO operates as a regional library system serving southeastern Minnesota, providing a platform of interconnected services organized around three pillars: resource sharing, technology services, and member support. The core technology infrastructure includes the Integrated Library System (Evergreen-based) managing over 3.5 million items, the Online Discovery Catalog and Mobile App for patron access, and delivery services handling approximately 3,500 items daily. SELCO also licenses electronic resources including OverDrive digital content. Member-facing portals include the Directors Portal, Information Portal, Legacy Portal, and SELS Portal, each serving distinct library types and needs. The service portfolio encompasses technology support, continuing education, consulting, special collections, Legacy Programs, scholarships, and interlibrary loan coordination. The offering is a multi-module platform serving public, school, academic, and special libraries across an 11-county region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Resource sharing of 3.5 million+ items through regional ILS
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MINITEXcoreTechnology or IntegrationMINITEX provides access to statewide interlibrary loan services. SELCO maintains policies and procedures for statewide materials access through MINITEX, connecting regional libraries to the broader Minnesota library network.
• Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage FundcoreOthersState funding through Minnesota's unique Arts and Cultural Heritage Amendment supports Library Legacy activities, including region-wide and local initiatives to preserve Minnesota's cultural heritage and promote the arts.
• Evergreen LibrariescoreTechnology or IntegrationOpen-source integrated library system (ILS) used by SELCO and member libraries for tracking items, managing patron accounts, and resource sharing across the 3.5 million item collection.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• OverDrive: Dominant eBook, audiobook, and digital content distribution platform for libraries. SELCO licenses OverDrive for its member libraries; OverDrive is both a partner and a structural force driving the digital substitution risk on physical resource sharing.
• OCLC: Global library cooperative providing shared cataloging, resource sharing (WorldCat), and library technology services. OCLC is the dominant national/international library infrastructure provider against which SELCO's regional Evergreen ILS offering is implicitly compared.
• Bibliotheca (part of Axiell Group): Global library technology vendor offering integrated library systems, RFID, and self-service solutions. Bibliotheca competes in the same ILS and library-services category where SELCO positions Evergreen-based solutions.

Direct peers

• NCRL (North Central Regional Library): A Washington-state regional library cooperative serving 30+ libraries across multiple counties with integrated catalog, delivery, and continuing-education services — an analogous operating model to SELCO's 11-county southeastern Minnesota federation.
• Califa Group: California-based library consortium that negotiates eResource licensing and provides shared services on behalf of member library systems. Califa is comparable to SELCO at the consortium-negotiation level, particularly with respect to OverDrive-style digital content procurement.
• MVLS (Mohawk Valley Library System): A New York State regional library system providing automated services, ILL, continuing education, and consulting to member public libraries under a state-defined cooperative framework — closely analogous in mission and structure to SELCO.
• MINITEX: Minnesota's statewide library information network headquartered at the University of Minnesota, providing interlibrary loan, resource sharing, and digital library services. MINITEX is explicitly listed as a strategic 'We to Them' partner for SELCO, and both organizations share ILL and resource-sharing missions for Minnesota libraries.
• Capitol Area Library District Consortium / Traverse des Sioux Library Cooperative (and other MN Regional Library Systems): Minnesota's eleven other Regional Library Systems (e.g., Viking Library System, Plum Creek Library System, Traverse des Sioux, Arrowhead Library System) operating under the identical statutory framework with comparable technology, resource-sharing, and continuing-education mandates.
• Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MeLSA): The Twin Cities metro regional library system serving public libraries in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. As a Minnesota Regional Library System operating under the same state statutory framework, MeLSA is a direct peer to SELCO and even runs SELCO's job postings on metrolibraries.net.

Emerging players

• ByWater Solutions: Provider of support, hosting, and implementation services for the open-source Evergreen and Koha library systems. Highly comparable to SELCO given that SELCO operates Evergreen; ByWater is the leading third-party Evergreen support vendor and a potential competitor or complementary service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/selco-southeastern-libraries-cooperating

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 SELCO (Southeastern Libraries Cooperating/Southeast Library System)