Middleborough Public Library

What Middleborough Public Library does

Middleborough Public Library is a municipally owned public library serving the residents of Middleborough, Massachusetts. Operating from a single physical location at 102 N Main Street, it provides traditional library services — books, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, CDs, public computers, meeting rooms, and museum passes — alongside a broad digital collection accessed through third-party platforms. It segments its user base by age, serving adults, children (Birth–Grade 5), teens (Grades 6–12), and homeschool families through dedicated programming, collections, and physical spaces including a Teen Area with gaming consoles and a Wilfred Silvia Genealogy Room.

The library's core technical surface is not a proprietary platform but rather a curated stack of third-party digital services: Libby/OverDrive for ebooks and audiobooks, Hoopla for streaming media, PressReader for newspapers and magazines, AncestryLibrary for genealogy, NoveList Plus for recommendations, TumbleBooks and Sora for children and student reading, Beanstack for summer reading tracking, and Biblio+ for additional streaming. Specialized internal assets include the Cranberry Collection (a regional industry archive) and the Wilfred Silvia Genealogy Room. The library is a member of the SAILS Library Network (70+ Massachusetts libraries, 2M+ shared items) and the statewide Commonwealth Catalog, and partners with Middleborough Public Schools through Sora/Public Library Connect.

The business model is non-commercial. Funding is primarily municipal — tax appropriations from the Town of Middleborough — supplemented by donations (cash, materials, bequests, memorial funds) and minor transaction revenue from public printing ($0.10/page B&W, $0.50/page color). All core services are provided free of charge to Middleborough residents and, in many cases, to Massachusetts residents through reciprocal arrangements (e.g., Boston Public Library e-cards). The library is governed by a Board of Library Trustees and supports multiple recurring programs, including annual summer reading challenges and book clubs, plus community-driven initiatives such as the recently launched Book Cellar (opened October 7, 2025) following the August 2025 termination of the Friends of the Middleboro Public Library, Inc. as a fundraising partner.

Name

Middleborough Public Library

Legal name

Middleborough Public Library

Website

https://midlib.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Middleborough Public Library is a municipally funded public library in Middleborough, Massachusetts, serving residents of all ages with lending collections, digital resources accessed via third-party platforms, specialized local history collections, and recurring educational and cultural programming through the SAILS Library Network.

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 Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Library Collections & Cataloging Services (Acquisitions, Metadata, Circulation) (EDAEAGAE), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community library programs
• Digital lending resources
• Children literacy programs
• Interlibrary loan services

Headquarters

HQ city

Middleborough

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

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. Municipal Funding: Public library funded through municipal/tax dollars from the Town of Middleborough
2. Donations: Accepts cash donations, print/non-print material donations, memorial funds, art/furnishings, property donations, and bequests
3. Printing Services: Public computers with printing services at 10¢ per page for black and white and 50¢ per page for color

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Middleborough Public Library is a municipal public library that lends physical and digital collections (books, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, CDs/audiobooks) and provides free public computer access, genealogy research resources, museum passes, meeting rooms, and educational/cultural programs for all ages, including children, teens, adults, and homeschool families. Its operations are scaled through membership in the SAILS Library Network and Commonwealth Catalog, giving patrons access to over two million items across Massachusetts.

Product overview

Middleborough Public Library operates as part of the SAILS Library Network, offering a comprehensive range of physical and digital resources. Core offerings include traditional library services (books, magazines, DVDs, CDs, public computers, meeting rooms, museum passes) alongside an extensive digital platform including Libby/OverDrive for eBooks and audiobooks, Hoopla for streaming media, PressReader for newspapers and magazines, and AncestryLibrary for genealogy research. The library provides specialized services including the Wilfred Silvia Genealogy Room with historical collections, the Cranberry Collection documenting local agricultural heritage, a dedicated Teen Area with gaming and YA literature, and the Book Cellar community sharing initiative. Educational programs include Summer Reading challenges tracked through Beanstack, Virtual Author Talks, and Learn at Home resources for homeschooling families. The library participates in the Commonwealth Catalog for inter-library borrowing across Massachusetts and partners with local schools through Sora and Public Library Connect.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Book Cellar: A community initiative of the Middleborough Public Library offering free materials to the community. Accepts material donations and encourages monetary contributions to purchase new library materials.

Products and services

• Libby/OverDrive Digital Lending Service Platform for borrowing e-books and online audiobooks 24/7, integrated with the SAILS library network for catalog access by Middleborough Public Library patrons.
• Hoopla Streaming Content Service Streaming service for movies, television shows, e-comics, and e-books available to Middleborough Public Library patrons via the Hoopla digital platform.
• PressReader Digital News Service Digital platform offering 24/7 access to newspapers and magazines from around the world, including the Boston Globe and The Economist, accessible via laptop, phone, or tablet for Middleborough residents.
• AncestryLibrary Genealogy Research Database Genealogy research database providing access to historical records and family history information for in-library use by patrons, primarily in the Wilfred Silvia Genealogy Room.
• SAILS Library Network Catalog and Interlibrary Loan Service Regional library network providing access to over 2 million items across more than 70 member libraries in Massachusetts, enabling shared catalog searching and interlibrary loans for Middleborough patrons.
• Commonwealth Catalog Statewide Inter-Library Borrowing Service Statewide Massachusetts inter-library catalog that enables users to search and borrow materials from participating libraries across the entire state, extending access beyond the SAILS network.
• Beanstack Reading Challenge Tracker Online reading challenge tracker used for the library's Summer Reading programs, allowing participants to log reading time and activities to earn virtual badges and prizes.
• TumbleBooks Children's E-Book Service Children's e-book platform offering animated e-books, read-alongs, videos, and games for young readers.
• Sora Student Reading Platform via Public Library Connect Student reading platform providing access to thousands of titles through the Public Library Connect partnership between Middleborough Public Schools and the library.
• Biblio+ Streaming Service Streaming service for movies and television shows accessible on personal devices 24/7 for library patrons.
• Museum Passes Program Discounted or free admission passes to local museums, zoos, and cultural attractions available for patron reservation through the library's museum pass portal.
• Sharebrary Community Sharing Collection Community collection of items available for sharing among library patrons, managed through the Sharebrary portal.
• Mobile Printing Service Printing service allowing patrons to send print jobs from personal devices to library printers, with fees of 10¢ per page for black and white and 50¢ per page for color.
• Public Computers and Internet Access Service Internet-enabled computers available in the Main Library, Children's Library, and Genealogy Room for reference, email, and educational use, free with a SAILS library card.
• Meeting Room Reservations Service Reservable meeting spaces for community groups and organizations, booked through the library's online reservation calendar.
• The Book Cellar Community Sharing Initiative Community initiative of the Middleborough Public Library and its Trustees, offering free materials to the community with voluntary monetary donations accepted to purchase new library materials.
• Virtual Author Talks Program Online author presentations and virtual discussions hosted through the library's virtual events platform at libraryc.org/midlib.
• Summer Reading Program Annual reading challenge for children, teens, and adults with prizes and community engagement activities, with a 2025/2026 season running June 20 through August 20 and co-sponsored with the iRead program, the Massachusetts Library System, and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
• Wilfred Silvia Genealogy Room Specialized research room providing access to Middleborough history materials, local family records, town directories, and subscription access to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and American Ancestors.org.
• Cranberry Collection Special collection documenting the cranberry industry in Southeastern Massachusetts, including photographs, clippings, and historical materials, housed in the Wilfred Silvia Genealogy Room.
• Teen Area and Gaming Service Designated space on the main floor featuring Xbox, PS4, PS5, Wii, WiiU, and Switch consoles, young adult books, manga, graphic novels, tabletop games, and teen programming materials for teens in grades 6-12.
• NoveList Plus Reading Recommendation Service Reading recommendation database that helps readers find books based on preferences, similar authors, and genre matching.

Quantifiable outcome

• Summer reading program Read to Feed goal of 9,000 hours to raise $500 for local families through Rotary Club of Middleboro/Lakeville

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SAILS Library NetworkcoreOthersThe library is part of the SAILS Library Network comprising more than seventy libraries in Massachusetts. This consortium enables inter-library loans and shared catalog access, providing patrons with access to more than 2 million items.
• Commonwealth CatalogcoreOthersThe Massachusetts Commonwealth Catalog enables users to search beyond the local library and access millions of items in participating libraries across the entire state.
• Boston Public LibraryminorOthersMiddleborough residents can obtain Boston Public Library e-cards providing access to BPL resources available to all Massachusetts residents.
• iReadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the Plant a Seed, Read summer reading program materials and resources.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Boston Public Library: Massachusetts' largest public library system and statewide resource hub. Operates broadly across multiple branches with research collections; the Middleborough Public Library extends its reach to MA residents via the BPL e-card partnership, making BPL both a partner and a broad-incumbent peer.

Direct peers

• Plymouth Public Library: Public library serving Plymouth, MA - a nearby town of similar regional profile in Southeastern Massachusetts. Most directly comparable peer in terms of municipal-government structure, community programming, and SAILS/Commonwealth network participation.
• Carver Public Library: Public library serving Carver, MA - a small adjacent town with similar municipal-governance model and population profile, overlapping children's and adult programming within the same SAILS consortium.
• Taunton Public Library: Public library serving Taunton, MA - a nearby Greater-Boston-adjacent city of similar scale with the same municipal-governance and SAILS-consortium model, providing overlapping children's, teen, and adult programming.
• Wareham Free Library: Public library in Wareham, MA - a small nearby town library operating as a free public library under similar governance and serving a comparable small-town population within the SAILS network.
• Brockton Public Library: Public library serving Brockton, MA - a larger nearby city in the same SAILS Library Network region, comparable mission and service mix (lending, programs, digital resources) at a larger scale.
• Bridgewater Public Library: Public library in adjacent Bridgewater, MA - similarly sized South Shore town operating as a municipal branch within the SAILS network, offering directly comparable lending, children's, and genealogy services to a comparable population.

Others

• Commonwealth Catalog: Statewide Massachusetts inter-library catalog providing cross-library resource sharing. Enabling infrastructure that materially expands Middleborough patrons' access to materials; not a direct competitor but a strategic distribution partner.
• SAILS Library Network: Regional library consortium of 70+ member libraries in Southeastern Massachusetts that Middleborough belongs to. Functions as enabling infrastructure (shared catalog, inter-library loans, shared digital access like Libby/OverDrive) rather than a competing service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCTdj6YEv7XMA60wmUu-X2yQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Middleborough-Public-Library-151391138230876
• Instagraminstagram.com/midborolib
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/middleborough-public-library

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Middleborough Public Library