Marshall Public Library

What Marshall Public Library does

Marshall Public Library is a municipal public library serving the City of Pocatello, Idaho. Founded in 1905 by the Women's Civic Club and formally opened under its current name in 1907, it operates today as a government entity under the City of Pocatello, governed by an independent Library Board of Trustees with the City acting solely as fiscal agent. The institution maintains 100,000+ physical and digital items including books, CDs, DVDs, eBooks, eAudioBooks, magazines, newspapers, puppets, and exploration kits, and operates 66 hours per week from its headquarters at 113 South Garfield Avenue in Historic Downtown Pocatello.

The core technology stack is the ByWater Solutions Koha integrated library system, which powers the public online catalog (OPAC), circulation, holds, renewals, and patron account management at marshallpl.bywatersolutions.com. MPL extends its service surface through an ecosystem of third-party integrations rather than proprietary technology: Libby/OverDrive for digital lending via the Idaho Digital Consortium, EBSCOhost for research databases (Business Source Premier, Consumer Health Complete, NoveList Plus, Small Business Reference Center, MasterFILE Premier), Gale and World Book Online via the Idaho Commission for Libraries, Kanopy for video streaming, Pronunciator for 315-language learning, and Princh for mobile printing. Patron-facing add-ons include a makerspace with 3D printers and a laser cutter, Book Club Kits, interlibrary loan (3 free requests/week), free test proctoring, three reservable meeting rooms, senior outreach with Talking Books, and a Stories Come to Life podcast on Buzzsprout.

The business model is non-commercial and funded primarily through City of Pocatello tax appropriations. Service is free for city residents across all primary offerings — checkout, digital resources, programs, and meeting room use for nonprofits. Monetization is incidental and nominal: a $45 annual fee for non-resident cards, $0.10/day overdue fines (capped), $1/hour 3D printing, replacement fees for lost materials, and Friends of the Marshall Public Library book-sale proceeds supplement the municipal allocation. Go-to-market is community-led through social media (Facebook, Instagram @marshallplteens, YouTube), monthly email newsletters, school partnerships, summer reading kickoffs, and the Book Wagon mobile library visiting local parks. There are no customers in the commercial sense — the served base comprises Pocatello residents, with the Pocatello School District and Friends of MPL acting as institutional partners rather than paying accounts.

Name

Marshall Public Library

Legal name

Marshall Public Library

Website

https://marshallpl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Marshall Public Library is the chartered municipal public library of Pocatello, Idaho, serving city residents with 100,000+ physical and digital items, programming for all ages, research databases, makerspace services, and consortium-based digital lending, funded primarily by City of Pocatello appropriations and overseen by an independent Library Board of Trustees.

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)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Lending collections
• Digital library resources
• Community education programs
• Research databases

Headquarters

HQ city

Pocatello

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Tax Funding: Primary funding from City of Pocatello tax revenue and public library budget allocations.
2. Non-Resident Library Cards: Annual fee of $45 for non-Pocatello residents to obtain library cards.
3. Printing and Copying Services: Black-and-white copies at 10 cents per page; 3D printing at $1 per hour of print time.
4. Replacement and Processing Fees: Fees for lost or damaged materials including $15 for broken audiobook CDs, replacement cost for damaged items, $1 replacement for lost library cards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Marshall Public Library is a municipal public library that provides physical and digital lending collections, including books, eBooks, audiobooks, movies, and music, alongside research databases and free public computer/Wi-Fi access. It also delivers community programming such as children's storytimes, teen activities, adult learning events, and meeting room use for local groups.

Product overview

Marshall Public Library operates as a traditional public library serving Pocatello, Idaho, offering a unified catalog and circulation system (Koha/ByWater Solutions) alongside an integrated portfolio of digital content platforms and patron services. The core offering is the physical collection of 100,000+ items (books, CDs, DVDs, puppets) accessible via the Koha online catalog. This is augmented by digital content platforms including Libby/OverDrive for ebooks and audiobooks, Kanopy for video streaming, and Pronunciator for language learning. Patron services include 3D printing and makerspace facilities, youth programming (story times, Book Wagon, teen services), book discussion groups and club kits, interlibrary loan, test proctoring, meeting room rentals, senior outreach, tax assistance, and reference services. Research databases from EBSCOhost, Gale, and World Book complement the collection. The library runs seasonal reading challenges (Summer Reading, 50/50 Book Quest) and publishes monthly newsletters. No AI or machine learning capabilities are offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Physical Lending Collection
• Digital Lending Collection
• Research Databases
• Children's and Youth Programs
• Adult and Community Programs
• Meeting Room Rentals
• Public Computer and Wi-Fi Access
• Interlibrary Loan Service

Quantifiable outcome

• 66 hours per week of public service
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Idaho Digital ConsortiumcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with the Idaho Digital Consortium for OverDrive/Libby eBook and eAudioBook lending. Library patrons access thousands of digital titles through this consortium, with Marshall Public Library as a member branch.
• KanopycoreTechnology or IntegrationVideo streaming service partnership providing movie and documentary access to library patrons through the library's digital platform.
• PronunciatorcoreTechnology or IntegrationLanguage learning platform partnership providing access to 315 languages for patron learning through the library's digital resources.
• EBSCO Information ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides access to research databases including Business Source Premier, Consumer Health Complete, NoveList Plus, Small Business Reference Center, and MasterFILE Premier.
• Idaho Commission for LibrariescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState library agency providing Gale Virtual Reference Library, World Book Online, Talking Books program, and support for Talking Books Service for patrons unable to read standard printed materials.
• Library Consortium of Eastern Idaho (LCEI)coreTechnology or IntegrationRegional consortium enabling reciprocal borrowing between member libraries, extending services to patrons of other member libraries.
• Cell Phones for SoldiersminorOthersThe library serves as a collection point for donated cell phones, which are recycled to provide soldiers abroad with prepaid phone cards for talk time.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Idaho Commission for Libraries: State library agency that provides Marshall Public Library with shared resources including Talking Books, Gale Virtual Reference Library, and World Book Online. Functions as an upstream enabler of MPL's service offering rather than a direct competitor.
• ByWater Solutions: Provider of the Koha integrated library system that powers Marshall Public Library's online catalog and circulation. As MPL's core technology backbone, ByWater is a relevant ecosystem peer rather than a competitor.
• OverDrive / Libby: Digital lending platform that powers MPL's eBook and audiobook access through the Idaho Digital Consortium. A key enabling technology partner rather than a direct service competitor.

Direct peers

• Boise Public Library: Idaho's largest public library system, also a member of the Idaho Digital Consortium alongside Marshall Public Library. Operates a similar portfolio of physical collections, digital lending, programming, and makerspace services for a larger municipal population, providing a directly comparable model for service breadth and funding structure.
• Idaho Falls Public Library: Regional public library in eastern Idaho and fellow member of the Idaho Digital Consortium and Library Consortium of Eastern Idaho. Similar municipal governance model and patron services, making it one of the most directly comparable peers in scale and geography.
• Blackfoot Public Library: Smaller Idaho public library and partner in the Idaho Digital Consortium. Comparable in scale, single-building operating model, and program offering mix to Marshall Public Library.
• Portneuf District Library: Neighboring public library in the Pocatello/Chubbuck area, explicitly linked from MPL's website as a local resource. Closest geographic peer with a comparable community focus and municipal service model.
• Meridian Library District: Suburban Idaho library district also participating in the Idaho Digital Consortium. Offers similar physical/digital lending, programming, and makerspace services to a comparable-size community, providing a relevant operational benchmark.

Broad incumbents

• Salt Lake City Public Library: Large, award-winning municipal library system in nearby Utah. Operates a substantially broader portfolio of services, programming, and digital resources than Marshall Public Library and represents a scaled-up incumbent model for what a well-funded city library system can deliver.

Regional players

• Spokane County Library District: Public library district in the inland Pacific Northwest serving a comparable mid-size community. Offers analogous physical/digital lending, programming, and outreach services, providing a relevant reference point outside Idaho.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/marshallpl
• Facebookfacebook.com/MarshallPublicLibrary
• Instagraminstagram.com/marshallplteens
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marshall-public-library

Compliance1 record

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 Marshall Public Library