What Kornhausbibliotheken Bern does

Kornhausbibliotheken Bern (KoB) is a Swiss public library foundation (Stiftung) operating the regional library network (Bibliotheksverbund) for the Bern-Mittelland region. The organization serves all residents and visitors of the region, spanning primary segments including the general public, children and youth, families, schools and educational institutions, intercultural and multilingual communities, and remote workers and students. Public service delivery is community-led, anchored on a physical branch network of more than twenty locations that includes the main Kornhausbibliothek, neighborhood branches, school and community libraries, specialized Ludotheken (game-lending) sites, a hospital library (Bibliothek UPZ) for patients and staff, two outdoor reading and play pavilions (Münsterplattform and Rosengarten), and free-access book cabinets (Bücherschränke) and seasonal Badi-Bibliotheken in parks and public swimming pools.

The core product platform combines physical lending across books, audiobooks, films, music, and games with the eBibliothek digital lending service that provides 24/7 online access to eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, films, and music, supported by a dedicated KoB mobile application for iOS and Android. The underlying technology is the NetBiblio WebOPAC (v4.0.0.536) library management platform developed by AlCoda GmbH (Switzerland), with catalog access at katalog.kob.ch and integration with the Tolino e-reader lending program. Specialized services include the Interkulturelle Bibliothek (multilingual collection in Arabic, Kurdish, Tamil, Tigrinya, Ukrainian, and other languages), BiblioPlus (unstaffed extended opening hours), DigiTreff (weekly digital-literacy workshop), and the Lesehund reading therapy dog program for primary-school children.

Revenue is derived primarily from municipal and regional government funding through the municipalities participating in the Kornhaus-Verbund, supplemented by subscription-based Abonnemente plans that grant enhanced borrowing privileges for new releases and classics. Go-to-market is community-led: branch locations serve as local touchpoints, supported by a digital presence across a website, email newsletter, and social media on Facebook and Instagram; partnerships with schools drive educational outreach, while co-location agreements (e.g., VBG partnership at Gäbelbach) and volunteer programs (Freiwilligenarbeit) deepen civic integration.

Name

Kornhausbibliotheken Bern

Legal name

Kornhausbibliotheken Bern

Website

https://kob.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Kornhausbibliotheken Bern is a Swiss public library foundation operating 20+ physical branches and a digital lending platform (eBibliothek) serving the Bern-Mittelland region through municipal funding and premium subscriptions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), 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

Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing) (EDAEAGAF), Digital Reading Content & eBooks (Leveled Readers, Libraries) (EDAFACAH), E-book Subscription & Bundling Services (MPAJAMAB)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Digital lending
• Library network
• Community library
• Media lending

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices24 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Library Services: Government-funded public library network operating as a foundation (Stiftung). Revenue primarily from municipal and regional government funding, with supplementary subscription fees for premium services and materials

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kornhausbibliotheken Bern operates a foundation-organized public library network spanning 20+ branch locations across the Bern-Mittelland region. It lends physical media (books, films, music, board games) and offers a 24/7 digital lending platform (eBibliothek) for eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, and streaming media. Specialized services include Ludotheken (game lending), BiblioPlus (unstaffed extended hours), Interkulturelle Bibliothek (multilingual collections), DigiTreff (digital literacy workshops), and the Lesehund reading dog program.

Product overview

Kornhausbibliotheken Bern operates as a unified public library network — a foundation-organized consortium spanning the Bern-Mittelland region — that combines physical branch services with a digital lending platform. The core offering is the physical branch network (Kornhausbibliotheken) providing books, films, music, and game lending at 24+ locations, complemented by the eBibliothek digital platform for eBooks, audiobooks, and streaming. The KoB App provides mobile access to the catalog. Additional specialized services include Ludotheken (game lending), BiblioPlus (extended unsupervised hours), the Interkulturelle Bibliothek (multilingual collection), DigiTreff (digital literacy workshops), and reading promotion programs such as the Lesehund reading dog. The network also extends into outdoor and seasonal offerings via book swap cabinets and beach libraries, forming a multi-channel public library ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• eBibliothek: Digital library offerings including eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, films, and music available 24/7
• Interkulturelle Bibliothek
• Ludotheken
• BiblioPlus
• KoB App
• Lese- und Spielpavillon
• Bücherschränke (Parkbibliotheken)
• Lesehund

Products and services

• eBibliothek Digital lending platform providing 24/7 access to eBooks, audiobooks, electronic journals, films, and music, accessible online or via the KoB app for patrons of the Kornhausbibliotheken Bern network.
• Ludotheken (Game Lending) Specialized lending service for board games, children's bikes, Brio train tracks, and other play equipment at select branch locations and for events such as children's birthday parties and community festivals.
• Interkulturelle Bibliothek (Intercultural Library) Multilingual collection featuring books in Arabic, Kurdish, Tamil, Tigrinya, Ukrainian, and other languages, supporting integration and multilingual literacy across the Bern-Mittelland region.
• BiblioPlus Extended unattended opening hours at select library branches, allowing registered patrons to access the library outside staffed hours using their library card.
• DigiTreff Weekly digital literacy workshop held at the Kornhausbibliothek, offering patrons guidance on digital tools and resources.
• Lesehund (Reading Dog Program) Reading promotion initiative at the Kornhausbibliothek where primary school children read aloud to a friendly therapy dog in a relaxed setting to build reading confidence.
• Abonnemente (Subscriptions) Annual subscription plans offering access to new releases and classics across books, audiobooks, films, and games, providing enhanced borrowing privileges for regular patrons of the network.
• Lese- und Spielpavillons (Reading & Play Pavilions) Outdoor reading and play pavilions at the Münsterplattform and Rosengarten, providing seasonal open-air spaces for reading, browsing, and swapping books.
• Bücherschränke & Badi-Bibliotheken (Book Cabinets & Beach Libraries) Free book swap cabinets and seasonal beach library stations at public swimming facilities (Lorraine, Wyler, Weyerli, Ostermundigen, Münchenbuchsee, Münsingen, Muri-Gümligen, Worb) and parks enabling free take-and-give reading.
• Kornhausbibliotheken (KoB) — Physical Library Network Public library network spanning the Bern-Mittelland region, offering physical media lending (books, films, music, board games), study and work spaces, and in-person programming at 24+ branch locations plus reading pavilions and book swap cabinets.
• KoB App The Kornhausbibliotheken mobile application for Android and iOS, enabling patrons to access their library account, search the catalog, and manage loans from mobile devices.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gemeinden der Region Bern-MittellandcoreOthersMunicipalities of the Bern-Mittelland region that are part of the Kornhaus-Verbund (Kornhaus library network). These municipalities jointly fund and support the library network as a public service.
• VBG (Vereinigung für Betreutes Wohnen)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Gäbelbach location where the library is being integrated with the Quartierzentrum (neighborhood center) of VBG, with joint space planning and development.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stadtbibliothek Basel: Public library network serving Basel, Switzerland, with multiple branches, digital lending, and community programming. Comparable Swiss municipal library serving a similar urban population with comparable offerings.
• Bibliothèque cantonale et universitaire (BCU) Lausanne: Cantonal and university library in Lausanne, Switzerland, providing public lending, academic resources, and digital services. Comparable Swiss public/university library with similar municipal-cantonal funding structure and multilingual collections.
• Stadtbibliothek Winterthur: Another Swiss municipal public library network serving a comparable mid-sized city and surrounding region, with similar offerings including physical branches, digital lending, e-books, and community programming. Directly comparable as a Swiss public library system with municipal funding structure.
• Bibliothèque de Genève: Public library system serving Geneva, Switzerland, with comparable municipal funding structure, multilingual collections (French/English/other), and digital lending services. Directly comparable Swiss public-sector library peer.
• Bibliomedia Switzerland: Swiss national library service organization providing library services to smaller municipalities and schools. Comparable as a Swiss library consortium organization serving public-sector library needs with shared digital infrastructure.
• Stadtbibliothek Zürich: Larger Swiss municipal public library serving Zurich with multiple branches, digital lending platform, and community programming. Comparable in core mission, public funding model, and product mix (physical + digital lending), though at a larger scale in a more populous city.

Others

• OverDrive / Libby: Digital library platform that powers eBook and audiobook lending for many public libraries globally. Directly relevant as an enabling technology vendor for the digital lending function of Kornhausbibliotheken's eBibliothek platform.
• AlCoda GmbH (NetBiblio): Swiss library software vendor providing the NetBiblio WebOPAC platform that powers Kornhausbibliotheken's catalog system. Directly relevant as a core infrastructure vendor and ecosystem partner for the organization.

Broad incumbents

• Bibliothèque publique d'information (BPI): Major European public library located in the Centre Pompidou, Paris, providing extensive physical and digital lending, study spaces, and cultural programming. Comparable as a European public library with similar community-anchored mission.
• New York Public Library: Largest US municipal public library system, offering physical branches, digital lending, community programming, and third-place workspace. Comparable in mission and product mix, though operating at vastly larger scale and in a different funding environment.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KornhausbibliothekenBern
• Instagraminstagram.com/kornhausbibliothekenbern
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kornhausbibliotheken-bern

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Kornhausbibliotheken Bern