What Midfield Public Library does

Medfield Public Library is a municipal public library serving the residents of Medfield, Massachusetts, founded in 1917 as a memorial library and currently operating from an 18,876-square-foot Georgian-styled facility at 468 Main Street. The library is governed by a Board of Library Trustees and funded primarily through Town of Medfield municipal appropriations, supplemented by donations from the volunteer Friends of the Medfield Library organization. It is not a revenue-generating enterprise but a public service institution whose pricing is freemium—nearly all services are free to Massachusetts residents, with nominal printing fees (20¢/page B&W, 40¢/page color) representing the only material transaction-based revenue.

The library's core offerings span traditional physical lending (books, audiobooks, DVDs, periodicals, three-week checkout with two renewals), digital lending (eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines via Libby/Overdrive, with monthly limits of 10 items), and streaming media (Hoopla, Kanopy). Beyond conventional collections, the library operates a Library of Things (tools, musical instruments, camping gear, crafts, games), a Makerspace (Cricut Maker 3, Mac computer, 3D pens, sewing machine, laminator, medium-format printer), research databases (NoveList, Britannica, Academic OneFile, Consumer Reports), museum passes, room reservations, notary services, and HomeBound delivery for residents unable to visit in person. Patrons access the catalog via the Aspen Discovery/Minuteman Mobile app, and the library is part of the 42-library Minuteman Library Network, which enables interlibrary loans and shared collections across Massachusetts.

Customer segments are horizontally segmented across children (birth through elementary), teens (grades 5–12), adults and seniors, and educators (partnering with Medfield Public Schools). Distribution is omnichannel: a single physical location serves as the community hub, supplemented by digital self-serve lending and a HomeBound outreach program. Marketing is conducted through the website, email newsletters, Facebook (Friends of the Library), and direct community partnerships. The organization is non-profit, non-investable, and operates as a government-supported public service rather than a commercial entity, with a 12+ person leadership and staff team including the Library Director, department heads, and frontline librarians.

Name

Midfield Public Library

Legal name

Medfield Public Library

Website

https://medfieldpubliclibrary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Medfield Public Library is a municipal public library in Medfield, Massachusetts, providing free lending collections, digital media, programs, and community services to local residents of all ages since 1917.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (519210), Libraries and Archives (51921)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Interlibrary Loan (ILL) & Resource Sharing Operations (EDAEAGAK), Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community lending library
• Digital library access
• Museum pass program
• Children's library programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Medfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Municipal Funding: Primary funding from Town of Medfield municipal budget. Library is a public institution supported by local government taxation.
2. Friends of the Library Donations: Volunteer non-profit organization that raises funds and provides financial support for library programs, technologies, and materials. Accepts memberships, one-time gifts, bequests, and business donations.
3. Printing and Fee-Based Services: Printing services at 20¢/page for black & white and 40¢/page for color. Copiers and fax are free. Some premium services like museum passes available at discounted rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Medfield Public Library is a municipally funded public library that lends physical and digital books, audiobooks, movies, and music, and provides free access to research databases, museum passes, meeting and study rooms, and a Library of Things collection. It delivers year-round educational and cultural programming for children, teens, adults, and seniors, including storytimes, book clubs, author talks, and a makerspace with 3D printing. Supporting services include homebound delivery, school partnerships, and shared catalog access through the Minuteman Library Network.

Product overview

Medfield Public Library operates as a traditional public library offering a comprehensive suite of physical and digital lending services. The core offerings include traditional book and media collections for borrowing, supplemented by digital services through Libby/Overdrive, Hoopla, and Kanopy. The library features a dedicated Makerspace with creative equipment, a Library of Things with non-traditional items like tools and instruments, and specialized services including HomeBound delivery, museum passes, room booking, notary services, and research databases. Children's and Teen services provide age-specific programming and dedicated spaces. The collection supports diverse community needs through the Minuteman Library Network consortium, providing access to over 40 partner libraries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Lending (Libby/OverDrive e-books and audiobooks) Free digital lending of e-books, audiobooks, and digital magazines to Medfield library cardholders through the Libby/OverDrive platform.
• Hoopla Digital Lending Digital lending of movies, television, music albums, and comics/graphic novels through Hoopla for Medfield library cardholders.
• Kanopy Streaming Free streaming of films and documentaries to Medfield library cardholders via the Kanopy platform.
• Physical Library Collections (books, audiobooks, movies, music) Physical lending of books, audiobooks, DVDs, and music CDs from the Medfield Public Library's circulating collections.
• Museum Pass Program Free or discounted admission passes to area museums and cultural attractions that Medfield library cardholders can reserve and borrow.
• Library of Things Short-term lending of non-traditional items such as a telescope, blood pressure kit, ukulele, projector, and games to Medfield library cardholders.
• Children's Programming and Storytimes Storytimes, early-literacy programs, and children's events held in the Children's Room for preschool and elementary-age children.
• Teen Programming Programs and social activities for middle and high school teens, including Dungeons & Dragons groups, teen events, and a young-adult collection.
• Adult Programming Book clubs, author talks, and educational/cultural events for adult Medfield library patrons.
• Senior Programming (AARP / AgeSpan) Programs targeted at older Medfield adults, delivered in partnership with AARP and AgeSpan.
• Homebound Delivery Service Delivery of library materials directly to Medfield residents who are homebound or otherwise unable to visit the library.
• Makerspace and 3D Printing Makerspace access including 3D printing equipment and supplies, available to Medfield library patrons for design and fabrication projects.
• Research Databases Free access to subscription research databases, including Consumer Reports and downloadable magazines, for Medfield library cardholders.
• Meeting and Study Room Bookings Reservable meeting rooms and study spaces inside the Medfield Public Library for individual and group use.
• Minuteman Library Network Catalog and Inter-Library Loan Access to the shared Minuteman Library Network catalog and inter-library loan service that expands materials beyond the Medfield collection.
• Friends of the Medfield Public Library Membership and Donations Program Membership-based fundraising and donation program through the Friends of the Medfield Public Library that funds museum passes, makerspace equipment, programming, and collections.
• Medfield Public Schools Partnership Program Partnership program with Medfield Public Schools that supports classroom instruction, school visits, and collaborative literacy programming.
• Library Email Newsletters (Beach Reads, YA Reads, Kids' Shelf) Curated reader's-advisory newsletters distributed by email for adult (Beach Reads), teen (YA Reads), and children's (Kids' Shelf) audiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12,000+ increased visits year-over-year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Minuteman Library NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedfield Public Library is a member of the Minuteman Library Network, a consortium of 42 libraries that share resources and open their collections to any Minuteman patron. Libraries include Acton, Arlington, Ashland, Bedford, Brookline, Cambridge, Concord, Dedham, Dover, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Lexington, Lincoln, Maynard, Medfield, Medford, Medway, Millis, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norwood, Sherborn, Somerville, Stow, Sudbury, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston, Westwood, Winchester, Woburn, and several college libraries.
• Medway Public Library MakerspaceminorOthersMedfield Public Library donated its 3D printer to the Medway Public Library Makerspace due to ventilation concerns in Medfield's small makerspace. Patrons can use Medway's 3D printers after completing training certification.
• Medfield Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with local schools including Memorial, Wheelock, Dale Street, Blake Middle School, and Medfield High School for educator assignment alerts, class visits, library card signups, book talks, research help, and coordinated summer reading programs.
• Friends of the Medfield LibrarycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVolunteer non-profit organization that raises awareness and provides support for the library. Friends donations enable programs, technologies, and materials including children's programs, makerspace equipment, author talks, craft classes, summer reading incentives, and more. Operates volunteer-run Friends Bookstore.
• Boston Public LibraryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThrough the statewide eCard program, every Massachusetts resident can sign up for a Boston Public Library card to access thousands of eBooks, movies, audio files, magazines and more. Medfield library promotes this access to patrons.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Direct peers

• Newton Free Library: Public library serving Newton, MA and a fellow Minuteman network member. Comparable in scale and offerings, with traditional lending plus digital, programming, and meeting-room services for a suburban Massachusetts community.
• Cambridge Public Library: Cambridge, MA public library and Minuteman network member. Operates a similar community-branch public library model with comparable programming, makerspace, and digital lending services.
• Medway Public Library: Adjacent-town public library and Minuteman member. Directly comparable in scale and offerings; notable because Medfield donated its 3D printer to Medway's makerspace, illustrating peer-level collaboration.
• Dedham Public Library: Dedham, MA public library and Minuteman network member. Suburban Massachusetts public library with comparable lending, programming, and digital services.
• Brookline Public Library: Public library serving Brookline, MA — a peer within the same Minuteman Library Network. Operates a comparable suite of lending, programming, makerspace, and digital services for a similarly-sized suburban Massachusetts community.
• Wellesley Free Library: Public library serving Wellesley, MA, also in the Minuteman consortium. Similar affluence, community profile, and breadth of programming for a Massachusetts suburb.

Broad incumbents

• Boston Public Library: The flagship large-scale public library in Massachusetts. Provides statewide eCard access that Medfield actively promotes; operates a much broader portfolio but shares the public-library service model.

Others

• Overdrive / Libby: Digital lending platform that powers Medfield's eBook/audiobook lending. Not a peer in the public-service sense, but a critical technology partner whose ecosystem directly shapes Medfield's digital borrowing experience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/friendsofmedfieldlibrary

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Midfield Public Library