Matheson Memorial Library

What Matheson Memorial Library does

Matheson Memorial Library is a municipal public library serving Elkhorn, Wisconsin and surrounding townships (La Grange, Geneva, Sugar Creek, Lafayette, Delavan). It provides lending collections, digital resources, and educational programs for all ages. The library operates from a single location at 101 N. Wisconsin Street, originally constructed in 1931 as a memorial funded by William John Matheson, with later additions of 4,500 square feet in 1990 and 14,000 square feet in 2004 that introduced the adjacent Elkhorn Community Center.

The library's core offering combines approximately 70,000 physical items (books, magazines, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, video games, toys, maker kits) with access to over one million additional titles through the SHARE consortium and statewide WISCAT interlibrary loan. Digital services are delivered through licensed third-party platforms including Libby/Overdrive and Hoopla (ebooks, audiobooks), Kanopy (streaming video), BadgerLink (research databases), Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest (genealogy), LinkedIn Learning and Masterclass (continuing education), and Duolingo and Mango Languages (language learning). The library also runs a digitized Elkhorn Local History Database via ResCarta-Web, anchored by the Elkhorn Independent newspaper from 1855 and an oral history project, and offers patron services such as Book-a-Librarian tech help, exam proctoring, free notary services, public computer access, wireless internet, and meeting room rentals. In 2024 the library recorded 210,689 total circulations, 108,751 in-person visits, and 17,382 program attendees.

The business model is a tax-funded public utility, not a commercial enterprise. Approximately 93% of 2024 operating revenue ($1,003,873 total) came from City of Elkhorn ($509,080) and Walworth County tax appropriations ($429,388), with the remaining $65,405 from fines, fees, donations, and interest. Capital funding is supplemented by the affiliated MML Foundation (501(c)(3) endowment incorporated 1990), Friends of the Library fundraising, and one-time grants such as the $2.1 million Wisconsin Flexible Facilities Program award in 2024. All core services are free to residents; nominal fees apply only to printing, copying, faxing, and material replacement.

Name

Matheson Memorial Library

Legal name

Matheson Memorial Library

Website

https://elkhorn.lib.wi.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1901

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Matheson Memorial Library is a municipal public library in Elkhorn, Wisconsin serving community residents with physical and digital lending collections, educational programs, and patron services funded primarily by city and county tax appropriations.

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)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community education programs
• Digital lending resources
• Local history archives
• Literacy programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Elkhorn

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 Elkhorn ($509,080 in 2024) and Walworth County taxes ($429,388 in 2024). This represents the vast majority of operating revenue.
2. Fines and Fees: Revenue from overdue fines, printing/copying fees ($0.10/page black and white, $0.50/color), fax service ($1.00/page), and replacement fees for lost/damaged materials.
3. Donations and Grants: Donations from patrons, Friends of the Library fundraising, and the MML Foundation endowment. Includes Wisconsin Flexible Facilities Grant of $2.1 million in 2024.
4. Other Revenue: Interest income and other miscellaneous revenue streams totaling $65,405 in 2024.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Matheson Memorial Library provides free public library services including lending of approximately 70,000 physical items and access to over 1 million consortium titles, digital resources (ebooks, audiobooks, streaming video, research databases, language learning), educational programming for all ages, genealogy and local history research, computer and internet access, and community services such as notary and exam proctoring. All core services are provided at no charge to Wisconsin residents with a valid library card.

Product overview

Matheson Memorial Library operates as a traditional public library offering a unified platform combining physical collections and digital resources. The core product includes approximately 70,000 physical items (books, magazines, DVDs, CDs, toys, maker kits) with access to over 1 million additional titles through the SHARE consortium. Digital resources are delivered through partnerships with major platforms including Libby/Hoopla (ebooks/audiobooks), Kanopy (video streaming), BadgerLink (research databases), Ancestry.com/HeritageQuest (genealogy), LinkedIn Learning/Masterclass (continuing education), Duolingo/Mango Languages (language learning), NoveList (reader services), and Reference Solutions/Chilton Library (reference/business). The library also provides patron services including Book-a-Librarian tech help, Tailored Titles personalized recommendations, Favorite Author Club notifications, exam proctoring, notary services, public computer access, wireless internet, and meeting room rentals. The MML Foundation and Friends of the Library support fundraising and supplementary services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Physical Collection Lending
• SHARE Consortium Access
• Book-a-Librarian
• Tailored Titles
• Favorite Author Club
• Public Computer and Wireless Internet Access
• Exam Proctoring
• Notary Services
• Printing, Copying, and Fax Services
• Teen Advisory Board
• Youth and Adult Programs
• Meeting Room Rental
• Elkhorn Local History Database
• Digital Lending Resources

Quantifiable outcome

• 210,689 total circulation in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• SHARE ConsortiumcoreTechnology or IntegrationLibrary consortium providing shared catalog system and interlibrary loan access to over 1 million titles from member libraries across the region. MML patrons can borrow and return materials from any SHARE library.
• Prairie Lakes Library SystemcoreTechnology or IntegrationRegional library system providing support services, cataloging guidelines, and resource sharing coordination for member libraries including Matheson Memorial Library.
• City of ElkhorncoreOthersMunicipal government providing primary funding ($509,080 in 2024) and administrative oversight. Awarded $2.1 million Flexible Facilities Grant for renovations in 2024.
• Walworth CountycoreOthersCounty government providing tax funding ($429,388 in 2024) for library services to unincorporated areas and partner townships.
• Elkhorn Area School DistrictmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district liaison serves on Library Board. Library provides classroom material requests, summer reading program partnerships, and school library support.
• Walworth County Genealogical SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWCGS maintains a library within the library in the Mary Bray Room, staffed Tuesdays 10am-3pm. Volunteers provide free genealogy research assistance.
• Institute of Museum and Library ServicesminorOthersFederal agency that partially funded the library website through ARPML-250499-OMLS-22 grant.
• Friends of Matheson Memorial LibrarymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit support organization raising funds through book sales, Trick-or-Trivia events, and membership dues. Provides supplementary funding for programs and equipment not in operating budget.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Kenosha Public Library: Larger public library system serving Kenosha, WI in the same regional area. Comparable as a Wisconsin public library with broader scale, more staff, and bigger budget — a useful reference point for MML's potential scale trajectory.

Others

• Prairie Lakes Library System: Regional library system of which MML is a member, providing resource-sharing coordination and support services. Directly connected ecosystem enabler that materially shapes MML's catalog and service capabilities.
• Walworth County Genealogical Society: Partner nonprofit that operates the Mary Bray genealogy room inside MML. Comparable as a co-located cultural-heritage service provider and a key ecosystem participant in MML's local history and genealogy offerings.
• Elkhorn Area School District: Local K-12 school district with a board liaison seat on MML's Board of Trustees and active summer reading / classroom-material partnerships. Not a peer per se, but a tightly coupled ecosystem participant governing overlapping student/youth demand.
• OverDrive (Libby): Digital lending platform powering MML's ebook, audiobook, and digital magazine access via Wisconsin's Digital Library. Key technology partner that shapes the library's digital collection economics.
• SHARE Library Consortium: Multi-library consortium providing MML patrons access to over 1 million shared titles via a unified catalog. Functions as a critical infrastructure partner and content multiplier for MML and similar Wisconsin libraries.

Direct peers

• Irvin L. Young Memorial Library: Public library serving Whitewater, WI — a similar small Wisconsin municipality with a comparable mix of physical collection, digital resources, and community programming. Strong comparable on size, governance model, and funding mix.
• Lake Geneva Public Library: A small public library in Lake Geneva, WI — another Walworth County municipality of similar scale serving a comparable residential/tourist catchment. Most directly comparable peer: same state, same funding model (municipal taxes), same SHARE consortium membership, and overlapping patron geography.
• Delavan Public Library: A small public library in Delavan, WI (Walworth County). Directly comparable peer serving a similarly sized community just a few miles from Elkhorn; operates under the same Wisconsin library statutes and likely shares consortium partnerships.
• East Troy Public Library: Public library in East Troy, WI (Walworth County village). Closely comparable small-community public library with similar Wisconsin library funding model and programming scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ElkhornLibrary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/matheson-memorial-library

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Matheson Memorial Library