Mathews Memorial Library
Mathews Memorial Library is the publicly funded county library serving Mathews County, Virginia residents, offering free lending, digital resources, youth and teen programming, career assistance, and a 780+ collection local history and genealogy archive.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1939
- HeadquartersMathews, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Mathews Memorial Library does
Mathews Memorial Library is the public library serving Mathews County, Virginia, a rural community on the Middle Peninsula. Established in 1939 and operated as a county-funded non-profit institution under a Board of Trustees, the library offers free lending services, public computer and Wi-Fi access, meeting room facilities, youth and teen programming, career assistance, and an extensive local history and genealogy archive (Chesapeake Room and Herman Hollerith Archives, housing 780+ distinct historical collections). It operates from a single headquarters at 251 Main Street, Mathews, VA, and is staffed by approximately 9 individuals under Director Bette Dillehay, supported by 880+ volunteer hours annually. As of January 2025 the library serves 11,137 registered patrons, with daily foot traffic averaging 82–200+ and 40,000 print/audio books, 46,000 e-books, 109 periodicals, and 53 public computers in circulation.
The library's technology backbone is a conventional public-library stack: the Agverso catalog and patron-account system, the Data Vision digital-archives platform, and the E-Branch portal aggregating roughly 30 third-party digital services across downloadable media (Libby, Kanopy, Freegal, Freading, Magzter), genealogy (Ancestry Library Edition, HeritageQuest, Fold3, FamilySearch, Newspapers.com), workforce (Brainfuse JobNow/HelpNow/VetNow, Virginia Workforce Connection), and learning (Universal Class, Transparent Language, GCFGlobal, DigitalLearn). Notable technology-enabled services include Wi-Fi To Go hotspot lending (50 units, launched 2020 in partnership with Verizon) and an accessible website with screen-reader support, contrast controls, and content scaling. The product portfolio functions as an integrated public-service ecosystem rather than a modular platform architecture.
The library has no commercial revenue model. It is funded primarily through Mathews County Government appropriations (proposed FY24/25 budget $575,903.78 including salaries; proposed FY25/26 operating budget $530,193), supplemented by Library of Virginia State Aid ($104,326 annually), grants, and donations channeled through the Friends of the Mathews Library (which has raised nearly $1M for prior expansions and supports ongoing programming). All services are free to residents; the sole commercial go-to-market motion is community-led outreach through schools, churches, senior centers, and the Mathews Main Street Committee. Patron growth is approximately 2.4% annually, and digital circulation has overtaken print circulation by more than 2x, signaling ongoing structural shift toward digital service delivery within the existing single-county footprint.
Mathews Memorial Library firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mathews Memorial Library
- Legal name
- Mathews Memorial Library
- Website
- https://mathewslibrary.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1939
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Mathews Memorial Library is the publicly funded county library serving Mathews County, Virginia residents, offering free lending, digital resources, youth and teen programming, career assistance, and a 780+ collection local history and genealogy archive.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mathews Memorial Library industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Library Services
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (519210), Libraries and Archives (51921)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), 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)
Keywords
Where Mathews Memorial Library is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mathews
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Mathews Memorial Library business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Public Funding: Primary funding from Mathews County Government appropriations and Library of Virginia State Aid. FY24/25 budget of $401,453.78 for salaries, with total proposed FY25/26 budget of $530,193.00.
- Donations and Grants: Supplemental funding from Friends of the Mathews Library, community foundation grants, Virginia Commission for the Arts grants, and various federal/state grants for specific programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Free library services to all community members |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Mathews Memorial Library product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mathews Memorial Library provides free public library services to Mathews County, Virginia residents, including physical lending of books and audiovisual materials, public computer and Wi-Fi access, meeting room reservations, youth and teen programming, digital lending of e-books/e-audiobooks and streaming media, genealogy and local history research support, employment and career assistance, and digital literacy training. All services are offered free of charge to community members with a library card.
Product overview
Mathews Memorial Library is a public library system serving Mathews County, Virginia, offering a unified suite of services combining traditional library operations with extensive digital resources. The core offerings include physical material lending (books, AV materials), public computer access, meeting room facilities, and dedicated youth/teen programming. Digital services are delivered through the E-Branch platform, providing access to research databases (Explora, Gale Legal Forms, A to Z series), genealogy resources (Ancestry Library Edition, HeritageQuest, Fold3), downloadable media (Libby, Kanopy, Freegal, Freading, Magzter), job assistance (Brainfuse JobNow/VetNow, Virginia Workforce Connection), and educational platforms (Universal Class, GCFGlobal, DigitalLearn, Brainfuse HelpNow). The library also maintains a significant archival collection in the Chesapeake Room/Hollerith Archival Center with digitized historical records. Additional services include Wi-Fi hotspot lending, digital literacy training, and community meeting spaces. The product portfolio functions as an integrated public service ecosystem rather than a modular platform architecture.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- E-Branch: Digital services library providing online access to e-books, e-audiobooks, digital magazines, music streaming, video streaming, research databases, genealogy resources, and learning platforms.
- Teen Territory
- KidSpace
- Career Connect Center (C3)
- Chesapeake Room and Herman Hollerith Archives
Products and services
- Library Catalog and Patron Account System
Quantifiable outcome
- Digital circulation has exceeded traditional hard copy circulation - over 2x more digital/e-books than print copies in recent periods
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Mathews Memorial Library
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Mathews Memorial Library technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration37 records
Feature4 records
Mathews Memorial Library partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Friends of the Mathews LibrarycorePrimary fundraising and advocacy organization for the library. Funded major renovations (over $1 million) and expansion projects. Supports all programs through donations and operates book store. Provided $6,190.89 for 2022 summer programs and $2,600 for 2023 holiday events.
- Mathews County GovernmentcoreCounty owns library facility and provides primary funding through annual appropriations. Buildings and Grounds Maintenance Department maintains facility. County Administrator oversees budget and operations.
- Library of VirginiacoreState library agency providing State Aid funding ($104,326 annually), access to professional staff, training opportunities, databases (Find It Virginia, Literati, Document Bank of Virginia), and digitization support including wide-format scanner and software.
- Mathews County Historical SocietycorePartnership for archival collections housed in Hollerith Archival Center. Joint digitization projects and access to over 780 distinct historical document collections spanning pre-revolutionary war materials.
- Mathews County Public SchoolscoreAnnual Dictionary Project for 3rd graders (18 years running), school visits, Parent Resource Center housed in library for special needs resources, and joint youth programming including summer activities.
- Virginia Symphony OrchestraminorYouth and family concerts held at library including horn quartet performances. Funded by Community Foundation. Programs tagged 'Subs n'Symphony' and 'Classics and Cocoa.'
- Mathews Main Street CommitteeminorCollaborates on community events including Howl-a-Palooza parade coordination with local merchants for Halloween activities.
- Virginia Employment Commission (VEC)corePartnership for Career Connect Center providing job search assistance, unemployment benefits access, and employment resources. Operating since 2008 with assistance available weekly.
- Mathews Maritime FoundationminorPartnership for 'Digital Days' digitization projects to preserve historical and family records for Mathews residents.
- Mathews Broadband Advisory BoardminorCounty committee working on broadband deployment supporting the library's Wi-Fi hotspot lending program and digital equity initiatives.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Mathews Memorial Library competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Middle Peninsula Public Library (via Gloucester Library): Neighboring public library on the Middle Peninsula of Virginia, serving Gloucester County. Comparable in offering traditional lending, digital resources, genealogy, and youth programming; serves an adjacent geography rather than directly overlapping Mathews County.
Others
- OverDrive / Libby: Digital lending platform that powers Mathews Memorial Library's e-book and e-audiobook circulation through Libby. Comparable as an enabling infrastructure provider in the public library digital distribution ecosystem.
- Friends of Libraries USA (FOLUSA/United for Libraries): National umbrella organization supporting Friends of the Library groups, including the Friends of the Mathews Memorial Library. Comparable as a peer ecosystem organization that materially shapes library fundraising and advocacy capacity.
- Kanopy: Streaming video service offered through Mathews Memorial Library's digital branch. Comparable as an enabling platform for public library digital media distribution; thematic adjacency rather than direct competitor.
- Ancestry Library Edition: Genealogy database accessed through Mathews Memorial Library for in-library use. Comparable as a key digital research resource underpinning the library's history and genealogy services.
Direct peers
- Blackwater Regional Library: Regional public library system serving Isle of Wight, Southampton, Surry, and Sussex counties in rural Virginia. Closely comparable in scale and mission, with similar youth/teen programming, digital lending, and rural digital-divide initiatives like hotspot lending.
- Pamunkey Regional Library: Regional library system serving neighboring Virginia counties on the Middle Peninsula/Rappahannock area. Directly comparable as a rural public library network providing similar physical lending, digital branches, genealogy, youth/teen programming, and interlibrary loan support.
Broad incumbents
- Library of Virginia: State-level library agency that provides State Aid funding, databases (Find It Virginia, Literati), digitization support, and professional training to Mathews Memorial Library. Operates at a much larger scale as Virginia's state library, with overlapping service domains (digital resources, archival preservation, professional development).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mathews Memorial Library social profiles
Digital presenceMathews Memorial Library financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mathews Memorial Library leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Mathews Memorial Library funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mathews Memorial Library M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mathews Memorial Library
What does Mathews Memorial Library do?
Mathews Memorial Library provides free public library services to Mathews County, Virginia residents, including physical lending of books and audiovisual materials, public computer and Wi-Fi access, meeting room reservations, youth and teen programming, digital lending of e-books/e-audiobooks and streaming media, genealogy and local history research support, employment and career assistance, and digital literacy training. All services are offered free of charge to community members with a library card.
Is Mathews Memorial Library a public or private company?
Mathews Memorial Library is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Mathews Memorial Library founded?
Mathews Memorial Library was founded in 1939. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Mathews Memorial Library based?
Mathews Memorial Library is headquartered in Mathews, United States, in the North America region.
How does Mathews Memorial Library make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Public Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations and Grants.
Who are Mathews Memorial Library's main competitors?
Middle Peninsula Public Library (via Gloucester Library) is listed as a regional player. Others are OverDrive / Libby, Friends of Libraries USA (FOLUSA/United for Libraries), Kanopy and Ancestry Library Edition. Direct peers are Blackwater Regional Library and Pamunkey Regional Library. Library of Virginia is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Mathews Memorial Library have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mathews Memorial Library.
What industry is Mathews Memorial Library in?
Mathews Memorial Library's product category is Public Library Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAO, Public Libraries & Information Services, with a secondary code of BPAGAHAF, Libraries, Archives & Special Collections. Its NAICS code is 519210 and its SIC code is 8200.