Brunswick Public Library Association

What Brunswick Public Library Association does

Brunswick Public Library Association operates Curtis Memorial Library, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public library serving the towns of Brunswick and Harpswell in Maine. Established in a 1904 building with the Association tracing its roots to 1883, the library employs 11-50 staff and offers free core library services — physical lending, digital lending, reference, youth services, and programming — to cardholders from both towns. Specialized roles include a Youth Services Librarian (Diana McFarland) and a Sustainability Librarian (Hazel Onsrud), indicating institutional commitment to youth and environmental programming verticals alongside traditional library functions.

The library's technology stack is built entirely on third-party, library-sector SaaS: Aspen Discovery for catalog/discovery; CloudLibrary and Libby for e-book/audiobook lending; Kanopy for streaming video; ComicsPlus for digital comics; Creativebug for creative-instruction video; and BookPage for reader metadata. Outreach is delivered through a physical building, a bookmobile, a Books on Wheels home-delivery service, a Creative Hive maker space, a Library of Things, and a Museum Passes program. The library is a member of the Minerva Library Consortium and partners with the Maine State Library, Curtis Friends (the supporting non-profit), Wild Seed Project, and Shareable.

The revenue model is non-profit and tax-appropriation-based. Operating funding comes primarily from municipal appropriations by Brunswick and Harpswell. Supplementary revenue streams include Curtis Friends memberships priced at $20-$100 annually, donations, proceeds from the Twice-Told Tales used-bookstore, and grants. The service is free at point of use; pricing-tier signals exist only on the donor/member side, not on the patron side. Strategic direction is set by a 2024-2029 Strategic Plan and reported through a 2024-2025 Annual Report, and the library has recently adopted a Naloxone Policy and a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy.

Name

Brunswick Public Library Association

Legal name

Curtis Memorial Library

Website

https://curtislibrary.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1883

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Brunswick Public Library Association operates Curtis Memorial Library, a non-profit public library serving cardholders in Brunswick and Harpswell, Maine, funded by municipal appropriations, donations, and bookstore proceeds, with digital and physical lending plus outreach programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community lending programs
• Digital library resources
• Educational programming
• Museum pass lending

Headquarters

HQ city

Brunswick

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Municipal Funding: Primary funding from towns of Brunswick and Harpswell, Maine. Curtis Memorial Library serves as the public library association for these communities.
2. Donations and Memberships: Curtis Friends non-profit organization raises funds through membership donations ($20-$100 annually) and operates the Twice-Told Tales bookstore. Proceeds support library programs, books, and special initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Brunswick Public Library Association operates Curtis Memorial Library, providing free public library services to residents of Brunswick and Harpswell, Maine. Core offerings include lending of physical and digital books, audiobooks, magazines, streaming media, museum passes, WiFi hotspots and laptops, meeting spaces, the Creative Hive maker space, and educational programs for adults, teens, and children. Supporting nonprofit Curtis Friends operates the Twice-Told Tales used bookstore and raises funds through memberships and donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Curtis Memorial Library

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Curtis FriendscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurtis Friends is a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance the library's role as a valued community resource through advocacy, fundraising, and volunteerism. The organization operates the Twice-Told Tales bookstore and raises funds through membership donations to support library programs, museum passes, and literacy initiatives.
• Wild Seed ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for native Maine seed distribution and wildflower planting programs. Library participates in seed giveaways supporting biodiversity and environmental education.
• ShareableminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurtis Library's Sustainability Librarian serves on the Shareable Board of Directors, a national group collaborating to scale cooperative and sharing economy projects.
• Minerva Library ConsortiumcoreTechnology or IntegrationMember of Minerva Libraries consortium providing shared catalog system (Minerva.maine.edu) enabling interlibrary loan and shared resources across Maine libraries.
• Maine State LibrarycoreTechnology or IntegrationInterlibrary loan services and state-level resource sharing through van delivery service (currently suspended due to contract negotiations affecting 200+ Maine libraries).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Free Library of Philadelphia: Free Library of Philadelphia is a major urban public library system supported by a Friends foundation. Comparable as a public library association with a separate fundraising nonprofit and similar programming model.
• New York Public Library: New York Public Library is one of the largest public library systems in the world. Comparable as a public library association offering lending, programming, branches, and digital resources at vastly greater scale and reach.
• Seattle Public Library: Seattle Public Library is a large municipal library system recognized for digital innovation. Comparable as a public library association with extensive digital lending, programming, and community partnerships.
• Boston Public Library: Boston Public Library is a large urban public library system in Massachusetts. Comparable as a New England public library association with extensive programs, special collections, and digital lending at much greater scale.
• Hennepin County Library: Hennepin County Library is a large county-wide library system in Minnesota. Comparable as a public library association offering lending, programs, maker spaces, and community resources at much larger scale.
• Chicago Public Library: Chicago Public Library is a major municipal library system serving Chicago, Illinois. Comparable as a public library association with broad programming, digital lending, and a Friends-of-the-Library support model.

Direct peers

• Topsham Public Library: Topsham Public Library serves Topsham, Maine, immediately adjacent to Brunswick. Highly comparable as a small Maine public library offering programs, digital resources, and a Friends-of-the-Library support organization.
• Portland Public Library: Portland Public Library is a municipally funded public library serving Portland, Maine. Directly comparable as a Maine-based public library association offering lending, digital resources, and community programs with similar municipal funding model.
• Bangor Public Library: Bangor Public Library is an independent public library serving Bangor, Maine. Comparable as a Maine municipal public library with similar community programming, local history collections, and town-based funding structure.
• Baxter Memorial Library: Baxter Memorial Library is a public library serving Gorham, Maine. Closely comparable in scale and mission as a small-town Maine public library association offering lending, programs, and community meeting spaces.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/curtislibrary
• Facebookfacebook.com/curtislibrary
• Instagraminstagram.com/curtislibrarybrunswick
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/curtis-memorial-library

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 Brunswick Public Library Association