Stratford Library Association

What Stratford Library Association does

Stratford Library Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public library founded in 1899 and headquartered in a single location at 2203 Main St., Stratford, Connecticut. It serves the Stratford, CT community with traditional library services (physical and digital lending of books, audiobooks, magazines, music, and video), public computing access (12 walk-in computers, Chromebooks, Wi-Fi hotspots), reference and research databases, and community programming for children, teens, and adults. The organization also operates the uCreate Space makerspace, offering 3D printing, virtual reality, gaming consoles, robotics, vinyl cutting, and digitization services (photo/slide scanning and VHS-to-DVD/flash-drive conversion via VIDBOX hardware and CanoScan 9000F Mark II scanner).

The library is governed by an independent Board of Trustees and financed principally by a Town of Stratford municipal appropriation covering a portion of operating expenses, supplemented by individual donations through the Stratford Library Associates membership program, planned-giving bequests (cash, securities, real estate, closely held stock), and nominal fee-for-service income from printing, faxing, laminating, button-making, and hotspot replacement. Grant funding has supplemented programmatic capacity, notably the Connecticut Everybody Learns Initiative grant that underwrote the hotspot lending program. Distribution relies on a single physical storefront with six-day operating hours, public transit access via the GBTA Coastal Link bus route, interlibrary loan arrangements, and 24/7 digital access through the website. The technology stack relies on commodity platforms including the Koha open-source library management system (ByWater Solutions), EBSCO Flipster for eMagazines, Constant Contact for newsletters, and ReaderZone for summer reading.

Customer segments span children (early literacy, kits, decodable books), teens (volunteer programs, college/career resources, Discord engagement), general adult residents, and small business owners (resources, research materials, meeting space), all served under a freemium model where the library card and core services are free to Stratford residents and select services (museum passes, interlibrary loan, meeting rooms) are also complimentary.

Name

Stratford Library Association

Legal name

Stratford Library Association

Website

https://stratfordlibrary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Stratford Library Association is a 501(c)(3) public library serving Stratford, CT with book and digital lending, public computing, makerspace (uCreate Space), community programming, and digitization services, funded by municipal appropriation, donations, and nominal fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

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 User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community lending programs
• Library makerspace access
• Digital library resources
• Youth education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Stratford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Municipal Funding: The Town of Stratford pays a portion of the Library's operating expenses as primary funding source.
2. Donations and Membership: Individual donations through Stratford Library Associates membership program. Tax-deductible contributions as a 501(c)(3) organization.
3. Planned Giving/Bequests: Legacy gifts, endowment funds, and estate bequests from donors. Accepts various asset types including cash, securities, real estate, and closely held stock.
4. Fees for Services: Nominal fees for printing, laminating, button-making, 3D printing, VHS-DVD conversion, faxing, and hotspot replacement.
5. Grant Funding: Hotspots were funded by Connecticut's Everybody Learns Initiative grant.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Stratford Library Association provides free public library services to Stratford, Connecticut residents, including physical and digital book/media lending, public computer and internet access, meeting room reservations, museum/zoo passes, and interlibrary loans. It runs community programs for all ages (children, teens, adults) and operates the uCreate Space makerspace offering 3D printing, VR, gaming, VHS-DVD conversion, and photo digitization. The library is funded primarily by the Town of Stratford and individual donations as a 501(c)(3) non-profit.

Product overview

Stratford Library Association is a single-location public library offering a unified set of services centered around traditional library operations and digital access. The core offerings include physical and digital lending (books, media, Library of Things), public computing and tech help, and community programming. The flagship special offering is the uCreate Space makerspace, which provides hands-on technology access including 3D printing, VR/gaming, and digitization services. Additional services include Summer Reading Programs, Anti-Racism Resources, career resources, and planned giving opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• uCreate Space: A makerspace offering hands-on learning, creating, and sharing with hi-tech and low-tech equipment including 3D printing, robotics, gaming, VR, and crafting tools.
• Library of Things

Products and services

• Public Library Services Free core library services for Stratford, Connecticut residents, including physical and digital book and media lending, meeting room reservations, museum/zoo passes, interlibrary loans, research databases, and community programs for all ages.
• 24/7 Digital Library Access

Quantifiable outcome

• Free access to library services for all Stratford residents
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority (GBTA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGBTA bus route 2-Coastal Link stops at Stratford Library, providing public transit access for community members.
• Baldwin Senior CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShares parking lot with the Baldwin Senior Center located adjacent to the library.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• OverDrive: Largest provider of digital lending platforms (Libby app) used by public libraries for eBook and eAudiobook distribution. Comparable in serving the same patron need (digital content access) at scale across thousands of public library systems.
• EBSCO Information Services: Major database and eMagazine (Flipster) provider for public and academic libraries. Already integrated with Stratford Library for eMagazine circulation and represents the broader library content-services ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Fairfield Public Library: Connecticut suburban public library with traditional lending, programming, and digital services funded primarily by municipal appropriations. Highly comparable operating model to Stratford Library in scale and structure.
• Trumbull Library: Adjacent Connecticut town public library providing lending, digital access, and community programming under a comparable municipal-plus-donation funding model. Directly comparable in size and service scope.
• New Haven Free Public Library: Connecticut public library offering lending, digital resources, and community programs funded by city appropriations and donations. Comparable non-profit public library operation in a similarly-sized Connecticut city.
• Bridgeport Public Library: Public library serving the adjacent city of Bridgeport, CT with comparable lending, programming, makerspace-style, and digital access services. Closest geographic and operational peer with similar municipal funding model and patron mix.
• Milford Public Library: Nearby Connecticut public library with similar municipal funding, free cardholder access, and community programming. Comparable scale and service mix to Stratford Library Association.

Regional players

• Connecticut State Library: State-level library serving as a coordination, grant-administration, and interlibrary-loan hub for Connecticut public libraries including Stratford. Relevant for funding flows (Everybody Learns Initiative) and shared service infrastructure.

Others

• ByWater Solutions: Provider of the Koha open-source library management system used by Stratford Library for catalog, circulation, and patron accounts. Serves as a vendor/enabler rather than a competitor but is a key operating dependency.

Emerging players

• MakeHaven: Community makerspace organization in Connecticut offering 3D printing, electronics, and crafts access. Comparable in makerspace services to Stratford's uCreate Space but operates on a paid-membership model rather than free public-library model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stratfordlibrary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stratford-library-association

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Stratford Library Association