Founded first as acooperative, theMinuteman Library Network (MLN) is today aconsortium of over 40 public oracademic libraries.[1][3][4] The network consists of an aggregate collection of over sum 6 million items and over 680,000 cardholders. Membership card eligibility is open to persons who: live, work, or study in Massachusetts; and can be used to borrow items from its Minuteman libraries.[5][6]
The network operates through the pooling and sharing of resources, and through this offers patrons more services along with access to a more expansive catalog.[7] For example, the network has aOverDrive E-book collection and allows users to sign-in with theirlibrary card and borrow E-books and audio books from other consortium library networks inMassachusetts. Given certain libraries may individually offer further services even within the MLN not all services are uniformly available at all member libraries.[7]
The network largely spans theMetroWest area of easternMassachusetts, in the Greater Boston Metropolitan area of the United States. The network encompasses the counties ofMiddlesex (South), and portions ofNorfolk.
^"Mount Ida Closure".Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. June 25, 2018.Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. RetrievedFebruary 10, 2023.
