Minuteman Library Network
About the Minuteman Library Network

The Minuteman Library Network is composed of 41 public and academic libraries in the Eastern Massachusetts area that work collectively to bring excellent service to library users. Minuteman has grown tremendously since its founding twenty years ago and now has about 660,000 patrons and over 1,280,000 titles available to our borrowers. A single library card allows patrons to use any library in the Network or to request materials from other libraries. Sharing our materials allows books and other items to move from library to library to fulfill patrons' requests. Collectively, we loaned over 14,547,000 items in FY2006.

Each library sends a representative to the Minuteman Membership Committee, which directs the operations of the Network. We work together to provide users with innovative, efficient and cost effective library services.

Featured services of the Network are:

  • The ability of patrons to place their own requests on any title in the Minuteman Catalog from within the library or from a home computer.


  • Electronic databases with strong search capabilities and full text of many articles. (These can be found on the Minuteman site under "Databases" along with those sponsored by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and the Metrowest Regional Library System.)


  • Selected Internet sites for teens and children.


  • A Community Information Database with contacts and other information about agencies that serve residents of the Minuteman communities.


  • Links from the homepage to the Virtual Catalog and to other Massachusetts libraries' catalogs that allow patrons to directly request materials from participating libraries.


Minuteman seeks to anticipate the needs of the library public by enhancing the quality, quantity and variety of information resources and service available. Patrons are encouraged to offer suggestions. If you have questions, please contact the staff at a Minuteman library near you.

The Minuteman Library Network is funded through annual membership fees and receives support for hardware, software and telecommunications through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and the federal Library Services and Technology Act. A selection of databases is funded at the State, Regional, Network or local level. Delivery of materials within the Network is funded by the Board through the Metrowest Regional System.

Updated on November 20, 2006.