Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 30, 2026

Lyrasis

Lyrasis is a non-profit member organization serving and supporting libraries, archives, museums, and cultural heritage organizations around the world. Lyrasis is based in the United States. It was created in April 2009 from the merger of SOLINET and PALINET, two US-based library networks. NELINET, the New England library network, also merged into Lyrasis in late 2009. In January 2011, the Bibliographical Center for Research phased out operations and joined Lyrasis.

Last revised
Jun 30, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
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Source
Wikipedia ↗
Lyrasis
FormationApril 2009 (2009-04)
Legal statusNon-profit
FieldsLibrary and cultural heritage
CEO
John Wilkin
RevenueUS$129 million1 (2024)
Websitelyrasis.org

Lyrasis is a nonprofit member organization serving and supporting libraries, archives, museums, and cultural heritage organizations around the world. Lyrasis is based in the United States. It was created in April 2009 from the merger of SOLINET and PALINET, two US-based library networks.2 NELINET, the New England library network, also merged into Lyrasis in late 2009.3 In January 2011, the Bibliographical Center for Research phased out operations and joined Lyrasis.45

Overview

Lyrasis is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization.6

Lyrasis has in 2025 more than 1,000 members in 28 countries and is staffed by more than 80 individuals. The company has three main areas of focus: community supported/open source software; technology hosting services; content creation and acquisition. Lyrasis also offers consulting services. Members of Lyrasis include academic, public, special, school, and state libraries, as well as archives and museums.7

Kate Nevins was the Executive Director of Lyrasis from 2009 until her retirement in 2015.8 Robert Miller assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer in June 2015,9 serving through June 2022.10 John Wilkin, dean of libraries at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, became CEO effective December 1, 2022.11

In January 2019 Lyrasis and DuraSpace announced their intention to merge.12 This was the second time the two organizations had planned a merger.13 The merger was finalized in July 2019.14 In 2021, Lyrasis acquired Bibliolabs, which expanded its ebook and community engagement work to include Biblioboard, the Indie Author Project, and the Palace Project. Palace is an ebook reading app and marketplace developed in collaboration with the Digital Public Library of America.1516

Since 201417 Lyrasis has supported a number of open source software efforts, including DSpace.

References

References

  1. Roberts, Brandon; Suozzo, Andrea; Glassford, Alec; Ngu, Ash (2025). "Lyrasis - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica.
  2. Today, Information (2009-04-09). "Lyrasis Launches, Formed From Merger of PALINET and SOLINET". newsbreaks.infotoday.com. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  3. Library Journal, Newly Created Lyrasis Now Set To Add NELINET Archived 2010-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
  4. McCook, Kathleen de la Peña (2011). Introduction to Public Librarianship, p. 303.
  5. BCR (2010). "BCR Closed."
  6. "About LYRASIS". www.lyrasis.org. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  7. "LYRASIS | ICOLC Website". icolc.net. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  8. Price, Gary. "Kate Nevins, LYRASIS Executive Director, Will Retire at the End of June 2015". LJ infoDOCKET. Retrieved 2019-07-01.
  9. Price, Gary (2015-05-08). "Robert Miller Leaves Internet Archive to Become New CEO of LYRASIS". LJ InfoDocket. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  10. Lyrasis (2022-02-22). "Celebrating 7 years of service, LYRASIS CEO to Transition at End of June 2022". Lyrasis. Retrieved 2026-06-29.
  11. Albanese, Andrew. "Lyrasis Names U. of Illinois Librarian John Wilkin CEO". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2026-06-29.
  12. "Amplifying Impact: LYRASIS and DuraSpace Announce Intent to Merge". Duraspace.org. 2019-01-24. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  13. Enis, Matt. "LYRASIS, DuraSpace Leaders Discuss Dissolved Merger". The Library Journal. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  14. "About". DSpace. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
  15. Albanese, Andrew. "Knight Foundation Invests $5 Million in 'Library-Centered' Digital Platform". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2026-06-29.
  16. Lyrasis (2025-06-24). "Library-driven App Changes Ownership, Expanding Access to Ebooks". Lyrasis. Retrieved 2026-06-29.
  17. "LYRASIS Press Release: LYRASIS Receives $100,000 IMLS Grant for Open Source Sustainability Forum". myemail.constantcontact.com. Retrieved 2019-07-01.