North of Boston Library Exchange

The North of Boston Library Exchange (NOBLE) is a consortium of 25 libraries on the North Shore of Massachusetts working to improve library service through automation. Seventeen public libraries, seven college libraries, and one special library are members.

NOBLE was the first automated resource sharing network in the state and the first Massachusetts library network on the Internet.

It was established in 1980 by five libraries sharing their circulation system. By 1995, NOBLE served 32,000 college students and 522,000 residents and kept a database that featured more than 2.3 million items.^[1]

NOBLE is governed by its member libraries who approve the annual budget, establish NOBLE policies, and elect officers. An executive board, composed of the four officers and five at-large library directors, more closely oversees NOBLE operations. A professional staff manages operations. NOBLE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and is recognized as a charitable organization by the Massachusetts Attorney General's office.