Lean Library acquired by management group to accelerate growth

The new management team comprises Daniel Horvath, who will continue in his role as Lean Library Director; Jan Thij Bakker, cofounder of Lean Library; and Nenad Vidic, CEO of ThinkIT, the software development agency behind Lean Library’s technology, and a key contributor to the ongoing evolution of Lean Library’s technology platform. As Managing Director, Horvath will oversee a seamless transition and ensure smooth day-to-day operations, maintaining uninterrupted service for customers and end-users.

“It has been a privilege to be part of Lean Library since its founding days,” said Daniel Horvath. “Under Sage’s ownership, we’ve benefited from unparalleled investment, support, and commitment—helping us grow from a simple browser extension into the multi-channel productivity tool we are today and enabling us to scale to hundreds of libraries globally.”

Over the past year, Sage has made significant investments to expand the core business that has driven the company for over 60 years. This strategic focus prompted a reappraisal of its tech-first division, Technology from Sage (TfS), including Lean Library and Talis, which was acquired by Kortext in October.

“Sage is proud to have nurtured Lean Library’s growth over the past seven years—transforming it into a global suite of products serving hundreds of institutions,” said Karen Phillips, Executive Vice President of Learning at Sage. “We deeply believe in its mission to extend library services, elevate library recognition, and strengthen the future of libraries. We are confident that it will see a new phase of growth under this new ownership, with focused tech resources and extensive experience in software-as-a-service.” 

This acquisition enables Sage to continue its mission as a key enabler of resources that advance scholarship, fostering critical thinking, and building career skills, while Lean Library continues to concentrate on developing technologies that support rigorously created research and resources.

“As Sage now refocuses on its core publishing mission, I’m excited to continue that journey as a standalone business,” Daniel Horvath said. “My commitment is that we build on everything we’ve achieved with Sage and continue our focus on providing libraries and their patrons with transformative tools that help them meet the challenges and opportunities of the years ahead, across areas such as open access, AI, and research integrity.” 

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Sage?is a global academic publisher of books, journals, and library resources with a growing range of technologies to enable discovery, access, and engagement. Believing that research and education are critical in shaping society, 24-year-old Sara Miller McCune founded Sage in 1965. Today, we are controlled by a group of trustees charged with maintaining our independence and mission indefinitely.?

Our guaranteed independence means we’re free to: 

• Do more?– supporting an equitable academic future, furthering disciplines that drive social change, and helping social and behavioural science make an impact 
• Work together?– building lasting relationships, championing diverse perspectives, and co-creating resources to transform teaching and learning 
• Think long-term?– experimenting, taking risks, and investing in new ideas