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.
NOBLE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and is recognized as a charitable organization by the Massachusetts Attorney General's office.