Georgia Public Library Service

What Georgia Public Library Service does

Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS) is the state library administrative agency of Georgia, operating as a unit of the Board of Regents within the University System of Georgia. GPLS coordinates and funds 61 public library systems across all 159 Georgia counties, serving approximately 5 million active cardholders who generated 45.9 million in-person and virtual visits and 36.2 million physical and digital checkouts in fiscal year 2025. The agency administers more than $45 million in state and federal Library Services and Technology Act grants each year and consolidates statewide procurement, E-Rate coordination, and continuing-education programs on behalf of the local library systems.

The core technology platform is PINES (Public Library Information Network for Electronic Services), a unified library-automation and lending network connecting more than 300 public libraries across 145-146 counties to a shared catalog of 11 million-plus physical and digital items that can be delivered to any PINES branch free of charge. Complementing PINES are GALILEO, Georgia's virtual library providing remote access to periodicals, journals, ebooks, and databases; eRead Kids with 40,000-45,000 children's titles; the PINES mobile app for iOS and Android; and Georgia Library Service (GLS), which provides braille, talking books, and large-print materials mailed free to patrons with visual or print disabilities. GPLS also layers on career and education resources (LearningExpress, Job & Career Accelerator, Google Career Certificates and AI training), genealogy databases (Ancestry, MyHeritage), tech lending (Chromebooks, hotspots, Launchpads), makerspaces, and an Experience Pass program covering more than 30 museums, theaters, and state-park partners.

Commercially, GPLS does not price its services: library cards are free to anyone who lives, works, or attends school in Georgia, and all programs are free at the point of use. Revenue is sourced from state appropriations through the University System of Georgia, federal LSTA grants administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and private donations routed through the University System of Georgia Foundation. The distribution model is direct-to-consumer through 300+ physical branches plus self-serve digital channels (mobile app, GALILEO portal, PINES ecard), supported by community-led outreach through the Summer Reading Program (1.3 million children annually), 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, and the PINES Library Access for Youth (PLAY) program covering over 5 million Georgia students.

Name

Georgia Public Library Service

Legal name

Georgia Public Library Service

Website

https://georgialibraries.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Georgia Public Library Service is the state library administrative agency coordinating 61 public library systems across all 159 Georgia counties, operating the PINES lending network connecting 300+ libraries with 11 million+ shared items, GALILEO virtual library, and GLS accessible services for 5 million cardholders statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Library automation networks
• Digital library databases
• Accessible library services
• Library grant administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. State Funding: Primary funding from Georgia state government through the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. GPLS administers these funds to support 61 library systems across all 159 counties.
2. Federal LSTA Grants: Federal funding from the Library Services and Technology Act through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), administered by GPLS for statewide library support.
3. Private Donations: Financial donations from individuals and organizations through the University System of Georgia Foundation, supporting GPLS programs and services.
4. Grant Administration: GPLS administers more than $45 million in state and federal grant funds to public library systems, supporting salaries, materials, facilities, and technology.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

GPLS provides scalable library technology, staff training, and grant administration to support 61 public library systems across all 159 Georgia counties. It operates the PINES statewide lending network connecting 300+ libraries with 11 million+ shared materials, manages GALILEO (Georgia's virtual library) for online research and digital resources, and runs GLS accessible library services for blind and print-disabled patrons. The organization administers over $45 million annually in state and federal grants while coordinating statewide literacy programs, digital resource access, and cultural Experience Passes.

Product overview

Georgia Public Library Service operates a unified platform of public library services spanning 61 library systems across all 159 Georgia counties, serving 5 million+ library cardholders through physical and digital channels. The core infrastructure consists of PINES (Public Library Information Network for Electronic Services), a statewide lending network connecting 300+ libraries with access to 11 million+ materials, complemented by GALILEO, Georgia's virtual library providing online research databases. Supporting services include GLS (Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled) for accessibility, digital reading platforms (eRead Kids, PINES Mobile App), career and education resources (LearningExpress, Job & Career Accelerator, Google Career Certificates), language learning (Mango Languages), genealogy databases (Ancestry, MyHeritage), makerspaces, tech lending, and the Experience Passes program for cultural attractions. The organization coordinates youth literacy programs including Summer Reading and 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, all unified under the mission to empower libraries and improve lives statewide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PINES: Georgia Library Public Information Network for Electronic Services - a lending network of more than 300 public libraries in 145 counties with access to 11 million materials.
• GALILEO
• GLS (Georgia Library Service)

Products and services

• PINES (Public Library Information Network for Electronic Services) Statewide library automation and lending network connecting more than 300 public libraries across 145+ counties in Georgia. PINES enables Georgians with a free library card to access a shared collection of over 11 million physical and digital materials deliverable to any participating library free of charge.
• GALILEO (Georgia Library Learning Online) Georgia's virtual library providing online access to thousands of periodicals, journals, ebooks, business directories, and government publications. Accessible to all Georgia public library patrons with a library card or PINES card from home or library, 24/7.
• Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (GLS) Statewide network providing braille, talking book, and large print library services for individuals unable to read standard print due to visual, physical, or reading disabilities. Serves through a central library, subregional library, and distribution center with materials mailed free of charge. Recognized as the 2026 Network Library of the Year.
• PINES Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android enabling patrons to track checked out materials, place holds, renew items, and search the statewide PINES catalog of millions of library materials from any device.
• eRead Kids Digital library collection for young readers in pre-K through fourth grade offering 40,000-45,000 ebooks and audiobooks in English and Spanish, including picture books, graphic novels, chapter books, and basic readers, available through all Georgia public libraries.
• Experience Passes Library card benefit program allowing Georgia patrons to check out free passes to museums, theatres, state parks, and cultural attractions across the state. Includes partnerships with Alliance Theatre, Georgia State Parks, Center for Puppetry Arts, Breman Museum, Chattahoochee Nature Center, Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory, and other organizations, providing over $1,100 in cultural value per family of four.
• Library Technology Lending (Chromebooks, Hotspots, Launchpads) Technology lending program enabling Georgia library patrons to borrow Chromebooks, mobile internet hotspots, and Launchpad interactive learning tablets preloaded with educational apps for children at participating libraries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Every $1 of funding to Georgia's public libraries produces $3.75 in value
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration26 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GooglecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoogle Career Certificates and AI training program available free to Georgia public library cardholders. Builds essential job skills in high-growth fields including career advancement and business growth training.
• Alliance TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExperience Pass partnership providing up to 2 admission tickets for designated performances at Alliance Theatre's Hertz Stage, Coca Cola Stage, and Goizueta Stage for Youth and Families.
• The Breman MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExperience Pass providing 4 free admissions to the museum for general admission. Family pass valid for general admission only, not special events or exhibits.
• Center for Puppetry ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPassport to Puppetry pass admits 4 people to World of Puppetry Museum OR 25% discount on All-Inclusive Ticket for performances.
• Chattahoochee Nature CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily Pass providing 4 admissions to the Nature Center for general admission.
• Georgia State Parks & Historic SitescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParkPass for free parking and Historic Site Family Pass for 2 free admissions to historic sites. Discovery Backpacks with binoculars and nature guides also available for checkout.
• Go Fish Education CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily Pass allowing up to 4 free admissions to the Education Center.
• Macon MuseumscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMacon Museum Pass admits up to 4 people to Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, Museum of Arts and Sciences, and Tubman Museum.
• Michael C. Carlos Museum at EmorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily Pass allowing up to 6 free admissions to the museum for general admission.
• Mimms Museum of Technology and ArtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLibrary Pass good for 4 admissions to the museum for general admission.
• Shakespeare TaverncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily Theatre Pass allowing up to 2 free tickets to performances, with additional tickets available at $15 discount each.
• University of Georgia ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRadon Kit Project partnership raising awareness for radon safety. Electronic radon monitors available for checkout at all Georgia public libraries for 14-day loan periods.
• Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFederal funding through Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) supporting GPLS programs and services statewide.
• Get Georgia ReadingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCampaign partnering to rally people, organizations, and communities to apply a framework for action so all Georgia children become proficient readers by end of third grade.
• Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and LiteracycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Georgia College and State University dedicated to advancing research in language and literacy practices throughout Georgia.
• Georgia Council on LiteracycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouncil ensuring implementation of science of reading instruction in every Georgia public school.
• Digital Library of GeorgiacoreTechnology or IntegrationOne-stop online access to archival and primary sources on Georgia history, culture, and life with over 1 million items from around the state.
• Friends of Georgia LibrariescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStatewide organization of Friends of the Library groups volunteering time and resources to support local library initiatives in their communities.
• National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree national library program administered by Library of Congress providing braille and talking book materials. GLS serves as the state coordinator.
• GALILEOcoreTechnology or IntegrationGeorgia's virtual library providing online access to periodicals, journals, books, and databases. Accessible through all public libraries and remotely with library card.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Bibliotheca (Library Ideas): Adjacent technology vendor providing library self-service kiosks, RFID solutions, and digital content platforms (cloudLibrary) that compete for the same library technology budgets that GPLS allocates across Georgia's 61 library systems.
• Palace Project (Lyrasis): Digital library platform partner integrated with GPLS to deliver ebooks and audiobooks to Georgia library cardholders, representing the open-source alternative to OverDrive in the library digital content ecosystem.
• OverDrive (Libby): Digital content distribution partner and infrastructure provider used by GPLS to deliver ebooks and audiobooks through the Libby app, representing one of several digital library platforms integrated into the PINES ecosystem.

Direct peers

• New York State Library: Direct peer as a state library administrative unit providing statewide coordination, NOVELNY database consortium, talking book and braille library services, and grant administration across hundreds of public library systems.
• Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Direct peer as another state library administrative agency administering state and federal grants to public library systems, operating similar technology and lending infrastructure (TexShare) and accessibility services, serving all Texas residents free of charge.
• Florida Division of Library and Information Services: Direct peer as a state library agency administering LSTA grants, coordinating statewide library services, and operating programs including talking books for the blind and print disabled across Florida's public library systems.
• California State Library: Direct peer as a state library agency providing statewide services to public libraries, administering LSTA grants, operating accessible library services for blind/print disabled, and coordinating statewide programs for literacy and workforce development.
• Ohio Library and Information Network (OhioLINK): Direct peer as a statewide library consortium providing a shared catalog, interlibrary lending, and digital resources to academic and public libraries across Ohio — comparable in scale and mission to Georgia's PINES network.

Broad incumbents

• OCLC: Broad incumbent as a nonprofit library cooperative providing shared technology services (WorldCat, ILLiad interlibrary loan, cataloging infrastructure) used by thousands of libraries including Georgia's PINES system for back-end interoperability.
• Library of Congress: Broad incumbent as the federal national library that administers the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), which coordinates with GPLS's GLS subregional library and provides braille and talking book materials nationwide.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/georgiapubliclibrary
• Facebookfacebook.com/georgialibraries
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/georgia-public-library-service
• Instagraminstagram.com/georgialibraries
• Xx.com/georgialibs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Georgia Public Library Service