Chatham Area Public Library
Chatham Area Public Library is a single-location public library district in Chatham, Illinois, providing free borrowing, digital resources, programming, and community services to district residents of all ages, funded primarily by local tax revenue.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersChatham, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Chatham Area Public Library does
Chatham Area Public Library is a public library district operating under Illinois state law from a single facility at 600 E Spruce, Chatham, Illinois. It serves the Chatham Library District as a community learning center, with programming and services spanning all age groups from birth through adulthood, including early literacy (Rubber Ducky Club, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, StoryWalk), school-age and teen programs, adult reading programs, and senior/homebound services (Home Delivery, Memory Lab).
The library's core offering is free access to physical and digital collections, meeting and study rooms, technology services (computers, Mobile Printing via ePrintItSaaS), and community programs. Its underlying technology stack is composed of third-party SaaS rather than proprietary platforms: EBSCO Stacks powers the discovery and website infrastructure, Aspen is the catalog system, the SHARE Mobile App provides patron self-service on iOS and Android, and Beanstack runs the Summer Reading Program. Library card registration, room booking, program registration, and eBook access are all conducted through the website and app layer.
The business model is government-funded and non-commercial in the conventional sense. Primary funding is local tax appropriation as a public library district, supplemented by donations through the "Support Your Library" program, proceeds from the Friends' Cafe & Bookstore, and modest program fees such as Book Camp registration. Basic library services — borrowing, digital access, computer use, and most programming — are free to district residents. The library operates under a Board of Trustees and a published Strategic Plan covering 2022–2024, with no private equity, venture capital, or institutional investor ownership.
Chatham Area Public Library firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chatham Area Public Library
- Legal name
- Chatham Area Public Library
- Website
- https://chathamlib.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Chatham Area Public Library is a single-location public library district in Chatham, Illinois, providing free borrowing, digital resources, programming, and community services to district residents of all ages, funded primarily by local tax revenue.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chatham Area Public Library industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Library Services
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (51921)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Library Collections & Cataloging Services (Acquisitions, Metadata, Circulation) (EDAEAGAE), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)
Keywords
Where Chatham Area Public Library is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chatham
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chatham Area Public Library business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Public Tax Funding: Primary funding from local taxpayer dollars as a public library district. The library states being 'good stewards of taxpayer dollars' indicating reliance on public funding.
- Donations and Support: Revenue from donations through 'Support Your Library' program, Friends of the Library organization, and Friends' Cafe & Bookstore proceeds.
- Program Fees: Fees charged for specific programs such as Summer Book Camp registration.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free Library Card - Basic Access |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Summer Book Camp |
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Chatham Area Public Library product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chatham Area Public Library is a public library district that provides free physical and digital borrowing services, research databases, public computing and printing, bookable meeting and study rooms, and a broad program of community learning activities for all ages. Core offerings include library card registration, books and eBooks/audiobooks lending, the Library of Things, exam proctoring, notary services, home delivery, the Memory Lab, career resources, local history and genealogy, voting registration, summer reading and early literacy programs, book clubs, and a fee-based Summer Book Camp.
Product overview
Chatham Area Public Library operates as a single-location public library serving the Chatham, Illinois community. The library offers a unified service model combining traditional lending services (physical books, media, Library of Things items), digital resources (eBooks, databases, mobile app), and community programs (Summer Reading via Beanstack, Book Clubs, Book Camp). Core services include meeting room access, technology services (computers, printing, Memory Lab), educational support (Book A Librarian, career resources), and civic services (voter registration, notary, exam proctoring). The library's SHARE Mobile App connects patrons to the regional library consortium catalog. Special programming targets all ages from birth through adulthood, including the Rubber Ducky Club for infants/toddlers, age-based reading challenges, and adult BINGO reading programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Library Card Services
- Borrowing Services
- Library of Things
- eBooks and More
- Explore More Illinois
- Meeting & Study Rooms
- Reading Recommendations
- Book A Librarian
- Computers & Printing
- Memory Lab
- Home Delivery
- Exam Proctoring
- Notary Services
- Databases
- Career Resources
- Local History & Genealogy
- SHARE Mobile App
- Summer Reading Program
- Rubber Ducky Club
- Book Clubs
- Kids and Teens Programs
- Friends' Cafe & Bookstore
- Illinois Legal Aid Online
- Voter Registration
- Book Camp
Quantifiable outcome
- Summer reading participation for all ages through Beanstack tracking system
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Chatham Area Public Library
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Chatham Area Public Library technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
Chatham Area Public Library partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Friends of the LibrarycoreVolunteer organization that supports the library through fundraising, advocacy, and community engagement. Operates the Friends' Cafe & Bookstore as a fundraising mechanism for library programs and materials.
- SHARE Library ConsortiumcoreIllinois library consortium providing shared catalog, mobile app, and resource sharing across member libraries. Chatham Area Public Library participates in the SHARE system for extended collection access.
- Illinois Legal Aid OnlineminorPartnership providing online legal aid resources and assistance to library patrons through integrated access on the library website.
- BeanstackcoreReading tracker platform used for the Summer Reading Program. Allows participants to log books and reading minutes, track progress, and enter prize drawings through web and mobile applications.
- EBSCO Information ServicescoreTechnology provider powering the library's Stacks discovery platform, catalog system, and website infrastructure.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chatham Area Public Library competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Springfield Public Library (Illinois): Illinois public library serving the capital city region with comparable mix of traditional lending, programming, digital services, and community partnerships. Closest comparable peer given shared Illinois context, SHARE consortium participation, and similar municipal library district structure.
- Decatur Public Library (Illinois): Mid-size Illinois public library offering traditional lending, programming, and digital services. Comparable in mission, scale-up pathway from a single city, and Illinois library system participation; useful benchmark for service breadth at a similar budget tier.
- Jacksonville Public Library (Illinois): Small-to-mid Illinois public library serving a comparable community-size footprint. Directly comparable on service mix, single-district governance, and reliance on local tax funding with supplemental programming revenue.
- Lincoln Public Library District (Illinois): Illinois library district of similar scale and governance structure, offering lending, programming, and digital resources. Strong direct comparability on district funding model, single-location footprint, and community-programming orientation.
- Bloomington Public Library (Illinois): Illinois public library with a comparable breadth of programming, digital services, and community partnerships. Comparable on consortium membership and the "community hub" service philosophy, with somewhat larger scale.
- Carbondale Public Library (Illinois): Small Illinois public library with traditional lending, children's programming, and digital resources. Comparable on single-site operations, Illinois-specific funding model, and programming-driven engagement strategy.
- Belleville Public Library (Illinois): Mid-size Illinois public library with comparable lending, programming, and digital service breadth. Comparable on Illinois-specific funding dynamics, consortium participation, and community-hub service orientation.
- Normal Public Library (Illinois): Illinois public library with comparable mission, service mix, and engagement programming. Comparable on municipal library district funding model and broad all-ages programming strategy.
Broad incumbents
- Chicago Public Library: One of the largest public library systems in the U.S., serving Chicago with 80+ branches. Comparable mission and service categories (lending, programming, digital services, civic engagement) but at vastly larger scale; relevant as the upper-bound benchmark and statewide influence on Illinois library policy.
Others
- Illinois Heartland Library System: Regional library system serving southern and central Illinois, including delivery, ILLINET Interlibrary Loan, and shared infrastructure. Comparable as the broader ecosystem the Chatham library operates within; relevant for benchmarking shared services and consortium dynamics.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Chatham Area Public Library social profiles
Digital presenceChatham Area Public Library financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chatham Area Public Library leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Chatham Area Public Library funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chatham Area Public Library M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chatham Area Public Library
What does Chatham Area Public Library do?
Chatham Area Public Library is a public library district that provides free physical and digital borrowing services, research databases, public computing and printing, bookable meeting and study rooms, and a broad program of community learning activities for all ages. Core offerings include library card registration, books and eBooks/audiobooks lending, the Library of Things, exam proctoring, notary services, home delivery, the Memory Lab, career resources, local history and genealogy, voting registration, summer reading and early literacy programs, book clubs, and a fee-based Summer Book Camp.
Is Chatham Area Public Library a public or private company?
Chatham Area Public Library is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Chatham Area Public Library founded?
Chatham Area Public Library was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Chatham Area Public Library based?
Chatham Area Public Library is headquartered in Chatham, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chatham Area Public Library make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Public Tax Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations and Support and program Fees.
Who are Chatham Area Public Library's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Springfield Public Library (Illinois), Decatur Public Library (Illinois), Jacksonville Public Library (Illinois), Lincoln Public Library District (Illinois), Bloomington Public Library (Illinois), Carbondale Public Library (Illinois), Belleville Public Library (Illinois) and Normal Public Library (Illinois). Chicago Public Library is listed as a broad incumbent. Illinois Heartland Library System is listed as an others.
Does Chatham Area Public Library have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chatham Area Public Library.
What industry is Chatham Area Public Library in?
Chatham Area Public Library's product category is Public Library Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAO, Public Libraries & Information Services, with a secondary code of EDAEAGAC, Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management. Its NAICS code is 51921 and its SIC code is 8200.