What Charles County Public Library does

Charles County Public Library (CCPL) is a public library system serving residents of Charles County, Maryland, operating as a tax-funded government entity rather than a commercial business. It runs four physical branches plus a mobile library vehicle, delivering free access to books, media, public computers, internet connectivity, and educational programming to the county's population.

The system's core offerings include traditional library lending (physical and digital collections), public computer and internet access, a Creation Station makerspace with fabrication and creative tools, Story Walks, children's programming, and a growing portfolio of health and digital-inclusion services. Recent additions include Telehealth Booths providing private spaces for remote medical consultations, a Mobile Computer Lab extending digital access to underserved areas, and refreshed public computer hardware across branches.

CCPL is funded primarily through county tax appropriations, with supplemental resources accessed through membership in the Southern Maryland Regional Library Association (SMRLA) and partnerships with organizations including Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Services are provided free of charge to county residents, and the operating model is distribution-driven rather than revenue-generating. No commercial revenue, AI/ML capabilities, or venture funding are disclosed in the available data.

Name

Charles County Public Library

Legal name

Charles County Public Library

Website

https://ccplonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Charles County Public Library is a tax-funded public library system in Charles County, Maryland, operating four branches plus a mobile library to deliver free books, digital access, and community programming to county residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing) (EDAEAGAF)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Digital library resources
• Community literacy programs
• Library catalog access
• Children's reading programs

Headquarters

HQ city

La Plata

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Tax Funding: Charles County Public Library operates as a public library system funded primarily through local government tax revenues, providing free access to all county residents without direct user fees for core services.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The library accepts tax-deductible donations from community members and hosts fundraising events including Library Giving Month and magical evening events to support summer reading challenges, special programs, and collection growth.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Charles County Public Library operates a four-branch public library system providing free physical and digital collections, online databases, public computing and WiFi, educational programming across all ages, and community-focused services such as telehealth booths, a business/maker innovation space, mobile library outreach, passport and notary services, and the Imagination Library early-literacy book-gifting program.

Product overview

Charles County Public Library (CCPL) operates as a multi-branch public library system providing traditional and digital library services to Charles County, Maryland. The system consists of four physical branches (La Plata, P.D. Brown Memorial, Potomac, and Waldorf West) plus a Mobile Library unit. Core offerings include physical and digital collections accessible through the catalog, digital resources including Libby (e-books/audiobooks), Kanopy (video streaming), and various databases. Special services include Telehealth Booths for virtual healthcare access, the SOAR Innovation Space for business/creative maker services, 24-hour self-service kiosks, recording studios, and community outreach programs. The library also provides Passport Services, notary services, mobile hotspot lending, and various community engagement programs including the Summer Learning Challenge and Imagination Library early literacy program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Imagination Library of Charles County: A program that provides free books monthly to children under five living in Charles County
• Citizens for the Charles County Public Library, Inc.

Products and services

• Beanstack Reading Challenge Platform Online platform that lets patrons sign up for reading challenges, track reading progress, complete activities, and earn badges and tickets for prize drawings. Used for the Summer Learning Challenge and other reading programs.
• Book Match Recommendation Service Personalized book recommendation service connecting patrons with read-alikes, book series continuations, and suggested titles based on their preferences.
• Telehealth Booths Private telehealth consultation booths at P.D. Brown Memorial and Potomac branches providing residents access to virtual healthcare consultations with privacy and accessibility features.
• 24-Hour Library Kiosk Automated self-service kiosk allowing patrons to pick up and return library materials outside regular library hours.
• SOAR Innovation Space Business and maker space at the Waldorf West branch equipped with computers, multimedia software, recording equipment, and business resources for career development, entrepreneurship, and creative projects.
• Drop the Mic Recording Studio Recording studio at P.D. Brown Memorial branch providing audio recording capabilities for patrons including podcast creation and voice recording.
• CCPL Mobile Application Mobile application enabling patrons to access library services, manage accounts, browse the catalog, and receive updates on the go.
• Mobile Library Mobile library unit bringing books, media, and library services to communities throughout Charles County at scheduled stops for residents with limited transportation.
• Charles County Detention Center Library Library services provided to inmates at the Charles County Detention Center to support rehabilitation and equitable information access.
• Summer Learning Challenge Annual summer reading program encouraging community-wide reading with themed activities, events, author visits, and prize drawings for all ages.
• Imagination Library of Charles County Early literacy program providing free age-appropriate books monthly to children under five living in Charles County through a local chapter of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
• Employment Resource Center Job search assistance and employment resources supporting patrons with career development, resume help, and job seeking activities.
• Passport Services Acceptance facility for passport applications, providing passport acceptance services to Charles County residents.
• RecPass Program providing free or discounted recreation passes for Charles County parks and facilities to library patrons.
• Mobile Hotspots Loaner mobile hotspot devices enabling patrons to access WiFi internet connectivity at home.
• Curbside Pickup Contactless service enabling patrons to reserve materials online and pick them up at library branches without entering the building.
• Notary Services Notary public services available at library branches for document notarization.
• Video Game Collection PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch video game collections available for checkout at CCPL branches.
• Local & State Food Resources & Support Portal Online portal providing residents access to local and state food resources, employment support, and community assistance programs during times of financial hardship.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ free books distributed to children under five through Imagination Library
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration17 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Southern Maryland Regional Library Association (SMRLA)coreTechnology or IntegrationConsortium partnership with other Southern Maryland libraries for shared catalog system (Marina), digital resource access, and interlibrary loan services.
• Citizens for the Charles County Public Library, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial nonprofit friends group that supports the library through fundraising, advocacy, and community engagement. Hosts annual book sales and the Magical Evening at the Library fundraiser.
• Charles County Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for CCPS Cards program providing virtual library cards to students using school IDs, school outreach programs, and coordination for educational programming.
• Southern Maryland Food ConnectionminorOthersCommunity partnership connecting residents with local food pantry events and distribution sites.
• Maryland Food BankminorOthersStatewide partnership providing access to food assistance resources and Maryland Food Bank Hunger Map for finding nearby food banks.
• Charles County Resource ConnectionminorOthersLocal resource database partnership providing residents access to local assistance with food, employment, housing, and other services.
• Southern Maryland Equity in History CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partnership supporting historical education and equity initiatives in the Southern Maryland region.
• Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled (LBPD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing free library services and books for qualifying readers with visual or print disabilities through the state library program.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal chapter of the national Imagination Library program providing free age-appropriate books monthly to children under five in Charles County. Has distributed over 100,000 books.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Calvert Library: A Southern Maryland public library system serving adjacent Calvert County with multiple branches and digital resources; directly comparable in scale, funding model, and regional mission to CCPL.
• Charles County Department of Recreation, Parks & Tourism: The same-county government entity that partners with CCPL through the RecPass program; operates community facilities and programming in Charles County and shares the same geographic tax base and resident population as CCPL.
• St. Mary's County Library: Another Southern Maryland public library system that is part of the same SMRLA consortium as CCPL, sharing the Polaris/Marina catalog infrastructure; comparable operating scale and county-tax funding model.

Broad incumbents

• Fairfax County Public Library: A large Virginia county library system with extensive branches, digital resources, and community programming; comparable operating model across state lines but at substantially greater scale than CCPL.
• Howard County Library System: A larger, well-regarded Maryland county library system known for strong programming and curriculum partnerships; serves as a comparable operating model within the same state library policy framework.
• Montgomery County Public Libraries: One of the largest Maryland county library systems with extensive branches, digital resources, and innovative programming; operates under the same state library policy environment as CCPL but at significantly greater scale.
• Enoch Pratt Free Library: Baltimore City's public library system and one of the oldest in the U.S.; comparable in public-mission library operations but serves an urban population with a more complex community-services portfolio than CCPL.

Direct peers

• Anne Arundel County Public Library: A larger Maryland county library system with multiple branches, robust digital collections, and community programming; comparable in operating model and state policy environment, but materially larger in scale than CCPL.
• Prince George's County Memorial Library System: A neighboring Maryland county public library system of similar size and structure, offering branches, digital resources, community programming, and county-tax funding — directly comparable operating model to CCPL.

Others

• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (national program): The national early-literacy book-gifting program that CCPL operates locally as Imagination Library of Charles County; comparable as a thematic partner on early-literacy outcomes rather than a direct operating competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ccplonline
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCELopEaN5D7vVwSutRPPk6Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Charles-County-Public-Library/156816584354146
• Instagraminstagram.com/ccplonline

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Charles County Public Library