Easton Area Public Library

What Easton Area Public Library does

Easton Area Public Library (EAPL) is a nonprofit public library system founded in 1811 in Easton, Pennsylvania, serving residents of the Easton Area School District — including the City of Easton, Forks Township, Palmer Township, and part of Lower Mount Bethel. The system operates two physical locations: a Main Library at 515 Church Street housed in a 1903 Carnegie building, and a Palmer Branch at 1 Weller Place in Palmer Township. EAPL is also one of Pennsylvania's 28 designated District Library Centers, extending its administrative reach to the broader Direct Service Area, Monroe County, and portions of Northampton County. The library offers a comprehensive service portfolio spanning traditional book lending, 24/7 digital resource access (eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, databases), equipment lending (mobile hotspots, Windows 11 laptops, Playaway Launchpads, video games, board games, birding backpacks), museum passes to 16+ regional and national institutions, interlibrary loan via the Access Pennsylvania statewide reciprocal borrowing network, and community programming across all age groups.

The underlying technology stack centers on the ChiliPAC library automation system for catalog and circulation management, supplemented by the SparkPA consortium catalog, NoveList reader's advisory via EBSCOhost, the Beanstack reading tracking platform, the Princh mobile printing service, and Constant Contact for newsletter distribution. The library maintains the Marx Local History Room — the largest collection of local history and genealogy in northeastern Pennsylvania — containing over 15,000 items including church and cemetery records, microfilmed newspapers dating to 1799, and an index of 120,000+ names. EAPL participates in the Lehigh Valley Library System automation consortium formed in 2001 alongside Allentown and Bethlehem Public Libraries and Moravian College.

EAPL's revenue model is funded primarily through municipal taxes and supplemented by donations, Friends of the Library fundraising (book sales generated $16K+ in 2024), an annual $100 subscription fee for residents outside the direct service area, printing and equipment fees, and museum pass partnerships. Library cards are free for Easton Area School District residents, and the library operates a "Fine Free" policy with no fees for holds or interlibrary loan requests. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors (President Cathy Long, Vice President Timothy Reilly, Treasurer W. Peter Lake, Secretary Betsy A Walker) with day-to-day operations led by Library Director Jennifer L. (Stocker) Long, who has held the role since 2005.

Name

Easton Area Public Library

Legal name

Easton Area Public Library

Website

https://eastonpl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1811

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Easton Area Public Library is a nonprofit public library system founded in 1811, serving Easton Area School District residents in Pennsylvania through a Main Library and Palmer Branch. It provides free book lending, digital resources, equipment lending, museum passes, and a regional local history archive.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Easton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Library Funding: Funded primarily through municipal taxes, donations, and the Friends of the Library organization. Library cards are free for Easton Area School District residents. Subscription memberships available for $100/year for residents outside the district but within the Easton Library District.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Easton Area Public Library is a public library system providing free physical and digital lending services, including books, media, eResources, and equipment (mobile hotspots, laptops, tablets). It operates a Main Library in Easton and a Palmer Branch, supplemented by community programming, museum passes, and the Marx Local History Room housing 15,000+ genealogy and local history items. Patrons gain access via a free library card for district residents or a $100/year household subscription for adjacent library district residents.

Product overview

Easton Area Public Library operates as a public library system with a Main Library downtown and a Palmer Branch in Palmer Township. The library offers a comprehensive range of physical and digital services centered around its core catalog and circulation system. Beyond traditional book lending, the library provides equipment lending programs including Mobile Hotspots, Windows 11 laptops for in-library use, Playaway Launchpad tablets, video games, board games, and Birding Backpacks. Digital access is supported through the eLibrary with databases, eBooks, eAudiobooks, and eMagazines, with reading tracked via Beanstack. The Marx Room Local History Room houses extensive local history and genealogy collections. Community programs include Youth Services, Teen Services, book clubs, proctoring services, museum passes, and mobile printing via Princh. The library participates in the Access Pennsylvania reciprocal borrowing program and interlibrary loan services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Library Card Membership Free library card for permanent residents of the Easton Area School District (City of Easton, Forks Township, Palmer Township, part of Lower Mount Bethel); $100/year household subscription for residents in the Easton Library District outside the Direct Service Area. Provides access to physical and digital collections, programs, computer use, and interlibrary loan.
• Marx Room Local History Room Local history and genealogy research center housing over 15,000 items including over 190 volumes of church and cemetery records, microfilmed local newspapers since 1799, maps, photographs, family files, yearbooks, city directories, and indexed obituary and article databases with over 120,000 names. Available to researchers and the public.
• eLibrary Digital Resources Online collection of databases, eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, and electronic resources accessible 24/7 with a valid library card. Includes the POWER Library and Access From Home programs.
• Museum Pass Program Free museum admission passes to regional attractions including Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Intrepid Museum, Museum of Modern Art, National Constitution Center, Museum of the American Revolution, Battleship New Jersey, Mutter Museum, Guggenheim, and others. Passes are available for 2-week checkout.
• Interlibrary Loan Service Material borrowing service enabling patrons to request items from other libraries when not available in the local collection or through Access Pennsylvania direct sharing partners. Free with valid library card.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $16,000 raised from two book sales in 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Friends of the LibrarycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVolunteer organization that raises funds to provide extra items not in the library budget and supports special events. Collects, sorts, and sells books and media at semi-annual book sales. Enriched Children's Summer Reading Program with shows and materials. Major past contributions include funding the Marx Local History Room building, restoration of the Paxinosa Inn painting, conservation of George Taylor portrait, and Penn Patent framing.
• Lehigh Valley Audubon SocietysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with EAPL to provide materials for Birding Backpacks. Donated Kowa binoculars with straps, Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Eastern and Central North America, and guide booklets in English and Spanish for park locations in Easton and Palmer area.
• Beanstack (by Kaizent), LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital reading tracking platform used for Summer Reading programs. Allows families to link accounts, track reading minutes, earn badges, and participate in reading challenges. Available as web platform and mobile app.
• Access Pennsylvania / POWER LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide reciprocal borrowing program including over 500 public libraries across Pennsylvania. Allows Easton Area School District resident cardholders in good standing to borrow materials from participating libraries statewide.
• POWER Library NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationStatewide library consortium providing access to e-resources including databases, eBooks, and digital content. EAPL participates in the Access From Home program for remote database access.
• Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel UniversitysupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass admits 2 adults and up to 5 children.
• Battleship New JerseysupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass admits 2 adults and up to 3 children.
• Museum of the American RevolutionsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass admits 2 adults and up to 4 children.
• Intrepid MuseumsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass admits 2 adults and 2 children.
• National Constitution CentersupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass admits 2 adults and 4 youths under 18.
• Mutter MuseumsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass admits up to 4 people.
• Eastern State PenitentiarysupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass admits up to 6 people.
• Bowman's Hill Wildflower PreservesupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass admits 2 adults and any accompanying children.
• Washington Crossing Historic ParksupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass admits 2 adults and all children or grandchildren under 18 living in the same household.
• Guggenheim MuseumsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass admits 4 adults. Children 12 and under free.
• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass admits 5 adults. Children are free.
• Mercer MuseumsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass admits 2 adults and 2 children 17 and younger.
• National Museum of Industrial HistorysupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner included in EAPL museum pass collection.
• Philadelphia's Magic GardenssupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner with 2 passes available. Pass admits up to 2 adults and 3 children under 18.
• Independence Seaport MuseumsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass is for walk-up tickets only and admits 2 adults and 4 children.
• Chanticleer GardensupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass admits 2 adults. Children 12 and under are free. CLOSED during winter months.
• Sigal MuseumsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum pass program partner. Pass admits 1 person.
• Pennsylvania Department of Education / Office of Commonwealth LibrariescoreOthersFederal funding through America Rescue Plan (ARP) funds provided to support library technology initiatives including laptop lending program for digital literacy.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Library of Congress: The Library of Congress is the U.S. national library providing reference, cataloging standards (MARC), and ILL services used by public libraries including EAPL. It is a broad incumbent in the library and information services space, with overlapping stewardship and reference missions.
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is a larger, multi-branch Pennsylvania Carnegie-era public library system with substantially greater scale and regional authority. Comparable as a Carnegie-heritage public library serving Pennsylvania communities, but operating at significantly greater breadth than EAPL.

Direct peers

• Bethlehem Area Public Library: Bethlehem Area Public Library is a co-member of the Lehigh Valley Library System automation consortium alongside EAPL and Allentown, serving a comparable Pennsylvania community with similar collection, programming, and ILL operations. It is the most directly comparable peer in scale and operating model.
• Allentown Public Library: Allentown Public Library is part of the Lehigh Valley Library System consortium with EAPL, offering similar public library services including lending, digital resources, and community programming in a nearby Lehigh Valley municipality. Same regional system and operating model as EAPL.
• Parkland Community Library: Parkland Community Library is a Lehigh Valley-area public library serving the Parkland School District with similar collection, programming, and community engagement services. Comparable in size and operating model to EAPL's service footprint.
• Northampton Area Public Library: Northampton Area Public Library is a nearby Northampton County public library serving a comparable Pennsylvania community with lending, programs, and ILL. It operates in the same county as EAPL with overlapping but distinct service areas, making it a directly comparable peer.
• Lower Macungie Library: Lower Macungie Library is a similarly-sized Pennsylvania public library in the Lehigh Valley serving suburban residents with lending, programming, and ILL. Directly comparable in operating model, funding structure, and community-service orientation.

Emerging players

• OverDrive / Libby: OverDrive (Libby) is the dominant digital ebook and e-audiobook lending platform used by libraries including EAPL for 24/7 digital content access. It is an emerging/digital-native player that competes with physical library lending while simultaneously serving as a supplier to public libraries.
• Hoopla (by Midwest Tape): Hoopla is a digital lending platform providing ebooks, audiobooks, video, and music to library patrons; it complements library digital collections rather than substituting for physical lending. Comparable as a digital content delivery mechanism commonly licensed by public libraries like EAPL.

Others

• POWER Library (Pennsylvania): POWER Library is the statewide Pennsylvania library consortium providing shared digital resources, databases, and the Access Pennsylvania reciprocal borrowing program in which EAPL participates. It is an enabling infrastructure peer rather than a direct competitor, but its services directly extend EAPL's catalog reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@EastonLibrary
• Facebookfacebook.com/EAPLOfficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eaplibrary
• Instagraminstagram.com/eaplibrary
• Xx.com/eaplibrary

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Easton Area Public Library