What Collaborative Summer Library Program does

The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1987 when ten Minnesota library systems pooled resources to create a shared summer reading program for children. Today, CSLP develops and distributes annually themed summer reading program resources to 14,000+ public libraries across all 50 U.S. states and territories. Its core products are annual themed programming manuals (delivered via online portal, USB drive, or print), trademarked artwork and slogans, and ready-to-use marketing materials and reading incentives (posters, reading logs, bookmarks, certificates) sold through shop.cslpreads.org. Additional offerings include the IMLS-funded Building Community-Based Summers (BCBS) discussion series, a Summer Outreach Toolkit, an AMNH dinosaur/paleontology resource guide, professional development via webinars and an annual Summer Symposium, and age-segmented programs (Early Literacy, Children, Teen, Adult).

CSLP operates through a state-representative distribution model in which each state/territory has one designated representative paying membership dues on behalf of all its public libraries; libraries in non-member states can purchase individual access for $20 per theme year. The organization is volunteer-powered — more than 200 library volunteers contribute to manual creation, artwork, and committee work — and is supported by a remote staff of four core employees led by Executive Director Dawn Krause, plus a Board of Directors composed of state-library representatives. Revenue streams include recurring state membership dues (subscription), one-time manual and merchandise sales (e-commerce), and trademark licensing fees charged to for-profit entities using CSLP themes, slogans, or artwork. All profits are reinvested into the organization.

CSLP's strategic positioning combines content-library depth (35+ years of accumulated themed content and a complete archive), national scale achieved with minimal overhead, and a collaborative governance structure that effectively embeds CSLP into state library associations. Recent strategic activity has centered on deepening institutional partnerships (AMNH, Macmillan Children's Publishing, USDA Forest Service, AIA, Detroit Zoo), formalizing internal functions (first Accounting Specialist in 2024, new full-time Content Editor), and extending the service portfolio with year-round community engagement programming via BCBS.

Name

Collaborative Summer Library Program

Legal name

Collaborative Summer Library Program

Website

https://cslpreads.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Collaborative Summer Library Program is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops and distributes annually themed summer reading program manuals, artwork, and marketing materials to 14,000+ public libraries across all 50 U.S. states and territories via a state-representative membership model, supported by 200+ library volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Library Programming Services

NAICS

Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192), Book Retailers and News Dealers (459210)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Library, Reading Motivation & Independent Reading Programs (EDAMAJAO), Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO), Reading Comprehension & Close Reading Enrichment (EDAMAJAB)

Keywords

• Library programming services
• Summer reading programs
• Library program artwork
• Library marketing materials
• Public library resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Mason City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: States and territories pay annual membership dues set by the Board of Directors to access CSLP materials, themes, and manuals for their public libraries.
2. Programming Manual Sales: Sale of annual themed programming manuals in online, USB drive, or print formats. Individual libraries in non-member states can purchase for $20 per theme year.
3. Merchandise and Incentives: Sale of themed merchandise including apparel, reading incentives, posters, reading logs, bookmarks, and certificates through the CSLP online store (shop.cslpreads.org). Profits reinvested into the organization.
4. Trademark Licensing: For-profit entities require a formal trademark agreement with an associated fee for each theme year they wish to use CSLP themes, slogans, or artwork. Custom orders for non-paper items may involve licensing fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

CSLP is a nonprofit cooperative that develops and distributes annually themed summer reading program materials—including themed programming manuals, original artwork, slogans, and marketing/reading-incentive merchandise—to public libraries and state library agencies. Member libraries purchase manuals and merchandise to deliver standardized, ready-to-implement summer reading programs to their patrons across children, teen, adult, and early-literacy audiences.

Product overview

The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) is a nonprofit organization that provides a suite of shared resources to help public libraries host high-quality summer reading programs. The core offering consists of annual themed programming manuals with artwork, slogans, and marketing materials, sold through the CSLP shop. Member libraries receive access to the online manual, while the organization also offers professional development through webinars and an annual Summer Symposium. Additional services include the Community-Based Summers Guide, Summer Outreach Toolkit, AMNH partnership resources, and Libraries and Summer Food Guide. Programs span early literacy, children's, teen, and adult audiences with age-appropriate content. All profits from merchandise sales are reinvested to support summer reading programs for member libraries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Unearth a Story: Annual theme slogan and program for summer reading
• Building Community-Based Summers (BCBS)

Products and services

• Annual Themed Summer Reading Programming Manuals

Quantifiable outcome

• 14,000+ public libraries served annually across all 50 U.S. states and territories

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Dr. Aki WatanabeminorOthers · 15 July 2026Dr. Aki Watanabe, Associate Professor of Anatomy at NYIT and Research Associate in Paleontology at AMNH, serves as featured paleontologist for CSLP's July 15, 2026 webinar on new dinosaur discoveries.
• American Museum of Natural History (AMNH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026AMNH partners with CSLP to provide dinosaur and paleontology content for the 2026 'Unearth a Story' summer reading program. This includes a librarian's guide with 10 video clips, webinars featuring AMNH paleontologists, and information about AMNH's 2D exhibition 'Dinosaurs Among Us' available at member library rates.
• Archaeological Institute of America (AIA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026AIA partnered with CSLP for a May 2026 webinar on archaeology basics for librarians as part of the 'Unearth a Story' 2026 theme, helping library staff engage patrons with archaeology content.
• Detroit ZoominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Detroit Zoo partnered with CSLP for a Summer Symposium 2025 session on 'Unearthing Science' providing hands-on science activities related to dinosaurs, archaeology, and paleontology for youth librarians.
• Macmillan Children's Publishing GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Macmillan Children's Publishing Group partnered with CSLP to provide 2026 Summer Reading Champion Dan Santat. Dan Santat, a Macmillan author, designed a special poster for Summer 2026 provided at no cost to member libraries placing orders in the CSLP store.
• Hoopla (Midwest Tape)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Hoopla sponsored the Summer Symposium 2025, helping CSLP keep the event free for participants.
• USDA Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CSLP partnered with USDA Forest Service for 2024 Summer Reading Champion program featuring Smokey Bear in honor of his 80th birthday. The partnership included the Smokey Bear Reading Challenge toolkit, social media campaigns, and PSAs.
• Guide Dogs for the BlindminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Guide Dogs for the Blind served as 2021 Summer Reading Champion with VP of Outreach Theresa Stern and guide dog Wills, promoting summer reading and library services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Reading Is Fundamental (RIF): National nonprofit focused on children's literacy and reading programs. Comparable as a literacy-focused nonprofit serving libraries and schools with reading engagement programming, similar mission alignment with CSLP's summer reading work.
• First Book: Nonprofit providing books and educational resources to programs and libraries serving low-income children. Comparable as a nonprofit operating on cooperative economics to bring literacy resources to public libraries and underserved communities.
• Junior Library Guild: Subscription-based book selection service for school and public libraries, similar in distribution model to CSLP. Both serve the same customer (librarians seeking curated, ready-to-use content) with curated, professionally selected materials.

Broad incumbents

• American Library Association (ALA): The largest U.S. membership association for libraries and library staff. While not a direct competitor in summer reading specifically, ALA provides professional development, advocacy, and programming support that overlaps with CSLP's mission to support public libraries.
• Library of Congress Center for the Book: Federal Center for the Book promotes reading, literacy, and libraries nationally. Overlaps with CSLP on national reading promotion initiatives and library programming advocacy.
• Scholastic Summer Reading: Scholastic's summer reading challenge and book fair programs directly compete with CSLP for library summer reading attention, while leveraging a much larger publisher-backed content library and digital platform.
• YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association): ALA division focused on teen library services. CSLP produces a Teen Program component within its summer reading manuals that directly parallels YALSA's summer reading resources for teen librarians.

Emerging players

• Candlewick Press Library Programs: Children's book publisher that develops library programming kits and resources. Comparable as a publisher-based content provider that equips librarians with thematic, ready-to-use materials similar to CSLP manuals.
• Beanstack: Commercial digital reading challenge platform used by public libraries for summer reading and year-round programs. Represents the digital-first alternative to CSLP's manual-based model, with growing adoption among library systems.

Regional players

• EveryLibrary: National political action committee for libraries, focused on funding and advocacy for public libraries. Operates in adjacent ecosystem space that influences CSLP's customer (public libraries) financial health.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cslpreads
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cslpreads
• Facebookfacebook.com/cslpreads
• Instagraminstagram.com/cslpreads
• Pinterestpinterest.com/cslpreads

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Collaborative Summer Library Program