Ballston Community Public Library

What Ballston Community Public Library does

Ballston Community Public Library (BCPL) is a Special District public library chartered in 1957 under New York State law, operating from 2 Lawmar Lane in Burnt Hills, New York, with 14 employees. The library serves residents of the Town of Ballston (outside the Village of Ballston Spa) as its primary Library Tax District and additionally provides services to the Town of Charlton under a contractual arrangement. BCPL is governed by an elected Board of Trustees following a 2023 charter update (Chapter 336, signed by Governor Hochul on August 23, 2023) that established direct voter approval of the library budget and direct elections for trustees.

BCPL's service portfolio combines traditional physical lending (books, audiobooks, DVDs, magazines, board games, cake pans) through the SALS Polaris catalog with digital lending partnerships including Libby (OverDrive) for eBooks and audiobooks and Hoopla for streaming media, comics, music, and magazines. The library provides free public computing (computers, Wi-Fi, printing, copying, faxing, scanning), notary services, museum pass access, book clubs for grades K-12 and adults, summer reading programs via Beanstack, genealogy and research databases (Gale, Ancestry.com), and community meeting space. A dedicated Local History Room opened May 31, 2023, and the institution is celebrating 25 years in its current building in 2026 alongside 70 years of the Friends of the Library volunteer organization.

BCPL is a tax-funded public entity with no direct user fees; the library adopted a fine-free policy in 2024 after determining that overdue fines represented less than 1% of its overall budget. The institution is a member of the Southern Adirondack Library System (SALS) regional cooperative, which coordinates cataloging and resource sharing, and operates under Saratoga County Personnel Department supervision for civil service employment matters. The Friends of the Library, with over 50 years of fundraising activity, provides supplementary support for programs, materials, museum passes, and children's furnishings.

Name

Ballston Community Public Library

Legal name

Ballston Community Public Library

Website

https://bcpl.sals.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ballston Community Public Library is a chartered Special District public library in Burnt Hills, New York, serving Town of Ballston residents (and Town of Charlton by contract) with physical and digital lending, public computing, youth and adult programming, museum passes, and research databases, funded by voter-approved local taxes with an elected trustee board.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing) (EDAEAGAF)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community library access
• Digital lending platforms
• Youth library programs
• Library reference resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Burnt Hills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ballston Community Public Library delivers free public library services combining physical and digital material lending (books, audiobooks, magazines, DVDs, board games, cake pans) through the SALS Polaris catalog, supplemented by digital lending via Libby and Hoopla. The library also provides free public computing (Wi-Fi, computers, printing, copying, faxing, scanning), youth and adult programming, book clubs, museum passes, summer reading programs, genealogy and research databases (Gale, Ancestry.com), and notary services by appointment, all funded through the Library Tax District with no direct user fees.

Product overview

Ballston Community Public Library offers a unified public library service combining physical and digital resource access. The core offerings include traditional library lending (books, audiobooks, magazines, DVDs, board games, cake pans) through the Polaris catalog system, enhanced by digital lending partnerships with Libby and Hoopla for eBooks, audiobooks, and streaming content. The library provides public computing services, research databases (Gale), genealogy tools, and specialized programs including museum passes, youth and adult services, book clubs, and annual summer reading programs via Beanstack. The service integrates multiple platforms (Polaris catalog, Libby, Hoopla, WooFi calendar, Smore newsletter) to deliver a comprehensive community library experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Library Catalog (Polaris/SALS) Online catalog system for searching and managing physical and digital library collections including books, audiobooks, DVDs, and other materials, integrated with library card circulation.
• Libby Digital Lending Digital lending platform for borrowing and downloading eBooks and audiobooks with library card authentication.
• Hoopla Digital Content Digital content platform offering eBooks, audiobooks, comics, movies, TV, magazines, and music streaming with library card access.
• Public Computer and Wi-Fi Services Free public computer access, Wi-Fi, printing, copying, faxing, and scanning services for library patrons.
• Youth Services Programs and services for children and teens including story times, summer reading programs, and youth activities.
• Adult Services Resources, services, and programs for adult patrons including information assistance, technology help, and reading recommendations.
• Book Clubs Youth and adult book clubs for grades K-12 and adults with reserved book copies and meeting schedules.
• Museum Pass Program Circulating passes to local museums and attractions provided free or at discounted rates through the Friends of the Library program.
• Summer Reading Program Annual reading program for kids, teens, and adults with reading challenges, raffle tickets, and prizes, tracked via Beanstack.
• Gale Research Databases Online research databases including news, academic articles, career resources, genealogy, and health information.
• Library Card Services Free library card registration and circulation services for borrowing physical and digital materials including books, audiobooks, magazines, DVDs, board games, and cake pans.
• Genealogy and History Resources Online genealogy and historical research tools including Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest, NY Heritage Collection, and Library of Congress collections.
• Education and Career Resources Educational databases and career resources including College Source, FAFSA, NYS Civil Service, USA Jobs, and NYS Department of Labor.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fine-free policy implemented to remove barriers to library access

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Southern Adirondack Library System (SALS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 August 2023BCPL is a member of the Southern Adirondack Library System (SALS), a regional library system that coordinates services, cataloging, and resource sharing among member libraries in the Adirondack region of New York State.
• New York State LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 August 2023Chartered by the New York State Library, BCPL operates under state library regulations and coordinates with NYS Library for charter updates and legislative changes.
• Town of BallstoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BCPL is a Special District Library chartered to serve the Town of Ballston (outside the Village of Ballston Spa) and works with the Town on service district coordination and community programs.
• Assemblywoman Mary Beth WalshminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Worked with BCPL and the Town of Ballston to coordinate the 2023 library legislation update through the New York State Assembly.
• Senator Jim TediscominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Worked with BCPL and the Town of Ballston to coordinate the 2023 library legislation update through the New York State Senate.
• Town of CharltonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCPL has a service contract with the Town of Charlton to provide library services to its residents, extending the library's service area beyond the primary Library Tax District.
• Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Friends of the Library hosts two Annual Spring Art Receptions for students from the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake School District, supporting school-library community connections.
• The Charlton SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Friends of the Library includes the Charlton School in its Annual Spring Art Reception program, supporting community engagement with local educational institutions.
• Saratoga County Personnel DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCPL follows Civil Service regulations under the supervision of the Saratoga County Personnel Department for employment matters.
• Spartan Catering EventsminorOthersCommunity partner for Friends of the Library fundraising dinner events.
• Pizza WorksminorOthersCommunity partner for Friends of the Library community dinner fundraisers.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Altamont Free Library: A small public library serving the Village of Altamont in Albany County, comparable in scale and service mix to BCPL with traditional collections, programming, and digital lending partnerships.
• East Greenbush Community Library: A community public library in Rensselaer County serving a similar suburban Capital District population with comparable collection size, programming portfolio, and digital lending integration.
• Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library: A nearby suburban Saratoga County public library of comparable scale, also a SALS member, serving a similar middle-class suburban population with traditional lending, digital services, and community programming.
• Voorheesville Public Library: A small Capital District public library in Albany County serving a similar suburban-rural community profile with traditional lending, programming, and digital services through its regional library system.
• Galway Public Library: A small rural Saratoga County public library, also part of SALS, serving a similar small-town population with comparable programming and digital resource offerings.
• Mechanicville District Public Library: A small special-district public library in southern Saratoga County, similar in size and operating model to BCPL, also serving a tight-knit community with traditional and digital lending services.
• Round Lake Library: A small public library in the SALS network serving a small Saratoga County village. Closely comparable in staff size, service scope, and community-library relationship.
• Saratoga Springs Public Library: The closest geographic and demographic peer—a public library serving a Saratoga County municipality with similar population scale and program mix. Both serve suburban Saratoga County communities with comparable resident profiles.

Broad incumbents

• Southern Adirondack Library System (SALS): BCPL's parent regional library cooperative coordinating catalog, resource sharing, and digital infrastructure across member libraries. Provides the structural framework BCPL operates within and could be considered the broader ecosystem peer.
• Schenectady County Public Library: A larger county-wide public library system in the adjacent Capital District region with multiple branches, broader collections, and more extensive programming—representing the regional incumbent scale-up of BCPL's service model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/burnthillslibrary
• Instagraminstagram.com/burnthillslibrary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/burnthillslibrary

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Ballston Community Public Library