Commerce Public Library

What Commerce Public Library does

Commerce Public Library is a public library operating from the historic 1918 Georgian Revival former U.S. Post Office building at 1210 Park Street in downtown Commerce, Texas. The building, designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1991 and owned by the City of Commerce under a deed restricting use to library purposes, has housed the library since 1973. The library is governed and operated by the Friends of the Commerce Public Library, a 501c-3 non-profit corporation with a 16-member Board of Directors, and receives in-kind building support (utilities, grounds, roof, HVAC, painting) from the City of Commerce under Resolution No. 356 (1980). It serves residents within a 60-mile radius of Commerce, Texas, including Hunt County and adjacent communities.

The library's service portfolio blends traditional circulation with specialized programming. Core offerings include free library cards, physical collections (books, audiobooks, DVDs), public computer workstations with WiFi, and technology lending (Chromebooks, iPads, Kindles, mobile hotspots). Digital content is delivered through Libby by OverDrive, Hoopla, the Northeast Texas Digital Consortium, and E-Read Texas. Specialized services include a Local History & Genealogy Archive (more than 500 volumes on Commerce and Hunt County, photographs dating to the mid-1800s, the digitized Commerce Journal from 1901-present, family and business records, railroad memorabilia), a 3D printing Maker Room, an Adult Literacy Program offering ESL and GED tutoring, a U.S. Department of State Passport Acceptance Agency, a Seed Library, Children's Programs (story time, Lego club, art studio), and a Commerce Community Calendar aggregating events from surrounding Hunt County towns. It also maintains Authors' Park and a Pollinator Garden on adjacent lots.

Revenue mechanics are dominated by donations (sustaining memberships and one-time contributions via GiveButter, Amazon Smile proceeds from sales of donated books and vinyl, and gifts from named community donors including Thalian Club, Altrusa Greenville, and Dr. Keith McFarland), supplemented by small per-unit transaction fees: 10 cents per page for printing, $3.00 for inter-library loan requests, $3.00 for library card replacement, $1.00 for each additional DVD beyond the free allotment, $15 for on-site passport photos, and a $35 passport acceptance fee remitted to the City of Commerce. Pricing for all core library services is freemium; the paid fees cover incremental processing costs rather than functioning as material revenue. Distribution is exclusively single-country and single-site, with operational hours Monday through Saturday.

Name

Commerce Public Library

Legal name

Friends of the Commerce Public Library

Website

https://commercepubliclibrary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Commerce Public Library is a 501c-3-operated public library in Commerce, Texas, housed in a 1918 historic post office building. It serves residents within a 60-mile radius with free books, digital content, GED/ESL tutoring, passport services, a Maker Room, and local history archives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing) (EDAEAGAF), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community library resources
• Adult literacy programs
• Passport acceptance services
• Local history archives

Headquarters

HQ city

Commerce

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership: The library is operated by The Friends of the Commerce Public Library, a charitable 501c-3 non-profit corporation. Unrestricted donations support library operations and services. They offer sustaining membership programs and accept donations via GiveButter platform.
2. Passport Services: As a Passport Acceptance Agency, the library charges $35 acceptance fee per application plus $15 for passport photos on-site. Emergency passports cannot be processed and adult DS-82 renewals must be mailed by applicants.
3. Printing and Copy Services: Printing from computers available at 10 cents per page. Fax and copy services also offered.
4. Inter-library Loan: Requests for items not in the library's collection incur a $3.00 charge per item to cover processing costs.
5. Library Card Replacement: Replacement library cards cost $3.00 each.
6. Video Checkout Fees: One DVD per adult card, two per family card at no charge. Additional videos can be checked out for $1.00 each.
7. Amazon Smile Sales: The library operates an Amazon Smile shop selling donated books and vinyl records, with proceeds used to purchase new materials and provide services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Commerce Public Library provides free public library services to residents within a 60-mile radius of Commerce, Texas, including physical and digital book lending, public computer and WiFi access, children's and adult programming, an Adult Literacy Program offering GED and ESL tutoring, a U.S. Department of State Passport Application Acceptance Facility, a Local History & Genealogy Archive, a Maker Space with 3D printing, a Seed Library, and a community-wide event calendar. The library is operated by the Friends of the Commerce Public Library, a charitable 501c-3 non-profit corporation, from the historic 1918 former U.S. Post Office building at 1210 Park Street.

Product overview

Commerce Public Library operates as a traditional public library offering both physical and digital resources. The core digital offerings include e-book and audiobook lending through Libby by OverDrive, Hoopla Digital, the Northeast Texas Digital Consortium, and E-Read Texas collections. Physical collections encompass books, audiobooks, DVDs, and technology lending (Chromebooks, iPads, Kindles, Hotspots). The library provides specialized services including an Adult Literacy Program with GED/ESL tutoring, a Passport Application Acceptance Facility, a 3D printing Maker Space, and an extensive Local History & Genealogy Archive. Additional offerings include the Commerce Community Calendar, Seed Library, Children's Programs, public computer access, and a Local Organization Directory. The library serves the Commerce community from the historic former Post Office building at 1210 Park Street.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Literacy Program (GED/ESL) Free educational program offering ESL instruction, GED test preparation tutoring, and Adult Basic Education tutoring for adults seeking literacy education, English language learning, and GED certification. Tutoring sessions are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 AM to 12 PM with additional appointment-based arrangements available.
• Passport Application Acceptance Facility U.S. Department of State passport application acceptance service located at the library, providing application verification, photo capture, and application submission. Charges a $35 acceptance fee per application paid to the City of Commerce and $15 for on-site passport photos. Emergency passports cannot be processed and adult DS-82 renewals must be mailed by applicants.
• Local History & Genealogy Archive Historical archive containing 500+ volumes on Commerce and Hunt County, digitized Commerce Journal newspapers from 1901 to present, photographs dating to the mid-1800s, family and business records, Cotton Belt Railroad memorabilia, and yearbooks. Located in the basement Local History Room, open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons, and managed by Local History & Genealogy Librarian Jesse Worley.
• 3D Printing & Maker Space Maker space facility equipped with 3D printing and fabrication tools available for patron use in creating projects, providing the community with access to digital fabrication technology beyond traditional library resources.
• Commerce Seed Library Community seed lending program allowing patrons to borrow flower, vegetable, fruit, and herb seeds to grow and share, with donation acceptance from the community and supporting community gardening initiative.
• Commerce Community Calendar Shared Google Calendar featuring community events from Commerce and surrounding areas within approximately a 30-minute drive, including Greenville, Sulphur Springs, Wolfe City, Ladonia, and Caddo Mills, aggregating events from multiple local organizations to address community information fragmentation.
• Physical Materials Collection Traditional library collection including books, audiobooks, DVDs, and video content available for checkout with varying loan periods and limits. Library cards are issued to registrants within 60 miles of Commerce, TX, with the first DVD per adult card and two per family card included free and additional videos at $1.00 each.
• Children's Programs Youth services and age-appropriate programming for children from preschool age through teens, including preschool story time, Lego club, homeschool art studio, teen and tween programs, and a children's play-touch table with games and educational programs.
• Technology Lending Loaner device program providing Chromebooks, iPads, Kindles, and mobile hotspots for patron checkout, expanding community access to computing and internet connectivity in rural Hunt County.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OverDrive/LibbycoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital content partnership providing access to ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines through the Libby app. Patrons can borrow digital content and send to Kindle e-readers (U.S. only). Free and easy to use with library card.
• HooplacoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital content platform providing instant access to ebooks, audiobooks, and comics with no waiting lists. Available on phones, tablets, or computers with library card.
• TexShare DatabasescoreTechnology or IntegrationNetwork providing access to databases on health, medicine, business, genealogy, and literature. Available from home, office, or library with login credentials provided by library staff.
• Northeast Texas Digital ConsortiumcoreTechnology or IntegrationRegional consortium providing shared e-book collection accessible through the Libby app, expanding digital content availability beyond individual library holdings.
• Amazon SmileminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon Smile shop selling donated books and vinyl records. Proceeds help library purchase new materials and provide ongoing services.
• City of CommercecoreOthersThe library building is owned by the City of Commerce (deed specifies library use). City provides utilities, grounds maintenance, roof maintenance, painting, and air conditioning. Agreement formalized in Resolution No. 356 (1980).
• U.S. Department of StatecoreOthersDesignated Passport Acceptance Agency. Accepts passport applications, collects fees ($35 acceptance fee to City of Commerce), processes photos ($15 on-site), and forwards applications to State Department.
• Texas Historical CommissionminorOthersProvided approval for parapet restoration project (2017) to maintain Recorded Texas Historic Landmark designation. Review required for exterior work to ensure compliance with Secretary of Interior's Standards.
• Friends of the Commerce Public LibrarycoreOthersThe library is owned and operated by the Friends of the Commerce Public Library, a charitable 501c-3 non-profit corporation. Board meets second Thursday monthly. Board members include Carolyn Trezevant (President), Tina Fletcher (VP), Sarah Murdock (Treasurer), Nan Clay (Secretary), and Ashley Bryan (Director).
• West Coast SeedsminorOthersSeed company that made generous donations to the Commerce Seed Library, which provides free seeds for community planting and growing.
• Victory Seed CompanyminorOthersSeed company that made generous donations to the Commerce Seed Library, supporting community gardening initiative.
• Hudson Valley Seed Co.minorOthersSeed company that made generous donations to the Commerce Seed Library, supporting community gardening initiative.
• Hunt County Public ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded fused-glass art piece for Palladian window restoration, depicting Bois d'Arc tree. Also covered cost of window restoration before installation, contributing to historic building preservation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Dallas Public Library: Large urban Texas public library system offering overlapping digital lending, ESL/GED, passport services, and maker spaces. Functions as a broad incumbent whose service portfolio overlaps Commerce Public Library but at substantially greater scale and branch density.

Others

• Texas Library Association: Statewide professional association for Texas libraries, including small public libraries like Commerce. Industry body and ecosystem participant rather than direct peer.
• TexShare (Texas State Library): Statewide Texas library database network supplying TexShare Databases (health, business, genealogy, literature) to Commerce and hundreds of other Texas libraries. Ecosystem enabler rather than direct competitor.
• Northeast Texas Digital Consortium: Regional e-book consortium of which Commerce Public Library is a member; peers in the sense of an allied organization whose shared digital collection directly supplements Commerce's holdings via the Libby app.

Direct peers

• McKinney Public Library System: Texas public library system serving McKinney with similar community programs, technology lending (Chromebooks/hotspots), and digital content platforms. Comparable as a single-municipality North Texas public library with overlapping service mix.
• Greenville Public Library (Hunt County): Public library headquartered in Greenville, also in Hunt County TX, serving a similar small-town demographic with free books, digital lending, and community programming. Directly comparable in geography, scale, and rural Texas service mix.
• Allen Public Library: North Texas public library serving a similar suburban/small-city population with comparable youth programs, maker activities, and digital lending through Libby/OverDrive. Comparable in operational model and Texas public-library context.
• Sulphur Springs Public Library: Public library serving Sulphur Springs, TX — a similar small North Texas town with comparable offerings including physical collections, digital lending, and community programs. Direct peer by community size and service profile.
• Bonham Public Library (Fannin County): Small North Texas public library serving a rural community of comparable size to Commerce with traditional and digital lending plus community programming. Directly comparable in geographic and demographic context.
• Plano Public Library System: Large North Texas public library system operating multiple branches with comparable digital lending, ESL/GED adult literacy, maker programs, and community calendars. Comparable in offering breadth though larger in scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CommercePL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/commerce-public-library

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Commerce Public Library