East Lake Library

What East Lake Library does

East Lake Community Library is a 501(c)(3) public community library headquartered at 4125 East Lake Rd., Palm Harbor, Florida, serving the Palm Harbor Community Services District and surrounding East Lake communities. It operates a single physical branch staffed by 13 employees and offers traditional library services (book borrowing, interlibrary loans, museum passes, print/copy/scan, notary, fingerprinting, meeting room reservations, home delivery, locker system pickup) alongside a broad digital resources portfolio delivered through the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative (PPLC) — including Hoopla, Libby, OverDrive, Kanopy, and Comics Plus — and a children's special collections line (Ready, Set, Read! Kits, STEAM to Go!, Launchpads, Beginning Reader Backpacks, Ukulele Kits, reading support materials).

The library's business model is a hybrid of public funding and community fundraising. The primary revenue stream is property tax revenue collected through the Palm Harbor Community Services District. A secondary layer is built around the Friends of East Lake Community Library, a separate 501(c)(3) that runs a tiered membership program (Patron $125, Family $40, Adult $20, Senior $15/year), a used-book retail operation called the Book Nook (including eBay sales), and a Community Partner Program that charges local businesses $100/year for promotional placement. A third stream is the East Lake Community Library Foundation's $1.5 million Capital Campaign, currently funding physical expansion of the branch.

Go-to-market is community-led: multi-channel engagement through a monthly email newsletter, a quarterly printed newsletter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and an events calendar, supplemented by advisory boards (Library Advisory Board, Teen Advisory Board, Middle School Advisory Board), volunteer programs, and partnerships with local businesses, civic groups, and hosts of 5 Little Free Library locations. In 2025, construction began on a larger facility as part of the Capital Campaign, representing the organization's most significant recent capital deployment.

Name

East Lake Library

Legal name

East Lake Community Library

Website

https://eastlakelibrary.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

East Lake Community Library is a 501(c)(3) public community library in Palm Harbor, Florida, serving the Palm Harbor Community Services District with traditional borrowing, digital resources, children's programming, and community services, funded by property taxes, Friends of the Library memberships, and an active capital campaign for facility expansion.

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 industry

PRIMARYEDAEAGAC

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Library, Media Center & Learning Space Operations

SECONDARYBPAIACAO

Public Libraries & Information Services

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAGAHAF

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAEAGAL

Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support)

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Library, Media Center & Learning Space Operations

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community education programs
• Children's literacy resources
• Digital media lending
• Community outreach services

Headquarters

HQ city

Palm Harbor

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, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Funding: Primary funding from library tax funds collected through Palm Harbor Community Services District property taxes.
2. Friends of the Library Memberships and Donations: Friends of East Lake Community Library is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that raises funds to support materials and services not covered by library tax funds. Revenue comes from annual memberships (Patron $125, Family $40, Adult $20, Senior $15) and general donations.
3. Book Nook Sales: Friends operate a used bookshop (Book Nook) selling gently used books, children's books, paperbacks, non-fiction, CDs, puzzles, and gift baskets. Also sells items on eBay.
4. Community Partner Program: Business partners pay $100/year for promotional display in library, inclusion in welcome packets for new library cardholders, website feature, and quarterly newsletter mention.
5. Capital Campaign Donations: Current capital campaign aims to raise $1.5 million to supplement existing funds for library expansion/construction.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

East Lake Community Library is a public community library providing free access to physical and digital books, media, educational programs, and community services to residents of the Palm Harbor Community Services District. Core offerings include traditional borrowing, digital resources, technology lending (Gizmos and Gadgets), children's literacy kits, youth advisory programs, and practical services such as notary, fingerprinting, printing, a food pantry, and meeting room reservations.

Product overview

East Lake Community Library is a public community library serving Palm Harbor, FL, offering a unified suite of traditional library services, digital resources, and community support programs. The core offerings include physical and digital borrowing services (books, interlibrary loans, locker pickup), technology lending (Gizmos and Gadgets), digital content platforms (Hoopla, Libby, OverDrive, Kanopy), and practical services (printing, notary, fingerprinting, food pantry). Children's and youth services feature special collection kits (Ready, Set, Read!, STEAM to Go!, Launchpads, Beginning Reader Backpacks, Ukulele Kits) and advisory boards. Community engagement programs include Friends of the Library membership with Book Nook sales, a Community Partner sponsorship program, and monthly/quarterly newsletters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Borrowing and Library Card Services Traditional library borrowing services including book lending, interlibrary loans (ILL), locker system pickup, museum passes, and home delivery for cardholders.
• Digital Resources Electronic resources including ebooks, eaudiobooks, magazines, streaming video, and digital comics provided through Hoopla, Libby, OverDrive, Kanopy, and Comics Plus platforms.
• Gizmos and Gadgets Technology lending program allowing patrons to borrow gadgets and electronic devices from the library.
• Print, Copy and Scan Document services including printing, copying, and scanning capabilities for library patrons.
• Notary Services Notary public services provided to library patrons at the library location.
• Fingerprinting Fingerprinting services for identification purposes offered to library patrons.
• Food Pantry Community food assistance program providing food supplies to community members in need.
• Meeting Rooms Reservable community meeting spaces available for public use at the library.
• Home Delivery Service Home delivery service for library materials to patrons who cannot visit the library in person.
• Locker System Contactless pickup service via locker system for patrons reserving library materials.
• Book Nook On-site used bookstore operated by Friends of the Library selling children's books, novels, paperbacks, non-fiction, CDs, puzzles, and gift baskets, with ancillary eBay sales.
• Friends of the Library Membership Annual membership program with tiers (Patron $125, Family $40, Adult $20, Senior $15) providing newsletter access and Book Nook coupons to support the library.
• Community Partner Program Annual sponsorship program at $100/year providing local businesses with promotional display in the library, inclusion in new-library-card welcome packets, website feature, and quarterly newsletter mention.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Friends of East Lake Community Library (FOELCL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriends of East Lake Community Library is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that raises funds to promote and enhance the library's services and facilities. Supports materials and services not covered by library tax funds through memberships, donations, book sales, and community partner program. Officers include Barbara Cole (President) and Jim Scott (Vice President).
• Pinellas Public Library Cooperative (PPLC)coreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partner providing shared catalog system, interlibrary loan network, museum pass program, and library card services. Library cards and digital resources are managed through PPLC systems.
• Community PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal businesses supporting the library through $100/year Community Partner Program. Includes Addington Place of Eastlake, Alan Alcuaz REALTOR, Dr. Maggie Davis & Associates Pediatric Dentistry, Dolphin Financial Group, East Lake Cafe, E.K. Renovation, Expedia Cruises, Expressions Cosmetic & Family Dental, Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve, John Geigle YMCA, Health Source of Palm Harbor, The Jewelry Workshop, Kumon of Eastlake, Market Street Memory Care Residence, MaxX Multi Media LLC, MMS Asset Management, Nesting Grounds Cafe, Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, Rotary Club of East Lake Sunrise, Vetture's Restaurant & Pizzeria.
• Little Free Libraries (5 locations)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFOELCL donations support 5 Little Free Libraries facilitated with community partners at Fire Station, Brooker Creek Preserve, YMCA, and two Lansbrook parks.
• Palm Harbor Community Services District (PHCSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary municipal governing body providing library tax funding and oversight. PHCSA Representative Dan Wendol serves on the Library Advisory Board. Library serves the Palm Harbor Community Services District.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative: Regional public library cooperative serving Hillsborough County with shared catalogs, digital lending, and interlibrary loan. Operates the same kind of cooperative infrastructure model as PPLC does for East Lake.
• Clearwater Public Library System: Larger municipal library system serving the broader Clearwater area with multiple branches. Comparable in core mission but operates at significantly greater scale than East Lake's single location.
• Pasco County Public Library Cooperative: A multi-branch library system in adjacent Pasco County offering integrated catalog, digital resources, and community programming. Comparable in service model but at county-wide scale.
• Largo Public Library: Larger Pinellas County public library offering similar core services plus expanded programming and facilities. Comparable in mission with broader scale and resources than East Lake.

Direct peers

• Oldsmar Public Library: A neighboring Pinellas County community public library of similar scale offering traditional borrowing, programming, and digital resources. Directly comparable as a small municipal library in the same Florida region.
• Countryside Library (Palm Harbor): A community library operating in the Palm Harbor area alongside East Lake; offers comparable lending, programming, and community-oriented services for a similar demographic.
• Safety Harbor Public Library: Small Florida community public library serving Safety Harbor with comparable services, programming, and tax-based funding model. Closely matched in size, mission, and operating context.
• Dunedin Public Library: Pinellas County community public library offering similar traditional library services, children's programming, and digital lending. Comparable scale and geographic context to East Lake.
• Tarpon Springs Public Library: Community public library in nearby Tarpon Springs, FL providing traditional lending, programs, and community services. Directly comparable as a small Florida municipal library.
• New Port Richey Public Library: Community public library in nearby Pasco County offering similar traditional services, programming, and community partnerships. Comparable small-scale Florida municipal library.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/eastlakecommunitylibrary
• Instagraminstagram.com/eastlakecommunitylibrary/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@eastlakecommunitylibrary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/east-lake-library

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 East Lake Library