Laramie County Library System

What Laramie County Library System does

Laramie County Library System is a public county library system headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyoming, founded in 1886 and serving more than 96,000 registered users across Laramie County. It operates a four-location physical network — a main library in Cheyenne, branch locations in Burns and Pine Bluffs, and a mobile library — augmented by 24/7 virtual services. The system circulates more than 705,000 items annually and maintains a collection exceeding 319,000 physical and digital items, making it the oldest continuously operating county library in the United States by institutional continuity. Programming spans children, teen, adult, and senior audiences and includes cultural, educational, and maker-oriented offerings.

The technology and product footprint combines traditional library infrastructure with a modern digital layer. Physical assets include an approximately 100,000-square-foot LEED-certified main library, a newly purchased Pine Bluffs branch building (September 2025), and a forthcoming mobile library vehicle (February 2026). On-site capabilities include a makerspace with 3D printing, a video studio, and lending of hotspots and laptops. Digital platforms span Libby, Hoopla, Beanstack, and a relaunched website (January 2026) that supports self-service account management. The Library to Business program extends services to local entrepreneurs and small businesses, signaling a vertical extension beyond general consumer use. A new Off the Shelf magazine (July 2026) and the Connecting Community Strategic Plan (2025-2030) round out the product roadmap.

The business model is publicly funded rather than commercial. Operating revenue comes from Laramie County property tax allocations and approximately 10% of an optional 1% sales tax. A capital bond election in August 2026 seeks more than $15 million for facility upgrades at the Cheyenne main library and the Pine Bluffs branch. Core services are provided free at the point of use to county residents with no fee structure on the catalog itself, and the system employs 75 or more staff across locations and functions. Governance follows the standard public-library structure under an executive director, deputy director, and oversight board; Antonia Gaona serves as Executive Director and Beth Cook as Deputy Director.

Name

Laramie County Library System

Legal name

Laramie County Library System

Website

https://lclsonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1886

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Public county library system in Wyoming, founded 1886, serving 96,000+ Laramie County residents through a main library in Cheyenne, branches in Burns and Pine Bluffs, a mobile library, and 24/7 virtual services with a 319,000+ item collection.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (519)

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 User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing) (EDAEAGAF)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community lending programs
• Digital reading platforms
• Library maker services
• Community meeting spaces

Headquarters

HQ city

Cheyenne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Funded through Laramie County government by a portion of county property tax and 10% of the county's share of an optional 1% sales tax. Voter-approved financing was used to build the current 100,000-square-foot library.
2. Private Donations and Foundation Support: Laramie County Library Foundation receives individual, corporate, and foundation gifts. Memorial and honor donations (minimum $25), named gifts (brick pavers, meeting rooms, benches), planned giving (wills, endowments), and annual Booklovers Bash fundraising event.
3. Fee-Based Services: 3D printing ($0.10/gram), printing services (black and white $0.10/side, color $0.50/side), laminating ($0.25/sheet), and other nominal fees for materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Laramie County Library System operates a public county library network consisting of a main Cheyenne library, branches in Burns and Pine Bluffs, and a mobile library, serving over 96,000 residents. Its offerings include physical and digital lending collections of more than 319,000 items, digital reading platforms (Libby, Hoopla, Beanstack), maker and technology services (3D printing, The Studio video production, hotspot and laptop checkout), community meeting and study spaces, and reading programs such as the Summer Reading Challenge and Wyoming Book Awards.

Product overview

Laramie County Library System is a public library network consisting of a main Cheyenne branch (100,000 sq ft, LEED Gold certified since 2007) and two branch locations in Burns and Pine Bluffs, plus a Mobile Library serving rural communities across Laramie County, Wyoming. The system offers a unified catalog of over 319,000 items with annual circulation exceeding 705,000. Core offerings include physical and digital collections (Books & More, Articles & Databases), digital reading platforms (Libby, Hoopla, Beanstack), and specialized services such as 3D Printing, The Studio (video production), hotspot/laptop checkout, and community programs (Summer Reading Challenge, Wyoming Book Awards, Book Arts Exhibition). The system operates meeting rooms, study rooms, and teen spaces, with new self-service access at branch locations. Funded through county property tax and sales tax, the library serves over 96,000 residents and has been operating continuously since 1886.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Off the Shelf: Laramie County Library System's quarterly magazine featuring community stories, reading recommendations, and behind-the-scenes insights.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving over 96,000 residents with over 705,000 annual circulations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Laramie County Master GardenerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership supporting the Seed Library program. The Master Gardeners provide local horticultural expertise while the library serves as the community hub, making gardening approachable for beginners and newcomers to Wyoming.
• CHISPAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for bilingual programming, specifically presenting Cuentos y Amigos: Lucha Libre storytime in both Spanish and English.
• Laramie County School Districts 1 and 2coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting Wyoming Reads program bringing 1,072 students annually to the library for literacy development.
• Cheyenne Guitar SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership hosting musical events including bluegrass guitar workshop and concert with Jim Hurst.
• GEAR UP WyomingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting students in grades 7-12 prepare for college and career success through vision board workshops and other programs.
• Wyoming Nonprofit NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of WyoGives Day, a statewide celebration of nonprofits. Laramie County Library Foundation participates in annual fundraising event.
• Laramie County Community College Ludden LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosting documentary screening and panel discussion on the role of libraries and access to information.
• LCCC (Laramie County Community College)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partnership for makerspace and technology learning resources including Golden Eagle Wyrkshop and Fabrication/Prototype Space.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Boulder Public Library: Colorado municipal library with multiple branches, strong maker/business programming, and a comparable circulation scale (~700K+ items). Operates on a similar tax/foundation funding mix and provides benchmarks for service breadth.
• Fort Collins Public Library: Mid-sized municipal library system in northern Colorado serving a similarly rural-suburban Front Range population. Comparable program mix (makerspace, seed library, outreach, business support) and serves as a regional reference point for LCLS.
• Pikes Peak Library District: Large Colorado library district covering a county-scale geography with multiple branches, a bookmobile, and a robust community programming portfolio. Closely comparable distribution model (branches + mobile + virtual) at somewhat larger scale.
• Kansas City Public Library: Independent municipal library serving a metro area with a flagship central branch plus satellite branches. Comparable program breadth, donor/foundation funding model, and community-events calendar format.
• Multnomah County Library: Large U.S. county library system (Portland metro) with a flagship central library plus branches and a nationally recognized programming portfolio. Useful peer for benchmarking service breadth, though at materially larger scale.
• Charlotte Mecklenburg Library: County-level library system in North Carolina operating many branches with strong literacy, business, and maker programming. Comparable footprint-to-population ratio and tax/foundation funding structure.
• Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library: County-level public library system with multi-branch operations and a strong maker/business service mix. Comparable in operating multiple physical locations, digital lending (Libby/OverDrive), and community foundation support.

Direct peers

• Albany County Public Library: Wyoming's other major county library system (based in Laramie), serving a comparable county-scale population with similar physical/digital collections and community programming. Directly comparable in governance (county-funded) and catalog integration via the WYLD consortium.
• Mesa County Public Library District: County-scale library district in western Colorado operating multiple branches and community programs on property-tax funding. Comparable governance, branch-portfolio structure, and outreach to rural populations.
• Teton County Library: Another Wyoming county library system with a flagship branch plus community programming. Comparable in scale, county funding model, and member of the shared WYLD catalog system used by LCLS.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laramie-county-library-system

Compliance1 record

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 Laramie County Library System