Warren-newport Public Library

What Warren-newport Public Library does

Warren-Newport Public Library is a public library district established in 1973 and headquartered at 224 O'Plaine Road in Gurnee, Illinois. It serves approximately 60,000 residents across a 55-square-mile service area encompassing Gurnee and Warren Township, operating as a local government entity funded primarily through local property tax revenue and public support. Library services are free to district residents holding a library card, with nominal fees only applying to non-residents or specialized services.

The library's service portfolio combines traditional physical collections (books, movies, music) with a broad digital content offering accessed through third-party platforms including Libby (eBooks and audiobooks), Kanopy (30,000+ documentaries and independent films), Hoopla, Comics Plus, PressReader (6,000+ newspapers and magazines from 100+ countries), Mango Languages, and CreativeBug. The technology backbone is the Polaris library catalog system (CCS Software) for collection management, paired with an integrated online event calendar and room reservation system. Specialized on-site assets include The Workshop maker space (3D printers, laser cutters), The Point teen space, study and meeting rooms, the Library of Things lending program, and the newly opened Coco's Cove space completed as part of the 'Our Library Reimagined' capital project in 2025-2026.

WNPL organizes its offerings across four primary persona segments — Children and Families, Teens (Grades 6-12), Adults and Seniors, and Schools and Educators — through storytimes, reading challenges, book discussions, technology help, proctoring, and outreach programs including Doorstep Delivery for homebound patrons. Distribution is omnichannel: the physical library building, self-serve digital platforms, field outreach, and community partnerships (notably with Brushwood Center and SGA Youth & Family Services). The institution carries no venture or private equity ownership and is governed by a publicly appointed Library Board, with the Friends of WNPL acting as a volunteer fundraising and advocacy body.

Name

Warren-newport Public Library

Legal name

Warren-Newport Public Library

Website

https://wnpl.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Warren-Newport Public Library District is a public library in Gurnee, Illinois, serving approximately 60,000 residents with physical collections, digital platforms (Libby, Kanopy, Hoopla), maker spaces, community programs, and outreach services funded primarily by local tax revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community lending programs
• Digital media access
• Maker space services
• Literacy programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Gurnee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Warren-Newport Public Library District provides free public library services to approximately 60,000 residents of Gurnee and Warren Township, Illinois. Core offerings include lending of physical materials (books, movies, music), digital content access through partner platforms (Libby, Kanopy, Hoopla, Comics Plus, Mango Languages, CreativeBug), specialized spaces (The Workshop maker space, The Point teen area, Coco's Cove, meeting and study rooms), age-targeted programming (storytimes, teen programs, adult programs, book discussions, summer reading challenges), and community support services including Doorstep Delivery, outreach events, a community pantry, and interlibrary loan.

Product overview

Warren-Newport Public Library offers a comprehensive suite of public library services consisting of physical collections (books, movies, music), digital content platforms (Libby, Kanopy, Comics Plus, hoopla), and specialized services including The Workshop maker space and Library of Things lending program. The library serves approximately 60,000 residents within a 55-square-mile area through its main location in Gurnee, IL, providing programs for all ages, study/meeting rooms, technology assistance, and community outreach services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Library of Things A lending program offering specialty items for all ages that patrons can borrow, use, and return, enabling creation, experimentation, and trying items before buying.
• The Workshop A maker space providing access to equipment including 3D printers, laser cutters, and craft supplies, with weekly Project of the Week activities and technology help available during open hours.
• Libby Digital Lending Digital lending platform for borrowing eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more free with a WNPL library card.
• Kanopy Streaming On-demand streaming platform offering access to over 30,000 documentaries, classic, and independent films, with 15 tickets per account per month for cardholders.
• Comics Plus Digital comics, manga, graphic novels, and picture books platform with separate libraries for children and teens, available free with WNPL card.
• Museum Passes Passes granting cardholders free or discounted admission to local museums and cultural institutions.
• Study and Meeting Room Reservations Reservable study and meeting rooms available to library cardholders for individual and group use.
• Proctoring Services Proctoring services for students requiring supervised exam administration at the library.
• Doorstep Delivery Mobile outreach service delivering library materials to homebound patrons who cannot visit the library in person.
• Interlibrary Loan Service enabling patrons to borrow materials from other library systems when items are not available at WNPL.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Brushwood CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for community events including the Back-to-School Bash where Brushwood Center donates free backpacks to students. Joint programming supports community engagement and educational access for local families.
• SGA Youth & Family ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular community programming partnership providing the REACH Program for youth and family services at the library location multiple times weekly.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Waukegan Public Library: Lake County, IL public library serving a more urban population; directly comparable institutional structure though with different demographic mix — useful peer for urban-adjacent comparison.
• Ela Area Public Library: Lake Zurich-area public library district serving a comparable suburban Lake County population. Operates with similar collections, digital lending, and children's/teen programming — a strong direct peer.
• Cook Memorial Public Library District: Neighboring Lake County, IL public library district serving Libertyville, Vernon Hills, and Green Oaks. Operates a similar tax-funded model with comparable physical collections, digital platforms, and community programming — a directly comparable peer for benchmarking.
• Lake Forest Library: Affluent Lake County public library offering similar physical/digital collections, programming, and community engagement models, with comparable tax-funded governance.
• Indian Trails Public Library District: Wheeling-area suburban Cook/Lake County public library district with similar district structure, programming calendar, and digital platform partnerships. Comparable scale and operating model.
• Vernon Area Public Library District: Adjacent Lake County, IL public library district (Lincolnshire area) with similar tax-base funding, resident-only cards, and community programming model. Directly comparable in scale and service mix.
• Fremont Public Library District: Mundelein-based Lake County public library district serving a similar demographic profile with overlapping digital content platforms and comparable programming breadth.

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Public Library: One of the largest U.S. public library systems; while serving a very different urban population, it represents the broader-incumbent benchmark for public library service breadth in Illinois.
• Skokie Public Library: Established, award-winning Illinois public library with substantially broader programming, maker spaces, and digital offerings. Functions as an aspirational broader-incumbent peer for service-model benchmarking.
• Evanston Public Library: Larger Illinois public library serving a denser population with extensive programming, special collections, and digital services. A broader-incumbent reference point for programming scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WarrenNewportPL
• Facebookfacebook.com/wnplgurnee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/warren-newport-public-library
• Instagraminstagram.com/wnplgurnee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Warren-newport Public Library