Zion-Benton Public Library

What Zion-Benton Public Library does

Zion-Benton Public Library is a public library district organized under Illinois state law, serving residents of Zion, Winthrop Harbor, and parts of Beach Park in Lake County, Illinois from its single facility at 2400 Gabriel Ave, Zion. Founded in 1937, the library operates with 11-50 employees and is governed by an elected Board of Trustees. It is funded primarily through property taxes levied within the district, with minor revenue from non-resident card fees ($158.82/household/year), printing services, and grant funding from state and federal library programs.

The library delivers services through three primary channels: physical collections and in-person programs at its main location, digital lending platforms (Overdrive/Libby for ebooks and audiobooks, Hoopla for streaming media, Biblioboard for digital content, Libby Magazines with 3,000+ titles), and outreach services including curbside pickup and a traveling library serving homebound residents and senior facilities. Research and educational resources are provided through EBSCOhost databases, Ancestry Library Edition, Britannica Library, NewsBank, HeritageQuest, Brainfuse tutoring and career assistance, and other specialized databases. The library maintains WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility compliance.

Distinctive programs include The Sandbox MakerSpace (3D printers, laser cutters, sewing machines for grades 6-12), the ZB Seed Library (6,200+ seed packets distributed in 2024), bilingual Spanish-English storytime, and the Community Hub initiative launched in 2023, which brings 40+ local organizations (healthcare providers, educational institutions, social services) to the library monthly for integrated community service delivery. A Lobby and Youth Services Renovation Project was approved with bidding expected in 2026, indicating ongoing capital investment in physical infrastructure.

Name

Zion-Benton Public Library

Legal name

Zion-Benton Public Library District

Website

https://zblibrary.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zion-Benton Public Library is a public library district under Illinois law serving Zion, Winthrop Harbor, and Beach Park residents through physical collections, digital lending platforms, research databases, community programs, and the Community Hub initiative bringing 40+ local organizations on-site monthly.

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

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

Keywords

• Public library services
• Digital lending resources
• Community programming
• Research databases
• Youth literacy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Zion

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

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Revenue: Public library district funded primarily through property taxes from residents of Zion, Winthrop Harbor, and Beach Park areas
2. Non-Resident Card Fees: Non-residents can purchase library cards for $158.82 per household per year
3. Printing and Copying Services: Black and white and color printing at 20 cents per page; scanning services
4. Grant Funding: Support from state and federal library programs including Digital Library of Illinois

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Zion-Benton Public Library District provides free public library services to residents of Zion, Winthrop Harbor, and parts of Beach Park in Lake County, Illinois. Its core offering combines lending of physical and digital materials (books, e-books, audiobooks, magazines, and streaming media) with research databases, community programming for children, teens, and adults, and outreach services such as a traveling library and curbside pickup. The library also operates the Sandbox MakerSpace, community meeting rooms, museum pass programs, and a Community Hub that brings local health, education, and social service partners on-site monthly.

Product overview

Zion-Benton Public Library operates as a traditional public library offering a unified service model combining physical collections, digital resources, educational programming, and community services. The library's core offerings span three main areas: (1) Digital Content & Downloads through Overdrive/Libby, Hoopla, and Biblioboard for ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, movies, and music; (2) Research & Databases including EBSCOhost, Ancestry Library, Britannica, NewsBank, HeritageQuest, and specialized sources for genealogy, legal research, auto repair, and business; and (3) Community Programs including The Sandbox MakerSpace for teens, storytime programs, genealogy workshops, museum passes, traveling library services, curbside pickup, and meeting room reservations. The library serves residents of Zion, Winthrop Harbor, and Beach Park through its physical location at 2400 Gabriel Ave, plus digital services accessible with a library card.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Sandbox Makerspace: A maker space located in the Adult Services Department where teens can learn creative skills including sewing machines, 3D printers, and laser cutters
• The Sandbox

Products and services

• Britannica Library
• NewsBank Newspaper Archives
• HeritageQuest Online
• HeritageHub Obituary Database
• Consumer Reports
• Overdrive/Libby Digital Lending
• Hoopla Digital Streaming
• Libby Magazines
• Biblioboard Library
• Brainfuse HelpNow
• Brainfuse JobNow
• EBSCO NoveList Plus
• Ancestry Library Edition
• Auto Repair Source
• Home Improvement Source
• Small Business Source
• Small Engine Repair Source
• MedlinePlus Health Information
• Legal Source
• African American History and The Black Freedom Struggle
• Explore More Illinois
• Museum Adventure Program
• The Sandbox MakerSpace
• Curbside Pickup
• Traveling Library / Homebound Services
• ePRINTit Remote Printing
• Meeting Rooms and Community Tables
• 1000 Books Before Kindergarten

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6,200 seed packets distributed to community members in 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration33 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rosalind Franklin University Health ClinicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Healthcare partner that helped initiate the Community Hub concept in 2023 and continues to participate monthly, providing health-related resources and services to community members at the library
• University of Illinois ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Educational partner co-creating the Community Hub initiative in 2023, providing ongoing educational programming and resources through monthly hub events
• City of Hope Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Healthcare partner that helped launch the Community Hub in 2023, providing cancer support resources and services to community members
• Brainfuse (JobNow/HelpNow)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides online tutoring, homework help, resume assistance, and career coaching services integrated into the library's digital offerings for students, job seekers, and adults
• Overdrive/LibbycoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital platform providing e-books, audiobooks, and digital magazines accessible through the library's online catalog and Libby app
• HooplacoreTechnology or IntegrationStreaming and digital content platform offering movies, music, e-books and more with 4 checkouts per month and no late fees
• EBSCOcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides research databases including NoveList Plus, Auto Repair Source, Home Improvement Source, Small Business Source, Consumer Reports, and other research tools
• Ancestry Library EditioncoreTechnology or IntegrationGenealogical research database providing census records, birth, marriage, death records, and more accessible inside the library
• Zion Genealogical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer organization providing one-on-one genealogy research appointments at the library, offering expertise and support for family history research
• Museum Adventure ProgramminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProgram providing free museum passes to participating institutions across Illinois for library cardholders
• Explore More IllinoisminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFree service providing instant online access to free and discounted tickets to museums, theaters, zoos, and cultural venues
• 211 United Way of Lake CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial services referral service participating in Community Hub, connecting residents to housing, jobs, utilities assistance and other community resources
• Job Center of Lake CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment services organization providing resume help, job search assistance, and career transition support through monthly Community Hub presence
• Digital Library of IllinoiscoreTechnology or IntegrationStatewide digital library initiative providing access to statewide databases and digital resources for Illinois residents

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Evanston Public Library: Established Illinois library with similar digital lending partnerships, research databases, and community programming, but operating at a significantly larger scale in a more populous community.
• Skokie Public Library: Larger Illinois public library district with a more extensive programming portfolio, multiple community partnerships, and bilingual services; comparable model but broader scale and resources than ZBPL.

Direct peers

• Waukegan Public Library: Public library serving Waukegan, Illinois in Lake County—the same county as ZBPL. Operates a comparable service model with physical collections, digital lending, community programming, and outreach to a similarly urban, multicultural population.
• Gail Borden Public Library District: Illinois library district serving Elgin and surrounding communities. Comparable in offering traditional lending, digital resources, makerspace programming, and community partnerships, with similar district-based funding structure.
• Round Lake Area Public Library District: Lake County-area library district offering similar physical and digital services including Hoopla, Libby, and community programming to a comparable suburban Illinois population.
• Cook Memorial Public Library District: Illinois library district serving Libertyville area in Lake County. Similar district governance, property-tax funding, digital collections, and youth/adult programming model.
• Highland Park Public Library: Lake County-area public library with overlapping digital services (Libby, Hoopla), community programming, and a similar mix of youth and adult programming.

Others

• Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS): Regional library system that provides cooperative services, shared catalogs, and resources to Illinois public libraries including ZBPL. Functions as a support network rather than a competing service provider.
• Digital Library of Illinois (Illinois Heartland Library System): Statewide digital library consortium providing shared digital resources to Illinois library patrons. ZBPL explicitly integrates Digital Library of Illinois in its service offerings, making it a key enabling partner.

Regional players

• Lake County Forest Preserves: Adjacent Lake County public-sector organization providing recreational and educational programming via nature centers and parks. Different primary function but parallel public-sector community engagement role and overlapping geographic service area.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Zion-BentonPublicLibrary
• Facebookfacebook.com/ZBLibrary
• Instagraminstagram.com/zblibrary

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Zion-Benton Public Library