Lawrence Public Library
Lawrence Public Library is a municipal public library serving Lawrence and Douglas County, Kansas, providing free access to lending collections, digital resources, community programs, and creative media facilities including the SOUND+VISION Studio.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1854
- HeadquartersLawrence, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Lawrence Public Library does
Lawrence Public Library is a municipal public library operated as a department of the City of Lawrence, Kansas, serving residents of Lawrence and Douglas County. Founded in 1854 and operating from 707 Vermont Street in downtown Lawrence, the library provides free access to physical lending collections (books, DVDs, music, video games, graphic novels), digital resources (eBooks, eAudiobooks, streaming video via Kanopy, and online learning via LinkedIn Learning), community programming for all ages, and dedicated spaces including a Teen Zone, Kids & Babies area, and the differentiated SOUND+VISION Studio for recording, editing, podcasting, and digitization. The library runs on the BiblioCommons platform for catalog, events, and account management, and offers a dedicated mobile app on iOS and Android.
The business model is freemium with no fees for borrowing, no overdue charges, and a free library card. Core operations are funded by city and county tax appropriations, while a separate 501(c)(3) entity — the Lawrence Public Library Friends & Foundation (LPLFF) — contributes private donations, book sale proceeds, memberships, and planned giving; in 2025, LPLFF contributed $525,000, fully funding 100% of library programming. Distribution spans a two-floor main library, the Dottie bookmobile, automated book lockers, home delivery for homebound patrons, and digital platforms. The library is supported by more than 300 volunteers and operates without venture capital, private equity, or external institutional investment.
Customer segments are deliberately broad, covering children and families, teens (grades 6-12), adults and retirees, and underserved or geographically remote community members. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on the website (lplks.org), email newsletters, social media (Facebook, Instagram), community partnerships, and signature events such as the LPL Con comic-con style gathering and the all-ages Summer Reading challenge, which set a 3-million-minute community reading goal. No revenue or operating budget figures are publicly disclosed.
Lawrence Public Library firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lawrence Public Library
- Legal name
- Lawrence Public Library
- Website
- https://lplks.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1854
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Lawrence Public Library is a municipal public library serving Lawrence and Douglas County, Kansas, providing free access to lending collections, digital resources, community programs, and creative media facilities including the SOUND+VISION Studio.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lawrence Public Library industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Library Services
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)
- 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 Collections & Cataloging Services (Acquisitions, Metadata, Circulation) (EDAEAGAE), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA)
Keywords
Where Lawrence Public Library is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lawrence
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lawrence Public Library business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Public Funding: Tax dollars from city/county funding supporting core library operations
- Donations and Fundraising: Friends & Foundation (LPLFF) raises funds through book sales, memberships, planned giving, and direct donations. In 2025, gave $525,000 to the library.
- Book Sales: Friends & Foundation operates book sales from donated materials - approximately 4,000 books come through weekly
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free Library Card - Basic Access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Lawrence Public Library product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lawrence Public Library provides free lending collections (physical books, DVDs, music, video games, eBooks, eAudiobooks), digital resources (Libby/OverDrive, Kanopy, LinkedIn Learning), all-ages programming, dedicated community spaces (Teen Zone, Kids & Babies, SOUND+VISION Studio), and outreach services (Dottie bookmobile, book lockers, home delivery). The library serves Lawrence and Douglas County, Kansas residents with a free library card.
Product overview
Lawrence Public Library operates as a public library system offering a unified service portfolio centered on information access, learning resources, and community engagement. The core offering is its physical and digital collection (books, media, eBooks) accessible via BiblioCommons-powered catalog and a dedicated mobile app. Key service modules include SOUND+VISION Studio (creative media production with recording, video, and editing capabilities), dedicated spaces (Teen Zone, Kids & Babies areas), outreach services (Dottie bookmobile, book lockers), and special collections (Seed Library, Zine Collection, Local Indie Author Collection, Digital Douglas County History archive). Digital resources include Libby/OverDrive, Kanopy streaming, LinkedIn Learning, and various databases. The library also hosts signature events including LPL Con (annual Comic Con-style event) and Summer Reading Programs. Services are provided free of charge to community members with a library card.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Lawrence Public Library Digital Collection Physical and digital library materials including books, DVDs, music CDs, video games, graphic novels, and eBooks/eAudiobooks available for borrowing with a library card.
- LPL Mobile App Library mobile application available for download on Google Play and the App Store, enabling patrons to access library services on mobile devices including catalog browsing, holds, and account management.
- SOUND+VISION Studio Creative media studio featuring recording studio, recording booth, editing booth, videocast studio, and DIY Memory Lab for digitizing legacy media and scanning photos and documents.
- Book Lockers Self-service automated lockers for convenient pickup of reserved library materials with card scanning and PIN authentication.
- Dottie Bookmobile Mobile library bookmobile providing outreach services and home delivery throughout the community, bringing books and library services to underserved areas.
- Seed Library Program allowing patrons to borrow seeds for gardening, promoting local food security and biodiversity.
- Digital Douglas County History Online archive featuring photographs, genealogy resources, and oral histories documenting Douglas County history.
- Kaw Valley Jukebox Digital archive of local music history from Lawrence and Northeast Kansas for streaming.
- LPL Con Annual free Comic Con-style event celebrating all media and fandoms, offering family-friendly programming.
- Summer Reading Program Annual all-ages reading challenge encouraging community reading with prizes for participants. Goal of 3 million minutes of reading.
- Teen Zone Designated area open to anyone in 6th-12th grade with specific hours, programming, and teen services.
- Kids & Babies Services Youth services including storytimes, summer clubs, homework help, and early literacy programs for children from birth through elementary age.
- LinkedIn Learning Online learning platform with over 16,000+ courses in business, creative, and tech fields, free with library card.
- Libby (OverDrive) Platform for borrowing eBooks and eAudiobooks, accessible via computer, tablet, or smartphone.
- Kanopy Streaming service offering 26,000+ indie films and documentaries plus Kanopy Kids for educational children's content.
- Community Resources A-Z database of community resources, job help, health and wellness, genealogy, business support, and legal resources.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% of library programming funded by Friends & Foundation
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Lawrence Public Library
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Lawrence Public Library technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Lawrence Public Library partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BiblioCommonscorePlatform provider for library catalog, events management, user accounts, and mobile app. Powers the library's digital experience including holds, checkouts, and community features.
- LinkedIn LearningcoreOnline learning platform partnership providing access to over 16,000 professional and technical courses with library card. Includes business, creative, and technology skills courses.
- OverDrive/LibbycoreDigital lending platform for eBooks and eAudiobooks. Primary digital content delivery channel for the library.
- KanopycoreStreaming video service offering 26,000+ indie films and documentaries plus Kanopy Kids for educational children's content.
- Friends & Foundation (LPLFF)core501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises funds through book sales, donations, memberships, and planned giving. Gave $525,000 to library in 2025 funding 100% of programming.
- Kansas Talking BooksminorState program providing personalized library support materials for Kansas residents with visual impairments, physical disabilities, or reading disabilities.
- Audio-Reader NetworkminorFree reading service for blind, visually impaired, and print disabled individuals in Kansas and western Missouri, operated by University of Kansas.
- Independence, Inc.minorNonprofit resource center for people with disabilities in Lawrence offering advocacy, independent living skills, assistive technology, and computer learning center.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lawrence Public Library competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kansas City Public Library: Mid-size urban public library in Kansas City, Missouri offering similar lending, digital, programming, and community-space services. Comparable operating model with Friends-of-the-Library foundation support.
- Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library: Another Kansas municipal public library serving a single county. Directly comparable in mission, funding model (tax + Friends foundation), and service mix (physical/digital lending, programming, community space).
- Douglas County Libraries (Colorado): Colorado-based county library system with comparable urban-county service area, robust digital lending, programming, and community partnerships. Often cited as an innovative public-library operator.
Broad incumbents
- Seattle Public Library: Innovative mid-to-large U.S. public library known for digital lending, programming, and maker/creative initiatives. Comparable service mix; larger scale and budget than Lawrence.
- Chicago Public Library: Major urban public library with similar service categories (lending, digital, maker/creative spaces, youth programming) but at significantly larger scale, budget, and branch footprint.
- New York Public Library: Large, established U.S. public library system offering overlapping lending, digital, programming, and community-space services. Operates at vastly greater scale and budget than Lawrence Public Library.
Others
- OverDrive / Libby: Digital lending platform used by Lawrence Public Library for eBooks and eAudiobooks. Comparable as the dominant e-content infrastructure for North American public libraries; not a direct competitor.
- BiblioCommons: Technology platform provider powering Lawrence Public Library's catalog, events, and user account system. Comparable as a B2B SaaS serving the same public-library market; not a direct competitor.
- Kanopy: Streaming video service partnered with Lawrence Public Library for indie films and documentaries. Comparable as a content provider in the public-library ecosystem; not a direct competitor.
Regional players
- Johnson County Library: Regional Kansas public library system serving suburban Johnson County with multi-branch structure and digital services. Comparable programming depth and digital-resource partnerships, but serves a different (suburban) demographic profile.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lawrence Public Library social profiles
Digital presenceLawrence Public Library financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lawrence Public Library leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Lawrence Public Library funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lawrence Public Library M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lawrence Public Library
What does Lawrence Public Library do?
Lawrence Public Library provides free lending collections (physical books, DVDs, music, video games, eBooks, eAudiobooks), digital resources (Libby/OverDrive, Kanopy, LinkedIn Learning), all-ages programming, dedicated community spaces (Teen Zone, Kids & Babies, SOUND+VISION Studio), and outreach services (Dottie bookmobile, book lockers, home delivery). The library serves Lawrence and Douglas County, Kansas residents with a free library card.
Is Lawrence Public Library a public or private company?
Lawrence Public Library is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Lawrence Public Library founded?
Lawrence Public Library was founded in 1854.
Where is Lawrence Public Library based?
Lawrence Public Library is headquartered in Lawrence, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lawrence Public Library make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Public Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations and Fundraising and book Sales.
Who are Lawrence Public Library's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kansas City Public Library, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library and Douglas County Libraries (Colorado). Broad incumbents are Seattle Public Library, Chicago Public Library and New York Public Library. Others are OverDrive / Libby, BiblioCommons and Kanopy. Johnson County Library is listed as a regional player.
Does Lawrence Public Library have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lawrence Public Library.
What industry is Lawrence Public Library in?
Lawrence Public Library's product category is Public Library Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAGAC, Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management, with a secondary code of BPAIACAO, Public Libraries & Information Services. Its NAICS code is 51921.