crystal lake public library

What crystal lake public library does

Crystal Lake Public Library (CLPL) is a tax-supported municipal public library founded in 1913 and headquartered at 126 Paddock Street in Crystal Lake, Illinois. It serves the residents of Crystal Lake with a free library card funded through local property taxes, while non-residents pay an annual fee equal to the equivalent library tax. The library operates as an independent municipal entity governed by a mayor-appointed Board of Trustees and is supported by a separate 501(c)(3) Crystal Lake Library Foundation for capital fund-raising.

CLPL's core offerings span traditional and digital library services. Physical collections include books, large print, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, video games, magazines, and puzzles. The eLibrary aggregates digital lending through multiple third-party platforms — Libby/OverDrive (via the North Suburban Digital Consortium), hoopla, The Palace Project (eReadIllinois), Flipster, and EBSCO. Research databases cover academic, genealogy, business, health, consumer, and K-12 education. The Library of Things extends lending to non-traditional items (Cricut machines, sewing machines, projectors, karaoke systems, hotspots, tools). Adjacent services include mobile Wi-Fi hotspots, in-library technology and printing, meeting room rentals, museum passes through Explore More Illinois and Museum Adventure Pass, passport acceptance, notary, voter registration, homebound delivery, and outreach to adult living communities and schools.

The library's underlying technology is built on a BiblioCommons catalog and Polaris ILS shared across the 32-library Cooperative Computer Services (CCS) consortium, providing interoperability and resource sharing across member libraries. CLPL is WCAG 2.1 AA compliant for digital accessibility. Service operations are organized around four departments — Youth Services, Adult Services, Circulation Services, and Technical Services — supported by an Executive Director, Assistant Director, Business Manager, and a Marketing Manager. Marketing reach spans clpl.org, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, a monthly eNewsletter, and a bimonthly print newsletter (The Beacon) mailed to 60014 and 60012 zip codes.

Name

crystal lake public library

Legal name

Crystal Lake Public Library

Website

https://clpl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Crystal Lake Public Library is a tax-funded municipal public library providing lending collections, digital resources, educational programs, and community services to Crystal Lake, Illinois residents and broader consortium members.

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 (5192)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Digital lending collections
• Research databases
• Community education programs
• Library consortium access

Headquarters

HQ city

Crystal Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Crystal Lake Public Library is a tax-supported municipal public library providing free access to physical and digital lending collections, research databases, educational and recreational programs for all ages, technology access, meeting spaces, and government services (passport acceptance, notary, voter registration). Cardholders also gain access to materials from 31 other libraries through a 32-library consortium.

Product overview

Crystal Lake Public Library operates as a traditional public library system offering a comprehensive range of physical and digital library services. The core offerings include physical collections (books, DVDs, CDs, video games, magazines) and an eLibrary digital platform providing access to ebooks, eaudiobooks, digital magazines, and streaming media through multiple vendor partnerships (Palace Project, OverDrive/Libby, hoopla, Flipster). Research databases serve academic, genealogical, business, health, and K-12 educational needs. The Library of Things program extends lending beyond traditional materials to include equipment such as Cricut machines, gaming controllers, projectors, karaoke systems, and tools. Additional services include mobile Wi-Fi hotspots, technology/printing services, meeting room rentals, museum passes, passport services, notary services, voter registration, outreach/homebound delivery, and extensive programming for kids, teens, and adults including summer reading programs and book clubs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Physical Library Collections
• eLibrary Digital Media

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration20 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• North Suburban Digital Consortium (NSDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner32-library consortium providing digital media including eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines through the Libby platform. Gives CLPL cardholders access to materials from 31 other libraries.
• eReadIllinois / The Palace ProjectcoreTechnology or IntegrationStatewide digital media collection providing eBooks and eAudiobooks through the Palace Project app for iOS and Android.
• hooplacoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital media platform offering instant streaming or download of videos, music, eAudiobooks, eBooks and comics. Limit of 6 borrows per month.
• FlipstercoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital magazine platform providing access to popular magazine titles with back issues available for viewing on computers, tablets, or mobile devices.
• EBSCOhostcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides access to multiple databases including Academic Search Complete, Business Source Complete, Consumer Reports, NoveList Plus, and numerous other research databases.
• AncestryLibrarycoreTechnology or IntegrationGenealogy research database available for in-library use only through ProQuest.
• Brainfuse HelpNowcoreTechnology or IntegrationLive, one-on-one homework help, test prep, tutoring and writing lab. Spanish language help available. Tutors available daily from 2-11 pm.
• HeritageQuestcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline genealogy research resource for family history research.
• Mango LanguagescoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline language learning platform teaching conversational skills in multiple languages.
• Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLibrary system providing grants including My Library Is... Grant that funded 'That's a Game Changer' project items in Library of Things.
• Explore More IllinoisminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFree service providing instant online access to free and discounted tickets to museums, science centers, sporting events, zoos, theaters, and cultural venues.
• Museum Adventure PassminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProgram providing free admission and benefits from Chicago-area museums and cultural institutions. Passes available to CLPL cardholders in person.
• Cooperative Computer Services (CCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of 32-library consortium providing shared catalog, resource sharing, and interlibrary loan services.
• Crystal Lake Elementary District 47coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntergovernmental agreement providing student access cards for students in grades K-8 living outside city limits. Includes in-kind contributions.
• Community High School District 155minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh school district with access to CLPL digital collections through SORA integration.
• Prairie Grove CSD 46minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElementary and middle school district served through school library card programs.
• U.S. Department of StateminorOthersCLPL is an official Passport Acceptance Facility accepting DS-11 applications for passports.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Naperville Public Library: Suburban Illinois public library operating two facilities under a tax-supported model with extensive digital, programming, and community services comparable to CLPL's portfolio.
• Palatine Public Library District: Suburban Illinois library district operating with a comparable governance, funding, and service model; relevant peer for benchmarking tax-supported suburban library operations.
• Des Plaines Public Library: Suburban Chicago-area public library with similar municipal boundaries, property-tax funding, and service breadth including lending, programming, and digital offerings.
• Mount Prospect Public Library: Suburban Illinois public library serving a community of similar size with parallel service offerings, tax-based funding, and consortium participation for interlibrary resource sharing.
• Evanston Public Library: Suburban Illinois public library with comparable governance (independent board), tax funding, and broad service mix including traditional lending, digital resources, and community programming.
• Gail Borden Public Library District: Suburban Illinois public library district (Elgin) with similar population tier, tax-based funding, broad programming portfolio, and integration with regional library systems serving the Chicago metro area.
• Schaumburg Township District Library: Suburban Illinois public library serving a similar mid-sized community in the Chicago suburbs with comparable lending, programming, and digital services. Most directly comparable peer in terms of population served, funding model (property tax), and service mix.
• Arlington Heights Memorial Library: Suburban Illinois public library serving a comparable community of similar size with parallel lending collections, digital resources, programming for all ages, and a tax-supported funding model.

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Public Library: Much larger Illinois public library system operating 80+ branches across Chicago; broader incumbent in the same state with overlapping digital and programming capabilities but vastly larger scale and budget.

Others

• Bibliocommons: Catalog and patron-engagement technology platform used by CLPL (and many peer libraries); adjacent ecosystem provider rather than competitor, but materially shapes CLPL's digital patron experience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CrystalLakePublicLibrary
• Facebookfacebook.com/CrystalLakePublicLibrary
• Instagraminstagram.com/crystallakepubliclibrary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crystal-lake-public-library

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 crystal lake public library