What a public library website needs to do
Libraries serve many ages at once, so organize the site by what patrons do: browse programs, find hours, get a card, and reserve a room. Keep events current and make the catalog link prominent.
Many libraries have a catalog and event system already. We do not replace those. We build a clear, friendly front door that links them, so staff are not retyping anything.
People searching for a public library usually decide in seconds. Your site should answer the questions below before they have to ask.
See programs
Events by age
Check hours
Branches and holidays
Get a card
Steps
Reserve a room
Request form or link
Timing matters. Summer reading and back-to-school drive traffic.
The pages a public library website needs
A public library site does not need dozens of pages. It needs the right few, each doing one job:
- ✓Home with hours and events
- ✓Programs and events
- ✓Get a card
- ✓Rooms and services
- ✓About and contact
Need a page for every service or town you cover? The larger packages give you room to grow.
Mistakes we see on public library websites
- ✓Hours buried — patrons call instead
- ✓Stale event lists
- ✓Catalog link hidden
Getting found: SEO basics for a public library
- ✓Name branches and programs — "story time at your town library"
- ✓Service pages
- ✓FAQ — library card steps
Cheap Cheap Websites sets up the essentials on every build, and Monthly SEO adds new pages every month when you are ready.
Sample sites that could be yours
These are real samples we designed. Yours is built around your business, your photos and your words.
What a public library website costs
Most public libraries fit Business Plus: $989 one-time for up to 20 pages, because they need a home page, a programs page, a get-a-card page, a rooms page and a contact form. Websites are priced one-time, plus Website Care at $30/month for hosting, HTTPS, backups, weekly checks and A/B testing. Every package includes a consultation, mobile-friendly design, copy we write for you, a contact form, essential search setup and 10 revision rounds.
Optional add-ons, billed separately
The prices above are for your website. These two are separate monthly products you can add now or later. Neither is part of the website price.
Monthly SEO, from $50/month: new pages published on your site every month. See Monthly SEO →
Business Spotlight, from $30/month: articles about your business, labeled as paid, published on The Company Chronicle. See Business Spotlight →
What we ask a public library for
We will ask for your hours, branches, programs, catalog link, room policies and contact details.
How it works
1. Consultation
We learn your services, customers and goals, in English or Spanish.
2. We write and design
We draft the words and build the site around your business.
3. 10 revision rounds
You review and request changes until it is right.
4. Launch and care
We launch, then Website Care keeps it hosted, backed up, checked weekly and A/B tested.
Websites for related businesses
Public schools · Community centers · Municipal departments · Historical societies
