Winding Rivers Library System


Winding Rivers Library System is a federated library system which provides services to 34 public libraries across seven Wisconsin counties. The La Crosse [Public Library (La Crosse, Wisconsin)|La Crosse Public Library] is the resource library for WRLS, and the administrative offices are in West Salem, Wisconsin.

History

In January 1965, the La Crosse Public Library began selling professional services to smaller libraries in the surrounding counties, as part of a plan to build a new central library building with federal grant money. This arrangement was formalized as the La Crosse Area Library Development in November 1965, with the LCPL ordering and cataloging books for 17 libraries across Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau, and Vernon counties, as well as providing training for their librarians. A bookmobile serving the entire area was introduced in 1968.
In 1971, Wisconsin began offering state funding for public library systems which would administer library services across a region of one or more counties. The La Crosse Area Library System was one of the first to qualify under this program, representing all public libraries in Juneau, La Crosse, and Monroe counties. The other three counties initially chose not to participate because of the requirement that system services not covered by the state grant would be locally funded. The system began operations on January 1, 1973. Trempealeau County joined the system on January 1, 1974.
Vernon County was added at the beginning of 1978. Later that year, the name of the La Crosse Area Library System was changed to Winding Rivers Library System, reflecting the addition of Vernon County and allowing for the addition of more counties in the future. On January 1, 1979, Buffalo and Jackson counties joined the system, bringing it to its current membership of seven counties.

Member libraries