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A Short History of SWLS

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) created the framework for library systems in 1974. Since then, systems have worked behind the scenes to support public libraries in ways that allow them to serve you better than they could if each had to stand alone. It is not surprising that library system services tend to be invisible to most library users. So, if you don’t know what a library system is, or even that we exist, we invite you to take this short informational ‘tour.’

According to the American Library Association, there are at least 9,000 public libraries in the United States. Many of them are members of library systems, regional libraries, library districts, or other networks that vary in kind from place to place. Each library system is governed by a citizen board of trustees that represents the system’s geographical service area. Each year library systems submit a plan to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction that meets the DPI’s service mandates.

SWLS is one of 15 library systems in Wisconsin. It provides a great diversity of resources to the member libraries in its five-county service area. This increases the types and quality of services that the region’s 28 public libraries (and 2 branches) offer to the people of Crawford, Grant, Iowa, Lafayette, and Richland Counties.