Winding Rivers Library System (WRLS) is a federated library system which provides services to 34 public libraries across seven Wisconsin counties (Buffalo, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau, and Vernon). The La Crosse Public Library is the resource library for WRLS, and the administrative offices are in West Salem, Wisconsin."Public Library and Public Library System Directory", Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, August 1, 2025.
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."Six-County Area Library Program Centered In La Crosse Is Set Up", La Crosse Tribune, November 19, 1965, page 11. A bookmobile serving the entire area was introduced in 1968."3 Counties Form Area Library System", La Crosse Tribune, July 18, 1972, pages KD10 and KD14.
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."Public Library Systems", Wisconsin Library Service Record, 1973, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Division of Library Services, June 1974, pages 52–71. Trempealeau County joined the system on January 1, 1974."Public Library Systems", Wisconsin Library Service Record, 1974, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Division of Library Services, August 1975, pages 57–77.
Vernon County was added at the beginning of 1978."La Crosse library extends to Vernon", La Crosse Tribune, July 31, 1977, page 37. 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 (which was not considered part of the La Crosse area) and allowing for the addition of more counties in the future."Area library system changes its name", La Crosse Tribune, February 27, 1978, page 2. On January 1, 1979, Buffalo and Jackson counties joined the system, bringing it to its current membership of seven counties.Wilson, Bill. "New counties count in library system", La Crosse Tribune, December 16, 1978, page 7.
Member libraries Buffalo County Alma Public Library, Alma Mondovi Public Library, Mondovi Jackson County Black River Falls Public Library, Black River Falls Taylor Memorial Library, Taylor Juneau County Elroy Public Library, Elroy Hatch Public Library, Mauston Necedah Community-Siegler Memorial Library, Necedah New Lisbon Memorial Library, New Lisbon Wonewoc Public Library, Wonewoc La Crosse County La Crosse County Library, Holmen F.J. Robers Library (branch), Campbell Hazel Brown Leicht Memorial Library (branch), West Salem Holmen Public Library (branch), Holmen John Bosshard Memorial Library (branch), Bangor Onalaska Public Library (branch), Onalaska La Crosse Public Library, La Crosse North Community Branch, La Crosse Monroe County Cashton Memorial Library, Cashton Kendall Public Library, Kendall Norwalk Public Library, Norwalk Sparta Free Library, Sparta Tomah Public Library, Tomah Wilton Public Library, Wilton Trempealeau County Arcadia Free Public Library, Arcadia Blair-Preston Public Library, Blair Ettrick Public Library, Ettrick Galesville Public Library, Galesville Hauge Memorial Library, Osseo Independence Public Library, Independence Shirley M. Wright Memorial Library, Trempealeau Strum Public Library, Strum Whitehall Community Library, Whitehall Vernon County Bekkum Memorial Public Library, Westby De Soto Public Library, De Soto Hillsboro Public Library, Hillsboro Knutson Memorial Library, Coon Valley Lawton Memorial Library, La Farge McIntosh Memorial Library, Viroqua Ontario Public Library, Ontario Readstown Public Library, Readstown
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