Public library systems in Wisconsin
The 358 profiled public library systems in Wisconsin served 5.8 million residents in FY 2024 and logged 3.82 visits and 6.26 physical checkouts per resident, which ranks 9th and 9th among the 50 states and DC. Operating spending came to $48.54 per resident (25th nationally). Local government supplied 86% of operating revenue, against 85% for all profiled systems nationwide, and the state government 2%.
The largest system is Milwaukee Public Library, serving 577,895 residents; 7 systems serve 100,000 or more. At the end of the year, 66% of the state's profiled systems charged no overdue fines on print items. The most common legal form is the municipal library (320 systems).
Visits per resident, system by system
Each dot is one Wisconsin system, grouped by the size of the population it serves; darker dots have their own profile page. The gold tick marks the national median for that size class.
The 20 largest systems
| System | City | Residents | Visits per resident | Checkouts per resident | Spending per resident |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Public Library | Milwaukee | 577,895 | 2.00 | 1.86 | $59.20 |
| Madison Public Library | Madison | 304,881 | 4.50 | 7.12 | $73.59 |
| Brown County Library | Green Bay | 273,297 | 2.31 | 4.70 | $26.67 |
| Kenosha Public Library | Kenosha | 138,088 | 3.45 | 4.88 | $52.88 |
| Racine Public Library | Racine | 137,874 | 2.16 | 3.18 | $29.90 |
| Marathon County Public Library | Wausau | 135,308 | 1.10 | 4.85 | $28.83 |
| Appleton Public Library | Appleton | 101,324 | 1.69 | 5.06 | $50.34 |
| L.e. Phillips Memorial Public Library | Eau Claire | 91,323 | 2.89 | 7.08 | $67.04 |
| Waukesha Public Library | Waukesha | 88,995 | 3.45 | 9.32 | $51.90 |
| Oshkosh Public Library | Oshkosh | 82,004 | 2.89 | 5.79 | $50.51 |
| Hedberg Public Library | Janesville | 80,041 | 2.80 | 5.34 | $53.60 |
| LA Crosse County Library | Holmen | 71,117 | 5.08 | 5.36 | $32.74 |
| Portage County Public Library | Stevens Point | 71,009 | 3.78 | 4.66 | $28.98 |
| Fond Du Lac Public Library | Fond Du Lac | 70,889 | 3.65 | 5.26 | $53.59 |
| Mead Public Library | Sheboygan | 63,644 | 3.69 | 5.97 | $65.99 |
| West Allis Public Library | West Allis | 63,183 | 4.83 | 5.73 | $29.46 |
| Neenah Public Library | Neenah | 57,278 | 4.21 | 11.09 | $44.97 |
| West Bend Community Memorial Library | West Bend | 57,267 | 3.63 | 7.01 | $30.77 |
| Manitowoc Public Library | Manitowoc | 53,849 | 3.31 | 6.03 | $48.10 |
| Sun Prairie Public Library | Sun Prairie | 53,551 | 4.14 | 10.00 | $51.99 |
Highest rates among systems serving 5,000 or more
Of the state's profiled systems, 192 serve at least 5,000 residents.
Visits per resident
- E.d. Locke Public Library · 19.25
- George Culver Community Library · 13.70
- Monona Public Library · 11.61
- Whitefish Bay Public Library · 10.95
- Ruth Culver Community Library · 10.91
Checkouts per resident
- Verona Public Library · 24.33
- Shorewood Public Library · 19.28
- Whitefish Bay Public Library · 17.91
- Monona Public Library · 16.34
- Middleton Public Library · 14.70
Spending per resident
- Verona Public Library · $113.05
- Elm Grove Public Library · $97.06
- LA Crosse Public Library · $95.44
- Ruth Culver Community Library · $93.77
- Hales Corners Public Library · $91.18
Revenue mix
Combined operating revenue of $297 million across the 358 systems that reported every revenue source.
- Local government
- State
- Federal
- Other