Check out the latest additions to our Bonfire store — Waukesha Reads designs on t-shirts, sweatshirts, and mugs! Grab your gear HERE.
A portion of every purchase goes to the Friends of Waukesha Public Library to help support Library programs and services.
All are invited on Saturday, September 20, from 3:00 – 4:30 PM, as we honor the 20th anniversary of our Public Art Collection and celebrate our most recent art installations. A short presentation will kick off the reception at 3:15 PM, with refreshments to follow.
FEATURED ART
Grapes, and Still Life with Melon by Jill Bedford
Untitled by Willis Guthrie
Amber by Robin Jebavy
Paying Homage by Chuck Wickler
On September 2, the Library transitioned to an exciting new catalog! This catalog offers several impressive new features, including a mobile-friendly design and search results that display multiple formats of a title together in one place. We expect that learning to use it will be a breeze, but we’ve created an instructional brochure and a video guide that can help you get started. If you have questions, give us a call or swing by the Library. We’re happy to help, and we hope you enjoy this new catalog experience.
Waukesha Public Library is committed to fiscal responsibility and ensuring sustainable services for all patrons. In response to the growing demand for digital materials both at our library and throughout the library system, we have conducted a comprehensive review of digital borrowing trends and performed a budget analysis.
We are focusing our funding on the continued development of our robust digital collections within the Libby app, which includes access to digital books, audiobooks, and magazines. We will be discontinuing the hoopla service on November 13, 2025.
It was determined that hoopla’s pay-per-checkout model has become unsustainable, consuming a disproportionate share of resources while serving a limited percentage of patrons. By focusing on the Libby app, we aim to continue delivering high-quality digital content effectively to a wider audience without compromising the sustainability of our library’s resources.
We appreciate your understanding and want to assure you that our commitment to providing excellent digital services remains a priority. We encourage patrons to explore ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines through the Libby app. Additionally, patrons are invited to explore other digital resources available with your CAFÉ library card.
For any questions or assistance in accessing our digital resources, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Thanks to two generous library champions — Tony & Andrea Bryant and the Donald J. and Betty Lou Tikalsky Community Fund — your gift to the Library can go twice as far! They’ve offered a $20,000 matching gift, but we need your help to unlock it. Every dollar you give will be doubled to support Waukesha Public Library. Click HERE to make your matched donation through the Waukesha Public Library fund.
Step inside Waukesha Public Library from the comfort of home! Curious where storytime happens? Want to get a glimpse inside Studio 321? You can see it all on our 360-degree virtual tour. It’s the perfect way to get to know us better–whether you’re planning your first visit or just want to explore. Click HERE and start your virtual stroll through our state-of-the-art facility today.
Is it your lucky day? It might be! Waukesha Public Library has retired our Rental Collection and replaced it with a Lucky Day Collection. The Lucky Day Collection contains a variety of very popular Library materials with long waiting lists. If you find something you’d like, it’s your lucky day!
Here are the guidelines:
We hope it will be your lucky day sometime soon!
The Lucky Day Collection replaced the Rental Collection in the Library lobby.
The Library was recently awarded the “Partnering for a Purpose” award from Literacy Services of Wisconsin. This award goes to an organization that “enhances the opportunities afforded to our students by combining and maximizing resources.”
From the award ceremony program:
“The Waukesha Public Library has been connected to our mission for decades through the Greater Waukesha Literacy Council. As a library, they are a champion of community and learning. We have always appreciated their willingness to share their space and serve as a location for students and tutors to gather. In the last couple of years, we have enhanced our partnership to better align with our respective goals and integrate programming in a way that creates the best outcomes for adult students in Waukesha County.”
Thank you to Literacy Services of Wisconsin for this great honor.
The Library has added LOTE4Kids to our digital resource collection. LOTE4Kids was developed for libraries and schools to grow their World Language picture book collections and support kids learning a new language. Together, let’s give ALL children the opportunity to enjoy books and learn language through the magic of storytelling. Explore LOTE4Kids today!
