Waukesha Public Library will be closed on Monday, May 25, in observance of Memorial Day. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, May 26, at 9:00 AM. Have a wonderful holiday weekend as you remember and honor those who served.
The Library is currently closed on Sundays.
Summer hours are in effect! The Library will be closed on Sundays from May 24-September 6. Sunday hours will resume starting Sunday, September 13. We hope your summer will be fully booked!🌞📕
Join our new adult reading challenge.
Attention adults! Since the weather is cold and dreary, it’s the perfect time to snuggle up with a good book! Take minute and sign up online for the 2026 Reading is Lit challenge. 📚
How does it work? Read one book from each of the eight lists curated by our Librarians to complete the challenge. Each book you finish earns you an entry into the grand prize drawing at the end of the year. Complete a book from all eight lists, and you’ll receive a free item from the Friends of Waukesha Public Library Book Sale, plus a commemorative vinyl sticker. Visit our Books and Reading page to see the lists.
Let the challenge begin!
New Library merch has dropped!
New Library merchandise is available now! From comfy apparel to fashionable accessories, there’s something for every Library fan in our online store. A portion of each purchase goes to the Friends of Waukesha Public Library. So, shop online, support the Library, and wear your Library gear with pride!
The Carnegie Corporation awards a $10,000 gift to WPL.
We’re excited to announce that Waukesha Public Library is receiving at $10,000 gift from the Carnegie Corporation of New York! Carnegie Libraries hold a special place in American history and in the hearts of generations of Americans. Between 1886 and 1917, Andrew Carnegie funded the construction of 1,681 libraries nationwide. Today about 1,280 are still serving their communities. Opened in 1904, Waukesha Public Library is one 63 Carnegie Libraries in Wisconsin built through this historic program. Many thanks to the Carnegie Corporation for their generous gift and support of our Library.
You can explore Carnegie Libraries across America on this interactive map: carnegie-libraries.carnegie.org.
Have you tried our new catalog?
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.
Hoopla was discontinued on November 13.
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. The hoopla service was discontinued 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.
Take our virtual Library tour.
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.
WPL has added a Lucky Day collection!
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:
- Lucky Day items are FREE! ☘️
- Two Lucky Day items may be checked out per card.
- Lucky Day items check out for 7 days at a time.
- You cannot place holds on Lucky Day items, and we won’t hold them at the desk. You can only get them from the Lucky Day shelf.
- Because these items are very popular, you cannot renew Lucky Day items.
- Overdue fines are $1.00/day.
- Each item from the Lucky Day collection is labeled with a green clover sticker on the spine and a green sticker with the guidelines on the cover.
We hope it will be your lucky day sometime soon!
The Lucky Day Collection replaced the Rental Collection in the Library lobby.
