with facilities in: Bangor, Campbell,
     Holmen, Onalaska and West Salem
Administration Center
Bangor
Campbell
Holmen
Onalaska
West Salem
  
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How Do I Get a Library Card?

What Can I Check Out?

How Long Can I Keep Items and What are the Fines, and Fees?

How Do I Return Materials?

How Do I Request Materials?

Population of La Crosse County - 113,318 - 2009 est.. La Crosse County Web Site

51,900 City of La Crosse residents served by the La Crosse Public Library.
61,418 Out-County residents served by the five branches of the La Crosse County Library.

Each County library branch is housed in a building provided, furnished and maintained by the municipality in which it is located. The County is responsible for the books and other media contained in each library, the processing of the materials and the personnel to provide the services.

The Administrative Center for the County Library is housed in the Holmen building. 1500 square feet provides office space and workspace for the Library Director, a Secretary, a Main Library Assistant, a Cataloger, one Youth Services Librarian and two Library Pages. All new books and other media are received and processed in this location before they are sent out to the branches ready for public use.

The John Bosshard Memorial Library in Bangor was built in 1991 to replace a smaller location in the Village Hall. The present building has 2400 square feet of space. A Branch Librarian, one Library Clerk and a Library Page are employed at the Bangor Library. The Village of Bangor has no web site.

The Campbell Branch Library is located in the Campbell Town Hall, which is on French Island. In 1975 the Library was moved into the Town Hall and has been enlarged to its present size of 810 square feet. It is staffed by a Branch Librarian. Town of Campbell Web Site.

The Holmen Area Library is housed in a former grocery store in downtown Holmen. This building was renovated in 1988 to accommodate the Library which was moved from it's former location in the Village Hall. The public library portion of the building has 4500 square feet of space. The Holmen Library staff includes a Branch Supervisor, three Library Clerks, a Reference Librarian one part-time Assistant Youth Services Librarian and three Library Pages. Village of Holmen Web Site.

The Onalaska Public Library was constructed in 1990 and has 20,000 square feet. A Branch Supervisor, six Library Clerks, one full-time and one half-time Reference Librarian, one Assistant Youth Services Librarian and five Library Pages staff this facility.  In 2007-2008 the City of Onalaska added approximately 8,000 square feet of media, meeting, and mechanical space to the building. City of Onalaska Web Site.

The Hazel Brown Leicht Memorial Library, located in the Village of West Salem, has the newest facility in the County System. Dedicated in December 2000, it has 9500 square feet of space where a Branch Supervisor, four Library Clerks, one Assistant Youth Services Librarian and two Library Pages are employed. 2000 square feet was added to the children's area in 2004. Village of West Salem Web Site.


Media
The La Crosse County Library owns approximately 140,634 books distributed among the five branches. The five libraries subscribe to 438 periodicals and magazines, the most popular of which are available at more than one branch. For research purposes back issues of some titles are kept for a time. There are 8,960 items classified as audio materials: books on cassette or CD, music on CD, or children's books on tape with accompanying books. We have CD-ROM circulating software available, 8,371 Videos and DVDs, Puppets, Family Fun Bags and seasonal tax form booklets.
Circulation
In the year 2009:

243,397 items were checked out by adults.
197,384 items were checked out by or for children.
46,245 items were requested by patrons from libraries outside the La Crosse County System.
56,819 items were requested and loaned to our patrons from other libraries.
8,344 people called on the phone or approached our librarians with reference questions.
27,643 La Crosse County residents were registered Library users in La Crosse County (excluding the City of La Crosse).
934 people living outside of our county have La Crosse County Library Cards.


Library Card
A La Crosse County Library card allows a patron to borrow materials or use the Internet. How to apply for a La Crosse County Library Card. A card issued in any Winding Rivers Library will be honored in the La Crosse County Library System.

Just a few minutes of your time and a driver's license or other form of ID will allow us to add you to our registration data base whether you are a new patron or visiting from another library. Patrons from neighboring states may apply for a card for a fee.


Computers & Internet Access
Each of the La Crosse County facilities has one or more computers available to the public for use, and Internet access with a variety of MS Office products available to patrons. You will need to have your library card with you to log on to the public computers.


Programs
Last year 1,077 people attended 28  general audience programs sponsored by the Library. Storytimes during the school year, and the Summer Reading Program during June and July, offered 534 Children's programs which were attended by 19,433 children and 12 Young Adult programs drew in 403 young people.


How Your Library Tax Money is Spent
The La Crosse County Library had an operating budget of $1,688,652 in the year 2009. $1,611,521 came from the La Crosse County library levy. $43,005 came from a combination of our Book Sale, fees and fines paid by patrons; a grant from Winding Rivers Library System; donations; and revenue from copy machines. An additional $185,367 came from municipal support of the individual branches.
  • $88,101 was spent on books, periodicals and newspapers.
  • $39,797 was spent on audio books, videos, DVDs, music CDs, computer software, etc.
  

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