A committee is exploring the potential merger of the Arrowhead and Lakeshores library systems to create a new system across three counties, including Rock and Walworth. The merger would put the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, the Aram Public Library in Delavan, pictured here, and others into one library system.
Ethan Valadez looks through the nonfiction stacks of Aram Public Library in Delavan recently. A committee is exploring the potential merger of the Arrowhead and Lakeshores library systems to create a new system across three counties, including Rock and Walworth.
A committee is exploring the potential merger of the Arrowhead and Lakeshores library systems to create a new system across three counties, including Rock and Walworth. The merger would put the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, the Aram Public Library in Delavan, pictured here, and others into one library system.
Ethan Valadez looks through the nonfiction stacks of Aram Public Library in Delavan recently. A committee is exploring the potential merger of the Arrowhead and Lakeshores library systems to create a new system across three counties, including Rock and Walworth.
Two library systems that currently operate across three counties, including Rock and Walworth, are considering a merger to improve their services. The change could be finalized as early as September.
The Arrowhead Library System currently serves much of Rock County, and the Lakeshores Library System serves much of Walworth County and part of Racine County.
At a special meeting Thursday, July 14, the Milton Library Board voted to formally support the merger, Milton Library Director Ashlee Kunkel said. That followed recent statements of support submitted to the committee from the Barrett, Graham, Walworth and the Waterford libraries.
“We’ve been sharing a catalog and other resources with Lakeshores since 2017,” Kunkel said. “This would further streamline resources and services.”
The Arrowhead Library System is made up of the Milton, Clinton, Edgerton, Beloit and Orfordville public libraries. It also includes Hedberg Public Library in Janesville and Eager Free Public Library in Evansville.
The Lakeshores Library System consists of the Darien Public Library, Aram Public Library in Delavan, the Brigham Memorial Library in Sharon, the Fontana Public Library, the Matheson Memorial Library in Elkhorn, the Lake Geneva Public Library, the Genoa City Public Library, the Barrett Memorial Library in Williams Bay, the Walworth Memorial Library, the East Troy Lions Public Library, the Burlington Public Library, the Graham Public Library in Union Grove and the Waterford Public Library.
The Rock, Walworth and Racine county boards must still approve the merger if it is to happen.
In August 2021, the Arrowhead and Lakeshores system boards each approved exploring whether the systems should merge. The two boards established a committee to weigh the potential benefits of a merger, consisting of two trustees and two library directors from each system. Wisconsin Library Services has been working with the two systems in preparation for a potential merger.
The committee has met virtually eight times since December 2021. The next meeting will be Aug. 1. No agenda or documents had been made available as of Monday.
A document entitled “Forming the New System” was made available for a July 11 meeting of the committee.
According to that document, the committee is anticipating the Racine County Board to approve a merger resolution Aug. 22. It’s also expecting a vote by the Rock County Board in early September and by the Walworth County Board sometime in August.
The “Forming the New System” document details how in the first year after the merger, the new system would have to engage in strategic planning, including understanding the needs and expectations of the individual libraries. It would also have to build a new culture for the libraries across the three counties and determine, develop and prioritize services.
The document further says that in the second year, priorities would include consolidating delivery service, determining where the new system offices would be located and refining the staffing model.
To see the committee’s agendas, related documents and virtual meeting links, go to www2 .lakeshores.lib.wi.us /library-system-merger -exploration-1.
The Lakeshores Library System also shares resources with the Kenosha County Library System. There is no current discussion about the Kenosha County Library System being a part of the merger.
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