The Winding Rivers Library System, headquartered in La Crosse, Wis., began with a Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) grant in November 1965 to the La Crosse Public Library to develop an area library system among public libraries. The $300,000 helped to defray costs of a new La Crosse Public Library building. It was known as La Crosse Area Library Development initially and in 1972 the name was changed to the La Crosse Area Library System. The director of the La Crosse Public Library served as director for the system as well.
The concept was that the area library would serve other libraries in the system rather than individuals. The La Crosse Public Library would contract with the system to provide centralized purchasing and cataloging as well as reference service and in-service training. Initially six counties participated: Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau and Vernon.
Later, system services included interlibrary loan, the bookmobile and mail-a-book and mail-a-film. Another name change to Winding Rivers Library System (WRLS) occurred in 1978.
Today WRLS serves multitple libraries in a seven county region of Wisconsin: Buffalo, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau and Vernon Counties. WRLS Web is a consortium of WRLS libraries that have joined the automated library catalog through LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) grants. Van delivery between libraries and the headquarters helps to deliver library materials quickly.
