Wisconsin Library History Timeline Key dates in Wisconsin and American Library History

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Wisconsin Library History Timeline

1731 The Library Company of Philadelphia is founded by Benjamin Franklin. It is the first lending library in America.

1800 The Library of Congress is founded.

1833 The Peterboro (NH)Town Library is founded. It is the first tax supported free public library in the world.

1836 The first session of the Wisconsin territorial legislature takes place in Belmont, WI. The legislature authorizes $5,000 to purchase books for a library. This was the start of the Wisconsin State Library, Wisconsin’s first library. It later becomes the Wisconsin State Law Library.

1841 Governor Doty makes his personal library which contained about 500 volumes available for loan to the public in Madison.

1843 A library is established at the Platteville Academy in Platteville, WI.

1846 The State Historical Society of Wisconsin is established.

1847 The Young Men's Association Library is founded in Milwaukee. It is the predecessor of the Milwaukee Public Library.

1848 The Wisconsin Constitution provides for the allocation of school funds for library purposes.

1849 The Beloit College Library is established.

1850 The University of Wisconsin Library in Madison is established.

1850 The Lawrence University Library in Appleton is founded.

1851 The Carroll College Library is founded in Waukesha.

1852 The Boston Public Library is founded. It is the first large public library and the model for public libraries that follow.

1853 Membership libraries are established in Madison and Cassville. In Madison the library is the Madison Institute, the predecessor of the Madison Public Library. In Cassville it is the Ladies Library Association.

1866 The State Normal School at Platteville is founded. The library of the Platteville Academy is given to the library of the Normal School.

1872 Wisconsin's law authorizing the establishment of free public libraries is enacted. It is based on a similar law passed in the same year in Illinois.

1872 Wisconsin’s first public library is established under the new act in Black River Falls.

1874 The Sparta Public Library is established.

1875 Public libraries are established in Madison and Eau Claire.

1876 The American Library Association is founded.

1876 The Fond du Lac Public Library is established.

1878 The Milwaukee Public Library is founded.

1886 The American Library Association meets in Milwaukee.

1887 Columbia College School of Library Economy, the nation's first library school, is opened under the direction of Melvil Dewey.

1891 The Wisconsin Library Association is founded.

1891 The new Williams Free Library in Beaver Dam is dedicated. It claims to be the first library in America to have open shelves.

1895 The Wisconsin Free Library Commission (WFLC) is founded. Lutie Stearns is the Commission's first Secretary.

1895 Summer training sessions for librarians are initiated under the auspices of the WFLC. These training sessions are the precursors of what is to be the the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

1896 Senator James H. Stout, Menomonie, purchased 500 “wholesome, popular books” and began a traveling library system in Dunn County, with 16 boxes of books.

1900 The new building housing the Wisconsin Historical Society and the Library of the University of Wisconsin is dedicated. Reuben G. Thwaites, the Secretary of the Society, serves as President of the American Library Association.

1901 The American Library Association meets in Waukesha.

1901 The Legislative Reference Library is established as a part of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission. Charles McCarthy is its first librarian. McCarthy was a leader in the Progressive Movement and is the author of the “Wisconsin Idea”. The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library served as a prototype of such libraries in other states and also was the model for the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress.

1901 Seven communities in Wisconsin receive grants from Andrew Carnegie for public library buildings. Eventually 60 communities in Wisconsin will receive funding for 63 public library buildings from Carnegie. Two colleges also receive grants from Carnegie for library buildings.

1902 The first public library building in Wisconsin funded with a Carnegie grant is completed in Superior.

1904 The State Capitol in Madison burns. The State Law Library collection is saved with the help of University of Wisconsin students. The collections of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission are heavily damaged, however.

1906 A library school is established as a part of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission. It later becomes the School of Library Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

1914 The Postmaster General shifts library books to fourth class parcel post mail making the postal rates much more affordable for libraries. Matthew Dudgeon, Secretary of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission, working in cooperation with the major libraries in Madison, establishes a books-by-mail program which provides the resources of these libraries to the rural residents of the state.

1917 The United States enters the war with Germany. The American Library Association takes a leadership role in providing library service to soldiers and sailors at home and abroad. Matthew Dudgeon, Secretary of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission, takes a leave of absence to join ALA’s War Service Library. Libraries throughout Wisconsin join in the national effort to raise funds for books and library service for the armed forces.

1921 With the active support of the Wisconsin Library Association, the Wisconsin legislature passes the first public librarian certification law in the nation.

1940 Wisconsin’s first bookmobile begins operation in Grant, Iowa, Crawford and Rock counties. It was furnished by the federal Works Project Administration (WPA) and operated through contributions from 26 American Legion posts. It only served children, and was administered by the Wisconsin Free Library Commission in Madison.

1949 The legislature enacts funding over the Governor’s veto for a three-year regional library demonstration in Door and Kewaunee counties.

1956 The federal Library Services Act (LSA) is passed.

1956 The American Library Association (ALA) publishes Public Library Service: A Guide to Evaluation With Mininimum Standards. This document introduces the “library system” concept, and sets forth guiding principles and minimum national standards for measuring public library service.

1956 S. Janice Kee, previously Director of the Public Library Association of ALA, becomes Secretary of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission.

1957 Wisconsin’s State Plan for LSA funding is approved.

1959 Several county and multi-county public library demonstrations are funded by the Free Library Commission with Library Services Act funds. These are the predecessors of Wisconsin's public library systems.

1964 The Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA), an expansion of LSA to include urban libraries, is enacted by Congress.

1965 The Wisconsin Free Library Commission is incorporated into the Department of Public Instruction as the Division for Library Services. S. Janice Kee resigns from the Free Library Commission. Lyle Eberhart becomes the Assistant State Superintendent in charge of the new Division for Library Services.

1971 Wisconsin’s public library system law is enacted.

1973 The first four public library systems are established under the new law.

1980 The Council on Library and Network Development is established with the responsibility to advise the State Superintendent of Public Instruction on library development and cooperation and public librarian certification.

1981 The Kenosha County Library System and the Waukesha County Library System are the last of seventeen federated public library systems to be established.

1990 Florence County becomes the last county in the state to become part of a public library system.

1731	The Library Company of Philadelphia is founded by Benjamin Franklin. It is the first lending library in America.
1800	The Library of Congress is founded.
1833	The Peterboro (NH)Town Library is founded. It is the first tax supported free public library in the world.
1836	The first session of the Wisconsin territorial legislature takes place in Belmont, WI. The legislature authorizes $5,000 to purchase books for a library. This was the start of the Wisconsin State Library, Wisconsin’s first library. It later becomes the Wisconsin State Law Library.
1841	Governor Doty makes his personal library which contained about 500 volumes available for loan to the public in Madison.
1843	A library is established at the Platteville Academy in Platteville, WI.
1846	The State Historical Society of Wisconsin is established.
1847	The Young Men's Association Library is founded in Milwaukee. It is the predecessor of the Milwaukee Public Library.
1848	The Wisconsin Constitution provides for the allocation of school funds for library purposes.
1849	The Beloit College Library is established.
1850	The University of Wisconsin Library in Madison is established.
1850	The Lawrence University Library in Appleton is founded.
1851	The Carroll College Library is founded in Waukesha.
1852	The Boston Public Library is founded. It is the first large public library and the model for public libraries that follow.
1853	Membership libraries are established in Madison and Cassville. In Madison the library is the Madison Institute, the predecessor of the Madison Public Library. In Cassville it is the Ladies Library Association.
1866	The State Normal School at Platteville is founded. The library of the Platteville Academy is given to the library of the Normal School.
1872	Wisconsin's law authorizing the establishment of free public libraries is enacted. It is based on a similar law passed in the same year in Illinois.
1872	Wisconsin’s first public library is established under the new act in Black River Falls.
1874	The Sparta Public Library is established.
1875	Public libraries are established in Madison and Eau Claire.
1876	The American Library Association is founded.
1876	The Fond du Lac Public Library is established.
1878	The Milwaukee Public Library is founded.
1886	The American Library Association meets in Milwaukee.
1887	Columbia College School of Library Economy, the nation's first library school, is opened under the direction of Melvil Dewey.
1891	The Wisconsin Library Association is founded.
1891	The new Williams Free Library in Beaver Dam is dedicated. It claims to be the first library in America to have open shelves.
1895	The Wisconsin Free Library Commission (WFLC) is founded. Lutie Stearns is the Commission's first Secretary.
1895	Summer training sessions for librarians are initiated under the auspices of the WFLC. These training sessions are the precursors of what is to be the the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
1896	Senator James H. Stout, Menomonie, purchased 500 “wholesome, popular books” and began a traveling library system in Dunn County, with 16 boxes of books.
1900	The new building housing the Wisconsin Historical Society and the Library of the University of Wisconsin is dedicated. Reuben G. Thwaites, the Secretary of the Society, serves as President of the American Library Association.
1901	The American Library Association meets in Waukesha.
1901	The Legislative Reference Library is established as a part of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission. Charles McCarthy is its first librarian. McCarthy was a leader in the Progressive Movement and is the author of the “Wisconsin Idea”. The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library served as a prototype of such libraries in other states and also was the model for the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress.
1901	Seven communities in Wisconsin receive grants from Andrew Carnegie for public library buildings. Eventually 60 communities in Wisconsin will receive funding for 63 public library buildings from Carnegie. Two colleges also receive grants from Carnegie for library buildings.
1902	The first public library building in Wisconsin funded with a Carnegie grant is completed in Superior.
1904	The State Capitol in Madison burns. The State Law Library collection is saved with the help of University of Wisconsin students. The collections of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission are heavily damaged, however.
1906	A library school is established as a part of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission. It later becomes the School of Library Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
1914	The Postmaster General shifts library books to fourth class parcel post mail making the postal rates much more affordable for libraries. Matthew Dudgeon, Secretary of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission, working in cooperation with the major libraries in Madison, establishes a books-by-mail program which provides the resources of these libraries to the rural residents of the state.
1917	The United States enters the war with Germany. The American Library Association takes a leadership role in providing library service to soldiers and sailors at home and abroad. Matthew Dudgeon, Secretary of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission, takes a leave of absence to join ALA’s War Service Library. Libraries throughout Wisconsin join in the national effort to raise funds for books and library service for the armed forces.
1921	With the active support of the Wisconsin Library Association, the Wisconsin legislature passes the first public librarian certification law in the nation.
1940	Wisconsin’s first bookmobile begins operation in Grant, Iowa, Crawford and Rock counties. It was furnished by the federal Works Project Administration (WPA) and operated through contributions from 26 American Legion posts. It only served children, and was administered by the Wisconsin Free Library Commission in Madison.
1949	The legislature enacts funding over the Governor’s veto for a three-year regional library demonstration in Door and Kewaunee counties.
1956	The federal Library Services Act (LSA) is passed.
1956	The American Library Association (ALA) publishes Public Library Service: A Guide to Evaluation With Mininimum Standards. This document introduces the “library system” concept, and sets forth guiding principles and minimum national standards for measuring public library service.
1956	S. Janice Kee, previously Director of the Public Library Association of ALA, becomes Secretary of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission.
1957	Wisconsin’s State Plan for LSA funding is approved.
1959	Several county and multi-county public library demonstrations are funded by the Free Library Commission with Library Services Act funds. These are the predecessors of Wisconsin's public library systems.
1964	The Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA), an expansion of LSA to include urban libraries, is enacted by Congress.
1965	The Wisconsin Free Library Commission is incorporated into the Department of Public Instruction as the Division for Library Services. S. Janice Kee resigns from the Free Library Commission. Lyle Eberhart becomes the Assistant State Superintendent in charge of the new Division for Library Services.
1971	Wisconsin’s public library system law is enacted.
1973	The first four public library systems are established under the new law.
1980	The Council on Library and Network Development is established with the responsibility to advise the State Superintendent of Public Instruction on library development and cooperation and public librarian certification.
1981	The Kenosha County Library System and the Waukesha County Library System are the last of seventeen federated public library systems to be established.
1990	Florence County becomes the last county in the state to become part of a public library system.