Madison Public Library's tradition of promoting education, literacy and community involvement has enriched the City of Madison for more than 145 years. Our nine locations throughout the City of Madison are open six days a week (with limited Sunday hours) and welcome over a million visits each year.
Governance
The Madison Public Library is an agency of the City of Madison. It is governed by a nine-member Library Board of Directors appointed for three-year terms by the Mayor of Madison. Functioning under the aegis of Chapter 43 of the Wisconsin Statutes, the MPL Board works in conjunction with the Mayor, Library management and staff, and the Madison Common Council to carry out the Library's mission in the community.
Madison Public Library is part of the South Central Library System, a cooperative network of 53 public libraries in a seven county area. The System offers a shared online catalog, daily delivery of books and media, and reciprocal borrowing privileges among libraries.
Madison Public Library at a Glance
In 2023, Madison Public Library...
- Welcomed 1,279,776 visitors from Madison, Dane County, and beyond
- Circulated 2,300,564 million library books and media
- Facilitated 130,644 in-person computer sessions
- Issued 16,426 new library cards
- Provided space for 51,679 meetings and study sessions
You can check out more details on our 2023 Year in Review or on our combined annual reports for the Madison Public Library Foundation and Madison Public Library.