Milwaukee Public Library Central Branch
814 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53233
Sun Closed
Mon-Fri 10am-6pm
Sat 9am-5pm
414.286.3000
Established in 1898, the Central Branch of the Milwaukee Public Library system is a grandiose, Renaissance-era building offering tours and hosting public events. The Milwaukee Public Libraries seek to inspire the community. Their goal is to teach as many people as they can to read, learn, and connect with others. In order to create a strong Milwaukee, the public libraries are steadfast in continuing to educate families and create neighborhoods of knowledgeable citizens.
Milwaukee Public Library Mitchell Street Branch
906 W Historic Mitchell St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Sun Closed
Mon 1pm-7pm
Tue-Sat 10am-4pm
414.286.3000
The Mitchell Street Branch is the largest branch of the Milwaukee Public Library system. The Hill’s Building used to be a department store that is undergoing renovations for the library. The Hill’s Building also features fifty-two apartment units and eight townhouse units. The Mitchell Street Branch expands over three floors for a total of twenty-three thousand square feet! With all the space, the library allows visitors to spread out and find a spot to be productive. The large windows provide plenty of natural light to stimulate hardworking minds. With free parking on 9th Street, there is no reason to not stop down, find a book, and get comfortable by the fireplace reading area.
Wisconsin Regional Library
813 W Wells St, Milwaukee, WI 53233
Mon 12pm-8pm
Tue 9am-8pm
Wed-Fri 9am-6pm
Sat 9am-5pm
414.286.3040
The Wisconsin Regional Library partners with the Department of Public Instruction to keep public education and libraries in Wisconsin moving forward. The Department of Public Instruction is a state agency that was created in 1848, yes, the same year Wisconsin officially became a state! The head of the agency is the state superintendent, currently Carolyn Stanford Taylor, who is the twenty-seventh person to have this position. Every four years, a nonpartisan, constitutional officer is elected to the post. Navigate to their website to learn more about Wisconsin’s schools for the deaf and schools for the blind.
Raynor Memorial Libraries
1355 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53233
Inside Marquette University
Mon-Thur 7:45am-11pm
Fri 7:45am-10pm
Sat 10am-10pm
Sun 10am-11pm
414.288.7556
The Raynor Memorial Libraries are placed in the middle of the Marquette University campus. In 1881, Marquette College was founded at 10th and State. By 1883, the college created a reading room in the building. Between 1908 and 1922, the Marquette Schools of Law, Engineering, Business, Journalism, and Graduate were founded. By 1931, Marquette had thirty thousand books, one hundred periodicals, and averaged one hundred rent-outs each day. Ten years later, Friar Betten started the process of creating a new library. It wasn’t until twelve years later, in 1953, the Memorial Library building was finished. The Raynor Library is made up of four floors while the Memorial Library is comprised of six. Head over to the “About Us” tab on their website to watch a two-and-a-half-minute video tour of the libraries in English or Mandarin!
Milwaukee Public Library East Branch
2320 N Cramer St, Milwaukee, WI 53211
Sun Closed
Mon 1pm-7pm
Tue-Sat 10am-4pm
414.286.3000
The East Branch of the Milwaukee Public Libraries is located on Cramer and North. While not the best location to browse for books, it is a great place to pick up your holds if you live in the neighborhood. The library provides a large, open space for people of all ages to get their work done. With floor-to-ceiling windows and desks and tables of multiple heights and sizes, it is really easy to spread out, get comfortable, and focus on what you need to finish. The library provides rooms for young kids in the neighborhood to meet up and work on homework or even receive tutoring. The East Branch spans sixteen thousand square feet across five stories. Additionally, the building houses ninety-nine apartment units that have underground parking while day-to-day library-goers have surface parking available.
