Logo for the Marathon County Public Library System. Image courtesy: Marathon County Public Library/Facebook
RHINELANDER, WI (WSAU-WXPR) — A local library group is looking to move into a different library system later this year.
On Monday the Marathon County Library Board voted 4 to 3 to leave the Wisconsin Valley Library System and join the South Central Library System. A public hearing and a Marathon County Board vote have to be held before the change can officially happen. But some libraries in the Northwoods worry the decision could negatively impact them.
Seven Counties currently make up the Wisconsin Valley System with Marathon County being the largest. Dominic Frandup is the Director of the Antigo Public Library. He tells WXPR Radio the other libraries in the W-V-L-S depend on Marathon County. “Disruption of service would be by far biggest thing and then how to rebuild or reform after that would really determine how services played out for our library patrons.”
Marathon County Library Director Ralph Illick says there a lot of reasons he wants to make the move. The two biggest ones being the cost and level of service Marathon County would get from South Central Library System. “We would like to be in a system that has similarly sized libraries that we could work with and collaborate with about shared interests.”
The decision about the potential move now goes to the Marathon County Extension, Education, and Economic Development Committee for consideration along with a public hearing. The Marathon County Board of Supervisors would then need to pass the change with a two-thirds majority.
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