City-county library merger among topics at first of three public meetings Saturday

Other topics included increasing
community access to library resources

The idea of merging the La Crosse city and county library systems sounds like a good idea to city library director Kelly Krieg Sigman.  

She says it’s such a good idea, it was included in a master plan that’s being discussed now at a series of public meetings.

The proposal was not released publicly before La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat announced earlier this month that he’d like to have the libraries combine.

Sigman says now, the negotiations are happening between the mayor and county leaders.

“It’s a little bit above my pay grade,” she joked. “This was intorduced by the mayor and then it was countered by an offer from the county. So, it’s kind of “up there” now.”

The merger plan is one of seven major goals that was unveiled Saturday during a hearing at the Main Street library. Just over 20 people from the community were in attendance at the meeting, where library board president Dan Gelatt spoke.

Another strategic-planning session happens Wednesday at the south branch library.

Other long-term goals introduced, included improving marketing and increasing community access to library resources.  

Sigman also said that beyond physical changes in library buildings, she wants to get the public excited about outreach efforts such as the ‘Dark La Crosse’ story-telling programs.