The Eastern Shores Library System (ESLS) was one of 17
public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants.
There are ...
systems in
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
. Founded in 1987, it had 13 member libraries, with five in
Ozaukee County
Ozaukee County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 91,503. Its county seat is Port Washington, making it one of three Wisconsin counties on Lake Michigan not to have a county seat with the same ...
and eight located in
Sheboygan County
Sheboygan County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is named after the Sheboygan River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 118,034. Its county seat is Sheboygan. The county was created in 1836 and organized in 1846. At th ...
, in addition to a
bookmobile
A bookmobile or mobile library is a vehicle designed for use as a library. They have been known by many names throughout history, including traveling library, library wagon, book wagon, book truck, library-on-wheels, and book auto service. Bookm ...
.
Sheboygan's
Mead Public Library
Mead Public Library is a municipal library in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and serves Sheboygan County. It is the main headquarters library of the Monarch Library System, consisting of libraries in Sheboygan, Ozaukee, Dodge, and Washington Counties.
...
served as the resource library for the system. The last director of ESLS was Amy Birtell.
ESLS covered , serving over 191,000 people. All thirteen libraries use the
integrated library system provided by Polaris Library Systems, with the system's online catalog known as "EasiCat" (for "Eastern Shores Information Catalog"). All residents of Ozaukee and Sheboygan counties may use the services provided by Eastern Shores and its member libraries.
In 2017, Eastern Shores Library System merged with Mid-Wisconsin Library System to form Monarch Library System. The new system serves Dodge, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Washington Counties.
Mission
"The Eastern Shores Library System is established as a federation of public libraries which has as its mission: to improve and extend public library service to all residents of the library system."
Services
In 2001, ESLS initiate
EasiCat an "online shared automated catalog of all of the items owned by all of the libraries and the bookmobile."
Customers were able to view items, place holds on them, and have them delivered to the library of their choice. EasiCat was able to be used in any of the libraries, as well as on any computer with Internet access.
ESLS provided a van delivery service that allows patrons to return books and other materials to any member library. In 2005, the van delivered approximately 655,132 items among 17 libraries, 5 days a week. It also made stops at
Kettle Moraine Correctional Institution and
Lakeland University
Lakeland University is a private university with its main campus in Plymouth, Wisconsin. Lakeland University is affiliated with the United Church of Christ. Lakeland also has seven evening, weekend, and online centers located throughout the st ...
.
Many of the items were those requested through
Interlibrary loan. Eastern Shores also had reciprocal agreements with other Wisconsin public library systems, allowing users to check out materials while on vacation.
Eastern Shores operated a
Bookmobile
A bookmobile or mobile library is a vehicle designed for use as a library. They have been known by many names throughout history, including traveling library, library wagon, book wagon, book truck, library-on-wheels, and book auto service. Bookm ...
that serves many of the communities in Ozaukee and Sheboygan Counties without libraries and promoted future library use for customers. It primarily provided "popular and reading readiness materials in various formats" but also provided some reference and programming materials.
System member libraries
Ozaukee County
CedarburgSaukville (Oscar Grady)Grafton (U.S.S. Liberty Memorial)Mequon-Thiensville (Frank L. Weyenberg)Port Washington (W.J. Niederkorn)
Sheboygan County
Cedar GroveElkhart LakeKohlerRandom Lake (Lakeview Community)Sheboygan (Mead)OostburgPlymouthSheboygan Falls
Notes
External links
Eastern Shores Library SystemMonarch Library System
{{authority control
Public libraries in Wisconsin
Education in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin
Education in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin
1987 establishments in Wisconsin