Portage Public Library
🏢 Columbia County Library System · Portage, Wisconsin
Portage Public Library
The Portage Public Library has occupied the home of Pulitzer Prize-winning author and library activist Zona Gale since 1944, when her husband William Breese deeded their historic house on Edgewater Street to the city as a permanent public library.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–7pm |
| Thursday | 9am–7pm |
| Friday | 9am–6pm |
| Saturday | 9am–2pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 253 W. Edgewater Street, Portage, WI 53901
Phone: (608) 742-4959
Website: portagelibrary.us
Plus Code: 86MGGGQP+8X (Portage, WI)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Portage Public Library
The Portage Public Library is the public library of Portage, Wisconsin — the seat of Columbia County, situated on the portage between the Fox and Wisconsin rivers that gave the city its name. The library's most distinctive chapter began in 1944, when William Breese deeded the 6,000-square-foot home of his late wife Zona Gale to the City of Portage for use as a public library. Zona Gale (1874–1938) was a Portage-born Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and novelist, and a lifelong champion of Wisconsin libraries who served as chair of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission from 1921–1924 and again from 1926–1929. The library holds digitized archives of Portage newspapers dating back to 1855, making it a key genealogy and local-history resource for central Wisconsin. As a member of the South Central Library System (SCLS), patrons can borrow from partner libraries across seven Wisconsin counties, and statewide BadgerLink databases are available free to all Wisconsin residents.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Historic building: Zona Gale's own home, deeded to the city in 1944 — she was Portage's Pulitzer Prize-winning author and chair of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission
- Digitized Portage newspaper archives dating back to 1855, an exceptional local-history and genealogy collection for Columbia County
- Member of South Central Library System (SCLS): interlibrary delivery across 53 libraries in 7 Wisconsin counties
- Anchor library of the Columbia County Library System, coordinating service for 10 communities including Lodi, Wisconsin Dells, and Cambria
- Free access to BadgerLink, Wisconsin's statewide portal of licensed research databases and digital resources
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Portage cardholders can read, research, and stream free through Wisconsin's statewide and regional digital collections:
📚 Services
- Local history and genealogy collection with digitized Portage newspapers from 1855
- Public computers, printing, scanning & free Wi-Fi
- Interlibrary loan through the South Central Library System (53 libraries, 7 counties)
- Meeting rooms for community use
- Downloadable eBooks, audiobooks, and streaming media via Libby & hoopla
- BadgerLink database access for all Wisconsin residents
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes and youth programming
- Teen programs and activities
- Summer Reading Program
- Adult programs, book discussions, and community events
- School outreach coordinated by the Youth Services Librarian
📍 Nearby Libraries in Columbia County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Portage Public Library in Zona Gale's house?
Zona Gale (1874–1938) was Portage's most celebrated author — a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, novelist, and passionate advocate for public libraries who chaired the Wisconsin Free Library Commission twice. When she died, her husband William Breese deeded their spacious home at 253 W. Edgewater Street to the City of Portage in 1944 specifically for use as a public library, creating one of Wisconsin's most storied library buildings.
Can I find old Portage newspaper archives at the library?
Yes. The Portage Public Library holds digitized archives of all Portage newspapers going back to 1855, making it an excellent starting point for genealogy research, local history projects, and tracking Columbia County community records across more than 170 years.
What other libraries can I borrow from with a Portage library card?
Through the South Central Library System (SCLS), your Portage card connects you to 53 public libraries in seven Wisconsin counties — Adams, Columbia, Dane, Green, Portage, Sauk, and Wood — with regular courier delivery between branches. The library also serves as the anchor of the Columbia County Library System, linking 10 communities including Wisconsin Dells, Lodi, and Cambria.
Is the library open on Sundays, and what are its weekend hours?
The library is closed on Sundays. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. On weekdays the library is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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