Cudahy Family Library
🏢 Milwaukee County Federated Library System · Cudahy, Wisconsin
Cudahy Family Library
Founded in 1906 when a pharmacist opened a small lending collection in the back of his Packard Avenue drugstore, the Cudahy Family Library has grown into a modern 27,000-square-foot civic anchor named for the Cudahy meatpacking dynasty — and is open seven days a week in its Lake Michigan shoreline community.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–8pm |
| Thursday | 10am–8pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 12pm–4pm |
| Sunday | 12pm–4pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 3500 Library Drive, Cudahy, WI 53110
Phone: (414) 769-2244
Website: cudahyfamilylibrary.org
Plus Code: 86JJX44Q+M5 (Cudahy, WI)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Cudahy Family Library
The Cudahy Family Library serves this south-shore Milwaukee suburb on the western bank of Lake Michigan. The library's roots go back to 1906, when Mrs. Barney Eaton — wife of Cudahy's first Village President — persuaded pharmacist Otto Frank to host a small lending library in his Packard Avenue drugstore, where she had been teaching immigrant families to read English using her own books. Over the following decades the library moved through the old City Hall, a rented storefront, and a Vocational School before the community dedicated a War Memorial Library in 1952 — the only library building in Milwaukee County financed entirely by private contributions, from industrialists including Victor F. Braun and the Cudahy and Ladish families. In 2003 the library moved into its current 27,000-square-foot home on Library Drive, made possible in part by a $1 million gift from Judge Richard D. Cudahy, who named the building for his grandfather Patrick Cudahy. The library belongs to the Milwaukee County Federated Library System (MCFLS), giving cardholders access to CountyCat, a shared catalog of more than two million items across the county.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded in 1906 in the back of a Packard Avenue drugstore — one of Milwaukee County's oldest community libraries
- The 1952 War Memorial Library was the only library building in Milwaukee County financed entirely by private contributions
- Named for the Cudahy family: a $1 million gift from Judge Richard D. Cudahy honored his grandfather Patrick Cudahy when the 2003 building opened
- Part of the Milwaukee County Federated Library System (MCFLS), with access to CountyCat — more than two million items shared across county libraries
- Open seven days a week, with evening hours Monday through Thursday and weekend afternoon hours year-round
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
A free Cudahy card unlocks Wisconsin's statewide and county-wide digital collections:
📚 Services
- Local attraction passes — free and discounted admission to area museums and parks
- Public computers, printing, and free Wi-Fi
- Interlibrary loan through the Milwaukee County Federated Library System
- Meeting rooms for community and organizational use
- Children's and youth programming space
- CountyCat shared catalog with holds and delivery between county libraries
🎸 Programs
- 1000 Books Before Kindergarten early literacy program
- Youth storytelling and children's story times
- Book clubs and adult reading programs
- Yarn crafts group (Yarnies Unite)
- Author talks and local history presentations
- Summer reading program for all ages
📍 Nearby Libraries in Milwaukee County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How did the Cudahy Family Library get its name?
The library is named for the Cudahy family, whose patriarch Patrick Cudahy founded the meatpacking company that gave the city its name in 1892. When the current 27,000-square-foot building on Library Drive opened in 2003, it was made possible in part by a $1 million gift from Judge Richard D. Cudahy, Patrick's grandson, who designated the building be named the Cudahy Family Library in honor of his grandfather.
What are the local attraction passes available at the library?
The Cudahy Family Library offers passes that give cardholders free or discounted admission to local attractions and cultural sites. You can check out a pass at the circulation desk — availability varies, so it's best to call ahead or check the library's website to see which passes are currently in circulation.
Is the library open on weekends?
Yes — the library is open Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What is the Milwaukee County Federated Library System, and how does it benefit Cudahy cardholders?
The Milwaukee County Federated Library System (MCFLS) is a cooperative of public libraries across Milwaukee County that share a single catalog called CountyCat. A Cudahy Family Library card lets you search, borrow, and request delivery of more than two million items from member libraries throughout the county at no extra cost.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes 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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