Jack Russell Memorial Library
🏢 Monarch Library System · Hartford, Wisconsin
Jack Russell Memorial Library
Jack Russell Memorial Library has served Hartford since 1904, evolving from a volunteer-run reading room into a 35,500-square-foot award-winning facility on the banks of the Milwaukee River millpond — open six days a week with 64% of its 375,000-item collection available digitally.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–8pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | 9am–5:30pm |
| Saturday | 9am–2pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 100 Park Avenue, Hartford, WI 53027
Phone: (262) 673-8240
Website: hartfordlibrary.org
Plus Code: 86MH8J9F+G5 (Hartford, WI)
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📖 About Jack Russell Memorial Library
Hartford's public library began in 1904, staffed by a single volunteer, Juno Goetz, until the City provided its first $100 contribution in 1906. Named in memory of the Russell family, whose bequest helped the library grow into a permanent institution, it became Jack Russell Memorial Library to honor their founding support. The current building at 100 Park Avenue is a 35,500-square-foot two-story structure designed by Plunkett Raysich Architects, drawing on the site's identity as a former mill center: exposed wood columns, copper-leaf pendant lighting, a north-facing clerestory for glare-free reading light, and outdoor patios overlooking the millpond. A green roof and radiant heating and cooling system reflect the building's sustainability commitments. Today the library belongs to the Monarch Library System, a 33-member cooperative spanning Dodge, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Washington counties formed in 2017 from the merger of Eastern Shores and Mid-Wisconsin Federated library systems, so one Hartford card works across all member libraries.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Library service in Hartford since 1904 — started by volunteer Juno Goetz with the city's first $100 contribution in 1906
- 35,500 sq ft award-winning building by Plunkett Raysich Architects with mill-vernacular design, green roof and millpond views
- 375,000-item collection across print and digital; 64% of the collection is digital
- Monarch Library System member — one card valid at 33 libraries in Dodge, Ozaukee, Sheboygan and Washington counties
- History exploratorium, children's boxcar story room and flexible community spaces within the building
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Jack Russell cardholders access Wisconsin's statewide and Monarch digital collections at no cost:
📚 Services
- History exploratorium for local and genealogy research
- Public computers — 20 internet terminals — printing & free Wi-Fi
- Meeting and community room reservations
- Interlibrary loan through Monarch Library System
- Reference and reader's advisory assistance
- Youth services with dedicated children's and teen spaces
- Accessible building with sustainable design features
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes in the signature boxcar story room
- STEM workshops and digital literacy classes
- Teen and young adult programs and book clubs
- Adult lectures, cultural events and job skills training
- Summer reading program for all ages
- Community programs (558 per year, attended by nearly 13,000 people)
📍 Nearby Libraries in Washington County, WI
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Hartford · Browse all Wisconsin libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Jack Russell, and how did the library get its name?
The library is named in honor of the Russell family, whose bequest helped establish a permanent public library in Hartford. Hartford's first library opened in 1904 with volunteer Juno Goetz as its sole staff member; the City made its first $100 contribution in 1906. The Russell family's memorial gift gave the library its lasting name.
What makes the Jack Russell Memorial Library building distinctive?
The 35,500-square-foot building at 100 Park Avenue was designed by Plunkett Raysich Architects to reflect Hartford's mill heritage. It features exposed wood columns and decking, copper-leaf pendant lighting, a north-facing clerestory window for glare-free reading light, and outdoor patios with views of the historic millpond. Sustainable features include a green roof, water retention systems, and a radiant heating and cooling system.
What is the Monarch Library System, and does my Hartford card work at other libraries?
Monarch Library System is a cooperative of 33 public libraries in Dodge, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Washington counties, formed in January 2017 when Eastern Shores Library System and Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System merged. Your Jack Russell Memorial Library card gives you borrowing privileges at all 33 Monarch member libraries, and through BadgerLink you also access Wisconsin's statewide digital resources.
Does the library offer digital borrowing, and how do I get started?
Yes — with a free Hartford library card you can borrow eBooks and audiobooks through Libby (via the Monarch shared collection), stream movies and music instantly through hoopla with no waitlists, and access Wisconsin's statewide BadgerLink databases for research, genealogy and news. Sign up for a free card at 100 Park Avenue or ask a librarian about online registration.
📜 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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