Superior Public Library
🏢 Northern Waters Library Service · Superior, Wisconsin
Superior Public Library
Founded in 1888 as the municipal library of Superior, Wisconsin — the city that built the first Carnegie library in the state (1901) — the Superior Public Library moved in 1992 to a converted grocery store at 1530 Tower Avenue, where a stunning 35-panel mural chronicles the region's history from Algonquian-Ojibwe creation stories to the 20th century.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–7pm |
| Thursday | 10am–7pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–3pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 1530 Tower Ave., Superior, WI 54880
Phone: (715) 394-8860
Website: superiorlibrary.org
Plus Code: 86R9PV9W+WC (Superior, 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 Superior Public Library
Superior Public Library has served the head of the Great Lakes since 1888, when the city established its first municipal library. In 1901 Superior opened Wisconsin's first Carnegie library, which anchored the community until 1991. The following year the library relocated to its current home at 1530 Tower Avenue — a repurposed grocery store in downtown Superior — and former director Dr. Paul H. Gaboriault commissioned artist Carl Gawboy, of Finnish and Ojibwe heritage, to paint a 35-panel mural series covering the region's history from the Algonquian-Ojibwe creation traditions through the twentieth century. Funded by private donors, the Wisconsin Arts Board, the Duluth-Superior Community Foundation, and the Friends of the Library, the mural project was completed in 2002 and has become an attraction in its own right. The library is part of the Northern Waters Library Service, an eight-county regional public library cooperative, and also participates in Northern Waters Library Network for shared services. It maintains branch locations in Lake Nebagamon and Solon Springs to serve the wider Douglas County area, and operates the Page Peddler book bike for community outreach.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded 1888 — the first Carnegie library in Wisconsin opened here in 1901, serving the community until 1991
- Home to a celebrated 35-panel mural by artist Carl Gawboy (completed 2002) depicting the region's full history, from Ojibwe creation stories to the 20th century
- Part of the Northern Waters Library Service, an eight-county cooperative that amplifies access to resources across northwest Wisconsin
- Operates the Page Peddler book bike for neighborhood outreach and the StoryWalk® at Billings Park
- Open until 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and serves as the hub library for Douglas County branches in Lake Nebagamon and Solon Springs
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Superior cardholders unlock free statewide and regional digital resources through BadgerLink and the Northern Waters cooperative:
📚 Services
- Free library cards for Douglas County and Superior residents
- Reference and genealogy research assistance
- Public computers, printing, Wi-Fi, and technology access
- Senior Planet technology programming
- Meeting room rentals for community groups
- Serenity space for quiet reflection
- Interlibrary loan via Northern Waters Library Service
- Community Resource Specialist on staff
- Page Peddler book bike for neighborhood outreach
- StoryWalk® at Billings Park (outdoor story trail)
🎸 Programs
- Fall Storytime (Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.) for young children
- Adult Book Club
- Local elections education series
- Artist-of-the-Month rotating display program
- Senior Planet digital literacy workshops
- Community outreach via the Page Peddler book bike
📍 Nearby Libraries in Northwest Wisconsin
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Superior · Browse all Wisconsin libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 35-panel mural at the Superior Public Library, and who painted it?
The mural was commissioned in 1992 by then-director Dr. Paul H. Gaboriault and painted by Carl Gawboy, an artist of Finnish and Ojibwe heritage. Completed in 2002, the 35-panel series chronicles the history of the Lake Superior region from the Algonquian-Ojibwe creation stories through the 20th century. Funding came from private donors, the Wisconsin Arts Board, the Duluth-Superior Community Foundation, and the Friends of the Library.
Did Superior really have the first Carnegie library in Wisconsin?
Yes. Superior's Carnegie library opened in 1901 — making it the first of many Carnegie libraries built across Wisconsin — and served as the city's main library building until 1991. The library then moved to its current location, a renovated grocery store at 1530 Tower Avenue, in 1992.
What is BadgerLink and how do I access it with a Superior library card?
BadgerLink is Wisconsin's free statewide database service, funded by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and available to all Wisconsin residents. It provides access to business, health, literature, magazine, and newspaper databases. Superior cardholders can reach BadgerLink through the library's digital resources page or directly at badgerlink.dpi.wi.gov using their library card number.
Does the Superior Public Library serve areas outside the city?
Yes. The library is the hub of the Douglas County system and operates branch libraries in Lake Nebagamon and Solon Springs for rural Douglas County residents. It also belongs to the Northern Waters Library Service, an eight-county regional cooperative that expands access across northwest Wisconsin.
📜 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.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.