Waterford Public Library
🏢 Prairie Lakes Library System · Waterford, Wisconsin
Waterford Public Library
Waterford Public Library sits on the banks of the Fox River at 101 N. River Street in western Racine County — a community library whose roots date to the 1920s, now operating from a spacious modern building opened March 12, 2001, with evening hours three days a week and access to the SHARE consortium spanning multiple Wisconsin counties.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–7pm |
| Thursday | 9am–5pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–12pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 101 N. River Street, Waterford, WI 53185
Phone: (262) 534-3988
Website: waterford.lib.wi.us
Plus Code: 86JHQQ7P+88 (Waterford, WI)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Waterford Public Library
The Waterford Public Library has served the Village of Waterford and surrounding western Racine County communities since the 1920s, when library service first took root in the area. Over the decades the library relocated three times and operated for years from borrowed space in the Waterford Village Hall, offering a rotating book collection drawn from the Racine Public Library. In 1965 the village appointed a formal library board, and in 1967 the library moved into half of the Waterford Village Hall. That era ended on March 12, 2001, when the library opened its current spacious building at 101 N. River Street — on the banks of the beautiful Fox River, the natural heart of the village. As a member of the Prairie Lakes Library System and SHARE consortium, a Waterford card unlocks shared borrowing across multiple counties. The library also holds a distinctive digital archive: the Waterford History digital collection, created in partnership with the Village of Waterford, local historical societies, Waterford Union High School and area residents, preserving pioneer family photographs, maps, manuscripts and yearbooks from the western Racine County area.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Riverside setting — located on the banks of the Fox River at the center of historic Waterford Village
- Current building opened March 12, 2001, replacing decades of service from the Waterford Village Hall
- Member of Prairie Lakes Library System and SHARE consortium — borrowing across multiple Wisconsin counties
- Waterford History digital archive — pioneer photographs, maps, manuscripts & high school yearbooks online
- Library of Things lending program for community members
- Local history and genealogy resources with community-curated materials
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Waterford cardholders can read, stream and research 24/7 through the SHARE consortium and Wisconsin's statewide resources:
📚 Services
- Free library card for Village of Waterford and western Racine County residents
- Library of Things — borrow equipment and everyday items beyond books
- Local history and genealogy research collection
- Wireless printing and computer access
- Public computers, scanning & free Wi-Fi
- Community Links resource directory
- Summer reading program for all ages
- Interlibrary loan through Prairie Lakes Library System and SHARE consortium
- Reference and reader's advisory assistance
🎸 Programs
- Summer Reading Challenge for children and families
- Programs for adults, tweens, teens and children
- Community events and cultural programs
- Local history and genealogy programs
- Friends of the Waterford Public Library events and support
📍 Nearby Libraries in Racine & Waukesha Counties, WI
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Waterford · Browse all Wisconsin libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Waterford Public Library move to its current location on the Fox River?
The library opened its current building at 101 N. River Street on March 12, 2001 — ending decades of operation from improvised spaces, including half of the Waterford Village Hall where it had been located since 1967. Library service in Waterford dates to the 1920s, making the Fox River building the latest chapter in a long local story.
What is the Waterford History digital archive and how do I access it?
The Waterford History digital archive is an online collection preserving photographs, maps, manuscripts, high school yearbooks and pioneer family materials from western Racine County. It was created collaboratively by the Waterford Public Library, the Village of Waterford, the local Chamber of Commerce, Waterford Union High School and area residents. You can browse it through Recollection Wisconsin at recollectionwisconsin.org.
What is the SHARE consortium and how does it help Waterford library cardholders?
SHARE is a library consortium operated through the Prairie Lakes Library System, giving Waterford cardholders shared borrowing access across multiple Wisconsin counties. You can request items from partner libraries and have them delivered to Waterford for pickup. The library also participates in Wisconsin's statewide digital library through the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium (WPLC).
What are the library's hours and is it open Saturday mornings?
The library is open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 9 am–7 pm; Thursday and Friday 9 am–5 pm; and Saturday 9 am–12 pm (noon). It is closed on Sunday. The three weekday evenings until 7 pm offer flexibility for after-work and after-school visits.
📜 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 lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things 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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