Shirley M Wright Library

Trempealeau, WI

Squeezing a desired collection size of 22,000 titles in a space fit for 14,000 led the quaint river town of Trempealeau to seek a larger library.

The previous 1,250-square-foot library, started in 1913 by Hettie M. Pierce, was in the Municipal Building, which also houses the Village Hall, Police Department, and Community Room. The Library Board addressed this dilemma and decided to build a new, free-standing library.

Through well-attended town hall meetings, the community critiqued and shaped the new library, demonstrating how joint authorship led to joint ownership of the idea. Site analysis considered location, access for pedestrians and vehicles, room for expansion, zoning clearances, and availability.

Respecting all options, the Library Board acquired property for a new 7,455-square-foot state-of-the-art library in a downtown location with off-street parking.

The library has a centrally-located circulation desk adjacent to a comfortable reading lounge with a fireplace. The layout allows for quiet study and work areas and a memorable children’s area while incorporating an infrastructure to support information technologies.

The facility incorporates barrier-free accessibility to all areas, a drive-thru book return and pick-up, covered front porch entrance, public lobby with coffee area, and multipurpose rooms for library and community use.