Peshtigo Public Library begins a new chapter

PESHTIGO – During the Peshtigo City Hall and Fire/EMS Department expansion and open house event on Wednesday, May 21, the Peshtigo Public Library opened their doors following an extensive renovation.

The library renovation began early in the summer of 2024, closing the library for weeks as construction crews updated and expanded the space. The space remained closed for a majority of the summer and fall of last year.

During this time patrons were encouraged to visit other branches of the Marinette County Consolidated Public Library Service, all united under the same mission to “provide access to information, service and lifelong learning for a greater world.”

The branches of the county public library include Coleman-Pound, Crivitz, Goodman, Marinette, Niagara, Wausaukee and Peshtigo.
Library Director Vanja Anderson joined the Peshtigo Public Library in August after working as a library director in Nevada for two years.

Anderson expressed her excitement regarding working with patrons at the library for the first time. “I’ve been able to watch the Peshtigo [City Hall] and fire department come together to create this new building and the updated library. It’s been a pleasure and honor to watch that happen. I have seen the staff come together to support this project and I am very proud of them.”

Following these open remarks, the doors to the library were open for families and guests of all ages to explore the new offerings.

Branch Librarian Karen Murphy met with community members and highlighted that the space has been refreshed with new paint and carpeting, paid for by the Peshtigo Library Foundation. The Neighborhood Investment Fund grant covered updated technology like new computers and a children’s section. Other items, such as the bookshelves and tables, were donated from the UW-Marinette library.

One update that Murphy expressed excitement about was the new meeting room, which can be rented out for $50 for a half day or $100 for the full day. This addition came from the demand that the Stephenson Public Library in Marinette has seen.

Another demand that had gone unmet while the library was closed was the need for local history. Murphy said she received many calls at the Marinette library from patrons wanting to access their collection of records.

In addition to documents about the Peshtigo fire, Murphy said, “We have yearbooks, women’s club history and the Peshtigo Library Foundation history. All of that local history is here.”

While the Peshtigo Public Library is stocked with books, they also have puzzles, fidgets, activity bags, magazines, adult programming, audiobooks and so much more.

These aspects are curated around the variety of needs shown by community members, which librarians are now able to better support.

“We can help people with printing, we can help them with any documents they may need to download from the internet, like for taxes or from the DMV. We can scan and send documents if they need something sent to a doctor or a lawyer,” Murphy said.

Having such an extensive offering of resources takes dedicated funding, Anderson explained to those in attendance. “If you use library services, if you have found anything you have benefited from, please call your representatives. Come to our county board meetings. Say what you enjoy about our services, what you find useful. We are in changing times right now and we need to have everybody come together.”

The Peshtigo Public Library is located within the Peshtigo Municipal Building, located at 331 French St., and is operating with temporary hours of 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For more information, call the library at (​​715) 582-4905.