Logo features a prairie style stained glass window with Brown eyed Susan flowers in front and the name "Prairie Lakes Library System".

About Us

A Little About Us

Prairie Lakes Library System (PLLS) was established on January 1, 2023, through the merger of Arrowhead Library System and Lakeshores Library System. PLLS serves member and affiliate member libraries in Racine, Rock, and Walworth counties.

PLLS is a member of the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium (WPLC). WPLC provides its main service, the Wisconsin Digital Library (powered by OverDrive), for free to all Wisconsin residents with a public library card.

PLLS is also a member and facilitator of the SHARE Consortium (SHARE). As a SHARE member system, public library cards issued by PLLS libraries are valid at all SHARE libraries in the counties of Kenosha, Racine, Rock, and Walworth.

Core System Services

Delivery

The library system provides daily delivery services to member libraries to facilitate resource sharing, providing residents of the tri-county area with access to over one million library titles.

Visit our delivery page for more information.

Consulting

PLLS provides consulting services for member libraries in the areas of:

  1. Public Information: Assistance with outreach, promotions, marketing, graphic design, websites, advocacy, and more.
  2. Technology: Offering general member-library service, opt-in local IT service (cost applies), and general and critical support for the SHARE Consortium. 
  3. Youth Services: Supporting collection development, programming, staff training, etc.

Continuing Education

PLLS partners with several other library systems to provide at least eight continuing education workshops for library staff. These workshops are designed to improve skills and efficiency of staff and present new concepts in library service.

Interlibrary Loan

PLLS provides interlibrary loan training and consulting for member libraries. A PLLS staff person is available to:

  • Assist member libraries with difficult interlibrary loan transactions.
  • Train member library staff on interlibrary loan procedures – or refer librarian to Reference and Loan training.
  • Serve as a temporary substitute for interlibrary loan staff at member libraries who are ill or on vacation.

Integrated Library System and Technology Support

PLLS provides full support of the shared integrated library system (ILS) that all PLLS and SHARE member libraries use. Training for the ILS and SHARE is availabe online anytime in the SHARE section of this website and in-person workshops are offered annually. PLLS staff can help libraries locate training for Wisconsin’s Digital Library (using Libby powered by OverDrive), BadgerLink, and other system databases and apps.

Outreach

Senior Collections

PLLS and Hedberg Public Library maintain large-print collections, which rotate through nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Jail Library Services

Rock County Correctional Services accepts donations of used books from local libraries and calls upon Prairie Lakes Library System for assistance in selecting and purchasing books.

Library Outreach Support

Prairie Lakes Library System will happily provide printed materials about resources available system-wide, such as Wisconsin’s digital library and cooperatively purchased databases.

Contact PLLS’ Public Information Coordinator to discuss your next outreach event!