| History |
The Brillion Public Library was organized by the Brillion Women's Club in 1928. January 5, 1929 was the first official day of business in the
Village Council Chamber. The library was open twice a week. Aided by a donation from Johanna Schwartz, the library expanded and moved into the
new city hall in 1952. The Woman's Club discontinued its sponsorship in 1959 when the library was incorporated as a Municipal Library. In 1971,
the Henry Ariens family donated the family homestead to the City of Brillion. In October 1972, R.D. and Linda Peters financed the construction and
furnishing of the new library. The building was officially presented to the city on August 27, 1974. An addition was built onto the library in
1991. In 1993, thanks to the assistance from NSC, Inc., the Brillion Library collection became automated. Elevator access to the lower level occurred in
2006. Today, the Brillion Library is a progressive institution that is open many more hours than the original library and provides many services
to the public as well as a growing collection of materials and information that meets the needs of the community. The library is fully automated
and offers Internet access to the public.
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Materials & Collections |
The Brillion Library offers a variety of books and materials for check out and use in the library for people of all ages. The Library has a number
of Special collections to help the public find information quickly in these areas. The collections are the following:
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| Special Collections |
- Consumer Section - contains information on consumer issues, help on selecting products and services, as well as help on legal and financial issues.
- Travel Section - contains both videos and travel guides on a variety of places around the world and the United States.
- Literacy Section - contains materials to help learn, including videos on taking the GED test and guides for passing the CDL tests.
- Parenting Section - contains a variety of materials for parents to help in raising their children to become adults. This section includes videos as well as study aids for school, and was created with a grant received by the Brillion Public Schools.
- Wisconsin Section - contains a variety of information related to the state, and includes local genealogy information.
- Repair Section - contains manuals and guides on a variety of repairs and maintenance areas from automobiles to snow blowers to appliances to houses.
- Career Section - contains materials on selecting a career, finding a job and going to school. It includes resume guides and guides on taking tests from ACT to SAT to GRE and more! A file of careers and schools is a part of the career section.
- Health & Wellness Section - contains materials on a variety of help and wellness issues. The collection was developed as part of a CACHF grant and now includes books, videos, dvds, audiocassettes and magazines on a variety of health topics.
- House & Garden Section - contains materials with ideas for building, remodeling and decorating one’s house or yard.
- Business Section - contains materials to help set up a business or improve your current business.
- Spanish Section - contains materials to help Spanish speaking users learn English. Materials are in book, audio and video formats.
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| Children's Collection |
The children’s collection includes easy picture books, board books, beginning readers, paperbacks and juvenile fiction books. There are also
videos, dvds, music on compact disc, books on tape and CD and books and tape sets.
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| Young Adult Section |
The section includes paperbacks and hardcovers, books on tape, graphic novels and magazines.
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| Audiovisual Material |
The Library contains audio materials in cassette, cd, playaway and downloadable formats. Visual materials are available in VHS and DVD formats.
The library has a collection of music on compact discs.
The Library has microfilm of the Brillion News, Chilton Times and some Hilbert and Reedsville Newspapers as well as census from the area counties.
Microfilm can be viewed and printed on a microfilm viewer/ printer.
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| Pamphlet File |
The Library has a pamphlet file with information on local and area history and 4-H pamphlets.
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| Reference |
The Library has a small reference section that included a number of resources such as almanacs/ encyclopedias/ atlases and telephone books.
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| Magazines |
The Library subscribes to over 100 different magazines on a variety of topics. Magazines can be checked out or read in the library.
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| Newspapers |
The Library subscribes to the following daily newspapers:
- Green Bay Press-Gazette
- Manitowoc Herald-Times
- Post Crescent
- Wall Street Journal
- USA Today
Weekly newspapers:
- Brillion News
- Chilton Times-Journal
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Services |
| Children's Corner |
The Library features a special corner just for children complete with stuffed animals, rocking chairs, cushions and other comfortable seating
including tables and chairs. The corner allows children to enjoy the library as their parents browse the materials available for children.
The corner also allows children the opportunity to listen to a book on tape, watch a video, or listen to a compact disc.
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| Business Administrative |
- Telephone reference and referral services during library hours
- Public access computers for personal use
- Wireless Internet access during library hours
- Color and black and white photocopier for public use at a cost
- Fax service available for public use at a cost
- Plastic laminating services for items up to 24 inches wide available at a cost
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| Interlibrary Loan |
The Brillion Public Library participates in Interlibrary Loan with libraries from around the country. If an item is not available at the Brillion
library, or a patron needs more information on a particular topic, the item or information can be ordered from another library via an online
system. Items are shipped through a state-wide van delivery system from the supplying library to the Brillion library. Contact the library to use
this service.
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| Elderly Services |
The Brillion Public Library recognizes that the elderly are an extremely important part of the community. Because of this, special services are
available to the elderly to meet all their library needs. Services include:
- Deposit collection of books, audio books and audiocassette players in Heritage, Garrow Villa and Parkview housing units in Brillion
- Large print books of all types
- Books on tape or compact disk in both abridged and unabridged format
- Tape recorders to listen to books on tape
- Videocassettes for programs
- Video projection unit to show videos to a group
- Telephone reference and referral during library hours
- Home delivery of materials to homebound patrons
- Program Assistance-Library staff will assist you in arranging programs for upcoming meetings
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Equipment |
| Audio-Visual Equipment |
Some equipment is available for rental. Check with the library to see about renting. The Library has the following Audio Visual Equipment available:
- Electric typewriter
- Polaroid Sun cameras
- Overhead projector
- Slide projector
- Portable Screens
- Video projection unit
- VCR unit
- DVD player
- Audiocassette players
- Microfilm Reader-Printer
- Broadcast capabilities on the local cable network
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