Holmen, Wisconsin: A New Library @ the Heart of Its Community

Current Holmen Branch

of the La Crosse County Library

Holmen master facilities plan hinges on new library.. (Onalaska/Holmen Courier-Life, 10/13/2011)

Excerpt: The growing village of Holmen now has a master plan to guide the use of its town buildings for the next decade and beyond. And an important step in implementing the plan is the proposed new library in the heart of Holmen.  [Emphasis added.]

This comprehensive study of Holmen’s public buildings began two years ago, when the Holmen Village Board hired MSA Professional Services of Baraboo, Wis., to study Holmen’s administrative needs from the inside out. MSA recently completed the study, which the village board accepted at its September meeting.

Board membes wanted a comprehensive study to help the village make the best use of its current buildings and to use as a basis for choosing sound long-term solutions to meet the needs of its expanding population. The plan looked at how village buildings are being used now, whether they are suitable to house growing departments, and how the present buildings can best be used down the road.

The proposed answer was to reshuffle where departments are housed, renovating and expanding where needed. But a new library will actually start a domino effect of being able to reshuffle village buildings and departments that are housed in them.