Appleton Public Library

Appleton Public Library Learn, know, gather, grow - your center of community life! Alt text for images provided by Arizona State University Image Description Generator.

Attention teachers! We would love to host a free, fun, and informative field trip for your class! Visit the link below t...
08/31/2026

Attention teachers! We would love to host a free, fun, and informative field trip for your class! Visit the link below to book a visit today.

https://loom.ly/T_ZQYB4

The storm may have delayed us, but it didn't stop us! Teens entering grades 6-12 are invited to this rescheduled BINGO e...
08/28/2026

The storm may have delayed us, but it didn't stop us! Teens entering grades 6-12 are invited to this rescheduled BINGO event. Don't miss your chance to win amazing prizes! Join us Thursday, September 3 at 4:30 pm and start the school year on a high note. No registration is required. Visit our online calendar for more information.

https://loom.ly/4IRqQZE

Did you know we offer a lot of great free resources, including streaming services? With your library card, you have free...
08/28/2026

Did you know we offer a lot of great free resources, including streaming services? With your library card, you have free access to Kanopy, a streaming service that offers over 30,000 movies, documentaries, and foreign films. You can watch them on your computer, mobile device, or TV with the Kanopy app. Visit the Kanopy website today to take a look!

https://loom.ly/gKgdp0s

Do you need help finding age-appropriate books for your children? Don’t have time to browse our collection? Let our Chil...
08/26/2026

Do you need help finding age-appropriate books for your children? Don’t have time to browse our collection? Let our Children's Services team help! It’s simple. Fill out a short form and tell us what you need, your readers' age, and what to avoid. We'll select and check out the items for you. Then, we'll let you know when your books are ready for pick up.

“I rely on my personal knowledge, professional reviews, book lists, and databases to make sure that the materials I select will be appropriate," said Teresa, our Early Literacy Librarian. 📚

If you or someone you know would benefit from this service, please share! We love to make it easy to get books and grow the readers in our community. Visit the link below to request a book pack today.

https://loom.ly/vKAF1CM

Join the Appleton Public Library 2026 BioBlitz this September! Help us spot and log unique plants, animals, and fungi ar...
08/24/2026

Join the Appleton Public Library 2026 BioBlitz this September! Help us spot and log unique plants, animals, and fungi around Appleton.

How to join: Download the free iNaturalist app from your app store. In the iNaturalist app, search “Appleton Public Library 2026 BioBlitz,” open the project, and tap “Join.” Your eligible observations will be added automatically!

This international program was recently featured on CBS Sunday Morning. Learn more about it by watching their segment: https://loom.ly/cqMg-ak

Participate in an interactive bilingual live performance featuring singing and dancing with Rich Rubieta Thursday, Septe...
08/22/2026

Participate in an interactive bilingual live performance featuring singing and dancing with Rich Rubieta Thursday, September 3 at 5 pm! All families are invited.

On Monday, August 24 at 6 pm join award-winning vocalist and flutist Erin Krebs, Brazilian violinist Marisa Lemos, and g...
08/21/2026

On Monday, August 24 at 6 pm join award-winning vocalist and flutist Erin Krebs, Brazilian violinist Marisa Lemos, and guitarist Dan Smocke for an engaging and informative musical program celebrating the life, music, and cultural impact of Carmen Miranda, the iconic Brazilian performer who left a lasting legacy on music, film, and fashion.

The updated library catalog is live! You can now search the collection, place holds, renew items, and manage your accoun...
08/20/2026

The updated library catalog is live! You can now search the collection, place holds, renew items, and manage your account at: https://appleton-infosoup.na5.iiivega.com. The catalog is also accessible by visiting our website homepage at apl.org. A few notes:

🖥️ The old catalog will no longer work. If you have it saved or bookmarked, please update your bookmarks to use the new catalog. When you login, you'll need your library card number and your PIN. By default, your PIN is your six-digit date of birth in MMDDYY format (just the last two digits of the year).

📱The APL app is now connected to the new catalog. You'll need to log back into your account using your library card number and your PIN. If you haven't downloaded our free app yet, now is a great time to do so! You can search the catalog, store your library card, view upcoming events, book a meeting space, and more. Visit your app store and search "Appleton Public Library" to download the app.

📚You may have to log back in to some digital services (for example, Libby). By default, your PIN is your six-digit date of birth in MMDDYY format (just the last two digits of the year). If you’re having issues accessing your accounts, please call us at 920-832-6173.

📝There are a couple of ways to learn about the new catalog. Click the "Take a tour!" button under the search bar in the new catalog. Outagamie Waupaca Library System has also created a great video tutorial: youtube.com/watch?v=t4GYy6q-dWQ&feature=youtu.be

*The video tutorial mentions a new InfoSoup app. If you use the Appleton Public Library app, you don't need to download a new app.

Questions? Stop by or give us a call us at 920-832-6173.

As you drive around the city, do you ever wonder what the story behind the street name is? While some street names are o...
08/19/2026

As you drive around the city, do you ever wonder what the story behind the street name is? While some street names are obvious (named after a type of tree or after a U.S. President) others are more uniquely Appleton.

Today we explore the naming of Union Street. Unlike many of the streets featured in this series, which were named for specific individuals or families, Union Street reflects an important chapter in the development of Appleton itself.

What is now the City of Appleton began as three separate unincorporated villages along the Fox River: Grand Chute, Appleton, and Lawesburg (sometimes spelled Lawesburgh).

The westernmost settlement, Grand Chute, was established in 1849. Originally known as the Village of Martin, it was founded by investors and early pioneers Morgan L. Martin, Theodore Conkey, and Abraham B. Bowen, who purchased land just east of present-day Pierce Park. After the plat was officially recorded, the community’s name was changed to Grand Chute.

The central settlement was Appleton, named in honor of Sarah Appleton Lawrence, wife of Amos Adams Lawrence. Amos Lawrence was the principal financial supporter of Lawrence Institute, which later became Lawrence University.

To the east was Lawesburg, platted by George W. Lawe, a prominent Wisconsin pioneer and territorial judge who owned extensive land in the area. Many streets in what was once Lawesburg still reflect the names of members of the Lawe family. John Street honors George’s father, John Lawe; Rankin Street commemorates his mother, Sophia Theresa Rankin Lawe; Catherine Street was named for his wife, Catherine Meade Lawe; and Lawe Street preserves the family surname, just to name a few!

As the three villages began to grow over the years, there was a push to combine them into one community. Thus, in early 1853, the village of Appleton was officially incorporated. The original village boundaries became the new ward boundaries. Former Lawesburg became Appleton’s First Ward, the original Appleton plat became the Second Ward, and the former Village of Grand Chute became the Third Ward. The Town of Grand Chute continued to exist outside the new village limits and remained largely farmland during this period.

Eventually, South Division Street was renamed Union Street to commemorate the union of the three original villages into a single community. While South Division received a new name, North Division Street retained its original designation—a reminder of the boundaries that once separated Appleton’s founding settlements.

Keep an eye out for future stories behind the street names coming up!

Attention Libby users! With our system update, many users are being asked to login back in to Libby. By default, your PI...
08/18/2026

Attention Libby users! With our system update, many users are being asked to login back in to Libby. By default, your PIN is your six-digit date of birth in MMDDYY format (just the last two digits of the year). If you're still having issues accessing your account, please call us at 920-832-6173.

Address

200 N. Appleton Street
Appleton, WI
54911

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 8pm
Tuesday 9am - 8pm
Wednesday 9am - 8pm
Thursday 9am - 8pm
Friday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm

Telephone

+19208326173

Website

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