Milwaukee County Federated Library System

Serving the public libraries of Milwaukee County with resources and collaborations that enhance our communities.

Jennifer Schmidt

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Fourth of July 2026 Library Hours

All public libraries in Milwaukee County are closed Saturday July 4, 2026 in celebration of Independence Day. Below are the hours and closings across the library system for Friday July 3, 2026.

LIBRARY HOURS
Brown Deer CLOSED
Cudahy CLOSED
Franklin CLOSED
Greendale 9:00-6:00
Greenfield CLOSED
Hales Corners 10:00-6:00
Milwaukee CLOSED
North Shore CLOSED
Oak Creek CLOSED
St. Francis 9:30-6:00
Shorewood 9:30-6:30
South Milwaukee CLOSED
Wauwatosa CLOSED
West Allis CLOSED
Whitefish Bay CLOSED

For specific information per location, please consult the given library’s web page.

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Winning ideas for Sierra 6.4 from MEEP vote!

Here are the winning ideas from the Sierra MEEP voting process for Sierra 6.4!

These ideas can now be found on the Product Board for Sierra 6.4 1 which will be released in Q2 2025. Currently MCFLS gets 1 vote in this process – member libraries can also become IUG members and receive their own vote as well! See this page for more info on how to register.

Learn more about the MEEP enhancements agreement.

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Two limiters from the mobile app’s search results aren’t working (7/31/24)

CountyCat Mobile app screens showing limits by format and author MCFLS submitted a ticket to Innovative on 7/11/24 for the following issue with the CountyCat Mobile app (version 2024.17.160). After performing a search in the mobile app, two limiters found at the top of the search results are currently not working:

    • By Format
    • Search On

For example, if you search for Kristin Hannah in the app and then try to limit by format (large print) or search on the author field, you’ll see the results do not change or update.  The Search in filter for CountyCat titles versus Libby (Overdrive) content works, however.  Innovative let MCFLS know they have a meeting with the app developer 7/31/24 to learn more.  Our office will let staff know when this has been resolved.  Thanks!

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What’s New with Sierra 6.2 Webinar (7/23/24)

All staff are encouraged to view the “What’s New with Sierra 6.2” webinar.  The webinar comes from Innovative (Clarivate) with other content available at its Webinars & Events page. Currently, MCFLS’s production Sierra system runs 6.1. By September 2024, the training Sierra system will be updated with Sierra 6.2 and will also be refreshed with updated record information. Learn more about the Sierra training or test server on the MCFLS Libguides staff page.

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Two limiters in the search results of the App aren’t working (7/11/24)

CountyCat Mobile app filters screen Today MCFLS submitted a ticket to Innovative for the following issue with the CountyCat Mobile app (version 2024.17.160). After performing a search in the mobile app, two limiters found at the top of the search results are currently not working:
    • By Format
    • Search On
For example, if you search for Kristin Hannah in the app and then try to limit by format (large print) or search on the author field, you’ll see the results do not change or update.  The Search in filter for CountyCat titles versus Libby (Overdrive) content works, however.  Our office will let staff know when this has been resolved.  Thanks!

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Our libraries are closed July 4th

Decorative image for the Fourth of July

All public libraries in Milwaukee County will be closed Thursday July 4, 2024 in observance of Independence Day. There will be no delivery between locations on that day. The Franklin Public Library closes at 5pm on Wednesday July 3rd, 2024. The Whitefish Bay Public Library closes at 6:30pm on Wednesday July 3rd, 2024.   For specific information per location, please consult the given library’s web page.

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The CountyCat upgrade is complete! Services are restored

Upgrade is now done The scheduled upgrade for CountyCat is now over. The new catalog is live and all e-resources with a connection to our library system (e.g., Hoopla, Freegal, Pressreader, etc.) are again available for use! You can log in to your account as usual to manage holds, pay fines, and browse for new things to borrow. You’ll also see some new features like:
  • All formats of a title are grouped together (physical book, audio book, etc), so you will know at a glance what the library has to offer.
  • Access to your Libby reading history.
  • Manage family library accounts and pay fines all in one place.
  • Easily browse for bestsellers, new materials, and world language materials
  • An easy to browse World Languages section.
  • Effortlessly navigate our Library of Things, full of non-book items you can borrow.
The MCFLS office thanks you for your patience as we navigate this change. Please use the FAQs and the Help Guides by area to learn more about CountyCat!

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Planned outage as our libraries move to a new CountyCat

updating the shared online catalogThis Thursday June 20, 2024, all public libraries in Milwaukee County are moving to a new CountyCat. To accommodate this change, there will be an outage that begins after the last library closes on the evening of Wednesday June 19th and continues into the morning of Thursday June 20th.  CountyCat, CountyCat Mobile and all resources with a connection to our system software (e.g., Hoopla, Kanopy, Libby) will be temporarily unavailable. If you have downloaded titles from Libby or another eContent provider in advance, then you’ll be able to use them that morning.  You just won’t be able to checkout, stream or download new titles during the outage. Just a reminder that you do not need to create a new library account or PIN for CountyCat.  In addition, the mobile app is not changing, only the CountyCat desktop catalog is.  Please see the FAQs on this page for details. We anticipate CountyCat and all resources to be back up and running by Noon Thursday June 20th.  A note will be posted here once we have the all-clear!

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Circ Services update (5/16/24)

  • Innovative will remove the “Mark Items Damaged” feature (ie the “Mark Damaged Items” button) next Friday, 6/7
  • Feel free to review this spreadsheet with SCHOOL/EMP data broken out by residence – MCFLS will bring this topic to a future LDAC meeting as discussed
  • Circ policy C-17 has been added for the item renewal override
  • Some additional info re: automatic card renewal failures – per Patron Point “Auto-renew is a very specific name-to-address match.  So, if the address in Patron Point does not match the address at the Identity checker, then they will not auto-renew.  This could be because they rent rather than own, or it could be because the patron’s last name is not the same as the one that is listed as the homeowner. ” We were also told that a patron’s online footprint contributes to a success/failure in auto-renewal; those with a smaller online presence may be more likely to be rejected.