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Monarch Library System outlines delivery fleet, shared catalog and rapid digital growth to West Bend board
Summary
Monarch Library System executive director Reedy Grover told the West Bend Community Memorial Library Board that Monarch now supports 32 locations, reported nearly 3.8 million total circulations in 2025, and said digital content use has more than doubled since 2017.
Reedy Grover, executive director of the Monarch Library System, told the West Bend Community Memorial Library Board on May 19 that Monarch serves a network of 32 locations across four counties and supports shared services for about 436,000 patrons.
Grover said Monarch’s total circulation for 2025 was "close to 3,800,000," with roughly 3,072,000 physical checkouts among its member libraries. He also said digital content searches grew from about 300,000 in 2017 to about 700,000 in 2025 — "a 135% increase," he said — and that digital audiobooks have outpaced other digital formats as listeners use content on the go.
The presentation framed Monarch as a centralized service hub: the system operates a single integrated library system (ILS) with about 2.3 million cataloged items, maintains a fleet of three delivery vehicles that travel roughly 1,600 miles each week, and provides statewide and systemwide subscriptions that member libraries access through cost-sharing agreements. Grover said these bulk purchases and shared services save member libraries hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.
Grover described specific services Monarch offers to member libraries, including trustee training and director certification support, assistance with open-records and open-meeting compliance, IT and cybersecurity services (including multi-factor authentication and Office 365 hosting), RFID implementation support and a bookmobile with a 30,000–35,000-item collection that makes about 775 stops annually.
On funding and fiscal roles, Grover said Monarch acts as fiscal agent for cross-county reimbursements established at the time of a merger and recently sent checks totaling about $2,600,000 to member libraries. He also highlighted trustee-education resources and a free annual trustee training week scheduled for August.
Board members asked follow-up questions about catalog size and delivery logistics. Grover said the Monarch catalog contains roughly 2.3 million items and that automated reminder services are handled via an integrated messaging service (MessageMe). He offered to share infographics and slides with the board.
Grover’s presentation concluded with an offer to support digitization of local historical collections and other member-centered services. He provided contact details and asked members to reach out with further questions.
