Peter White Public Library (PWPL)

Mission Statement

To make informational, educational, cultural and recreational materials and programs readily available and accessible to all Library users. The staff will provide prompt, accurate information and guidance to our patrons in a welcoming, business-like atmosphere.

Historical Information

Peter White Public Library (PWPL) is located on the corner of Front and Ridge Streets near downtown Marquette, Michigan. Founded in 1871, the Peter White Public Library has served Marquette area residents for more than a century.

The Peter White Public Library (PWPL) was founded by Peter White and located within the City Hall. At that time, he donated "the sum of $4,000 to found a public library in the city, to be under the government of five trustees and $1,000 to be expanded in the purchase of cases and in completing a room in the new city hall." Mr. White always provided space for the Library. It was later housed in the First National Bank Building on the south corner of Front and Spring Streets and later still in the Thurber Block on Washington Street where BookWorld now stands. The school district library and Peter White's private library were combined on March 27, 1891, by a special act of the Michigan Legislature, to become the Peter White Public Library. By October 1895, the Library was outgrowing this space, and White began the effort to construct a new library building.

Today, the Peter White Library is the largest public library in the fifteen counties of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Service contracts with Chocolay, Ewing, Marquette, Powell, Sands, Skandia, Turin, Wells and West Branch Townships have added to the area that is served by PWPL. Its service population, including the City of Marquette and the nine surrounding contracted townships, has grown to over 36,000 people. The number of library card holders has increased from approximately 6,500 in 1958 to more than 22,700 today.

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