What is SWITCH?

SWITCH, which stands for Southeastern Wisconsin Information Technology Exchange, Inc., is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization incorporated by participating Milwaukee-area private colleges in 1989. SWITCH currently has 7 first-class members and 1 second-class member: 

• Alverno College
• Cardinal Stritch University
• Concordia University Wisconsin
• Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
• Mount Mary University
• Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology
• St. Francis de Sales Seminary (2nd Class)
• Wisconsin Lutheran College

These private colleges serve a diverse student body from traditional age, on-campus students to adult non-traditional students spanning a number of states and countries.

SWITCH facilitates cooperation among its member institutions and investigates, implements, and supports a suite of shared library technologies.

SWITCH implemented its first library automation system in 1991 (Innovative Interfaces being the company).  In June 2015, SWITCH migrated to an open-source platform, Koha, with software support by ByWater Solutions. In January 2019, SWITCH migrated to Ex Libris Alma/Primo.

In addition to overseeing an integrated library system, SWITCH manages an inter-institutional delivery system that runs Monday-Friday.  SWITCH also configures and maintains remote access for all of its members’ electronic, licensed resources.  The organization hosts OCLC’s EZ Proxy web servers on behalf of its Class I members to ensure patron remote authentication.