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SWITCH Library Consortium

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 1988. SWITCH currently has 6 first-class members and 1 second-class member: 

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 Group's Alma/Primo VE.

In addition to overseeing an integrated library system, SWITCH manages an inter-institutional delivery system that runs Monday-Friday and provides a hub for state-wide delivery.  SWITCH hosts OCLC’s EZ Proxy web servers on behalf of its Class I members to enable remote access to licensed electronic resources. SWITCH also provides a low-cost institutional repository solution through a hosted version of Omeka.

SWITCH Staff

Katie Utschig: Coordinator of Services

SWITCH
c/o Alverno College
3400 South 43rd Street
Room FO 237A
Milwaukee, WI 53234