SWAN - System Wide Automated Network

SWAN (System Wide Automated Network), serving Illinois libraries since 1974, has a membership of 100 libraries throughout the Chicagoland area. SWAN’s strength is founded on providing a common platform of services and promoting collaboration among libraries. The ethos of sharing among libraries acts as an equalization against the existing inequities inherent in the hyper segregated suburban Chicago metropolitan region. Our organization goal is to provide exemplar service and learning opportunities to all members of our shared communities.

We connect a 1.9 million service population with their community library. To this end, SWAN built a shared online public catalog with nearly 8 million items available to library users. This is a unique collection of materials, e-content, and library events.