A Woman with A Vision

Books can take you around the world and back without having to leave your room. Books can be an escape for people and also a way to imagine a new life, whatever they may entail. Books give people a voice, books educate, and books are meant for everyone, which is why Joan Johnson has been on a mission to transform the Milwaukee Public Library system since 2006.

Johnson became the first Black woman and fourth woman, period, to be named library director in 2020, but her love for books started many years before that. She is a Milwaukee native who attended West Division High School, now Milwaukee School of the Arts. It was in high school when Johnson received her first taste of working for a library, starting as a library monitor.   

She loved the library; it was a safe haven for her that would eventually become a part of her legacy.

After high school, Johnson attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison for a degree in interior design and art. She then went to Buffalo, New York, to work on set designs. She also spent some time in Chicago, where she worked on the film The Untouchables before moving to Seattle.

She then spent 15 years working in the Seattle Public Library System, first as a branch manager and later as a department director. This is when Johnson put her real genius to work. She was instrumental in helping transform the Seattle Public Library System into a sustainable entity by redeveloping the libraries for mixed-use purposes. The mixed-use model covers half the library costs by partnering with developers who add housing above the branches. Johnson’s interior design background played a major role in this process.

“I helped people feel comfortable with this type of mixed-use model for developing libraries,” she said.

Johnson returned to Milwaukee in 2006, and she immediately shared her vision on what the future of the Milwaukee Public Library could be. It was an immediate yes after her boss went to visit Seattle to see for herself. By 2010, Johnson, Milwaukee Public Library, and community partners developed a vision plan prioritizing libraries most in need, especially those with infrastructure challenges.

Johnson herself created the building program that would be the blueprint for seven redeveloped Milwaukee Public Libraries, and included in that program are non-negotiable functional requirements for each library.

“We want all libraries to be places that support the needs of the community and can be responsive to changing needs and changing technology over time,” said Johnson.

Six Redeveloped Libraries, so Far

Johnson’s vision is in full effect. They have officially completed six of the seven libraries in the plan.

The Villard Square Branch was originally the Villard Avenue Library and was the first part of the library’s facilities plan. It reopened in 2011 as a mixed-use facility featuring a library on the ground floor with senior housing.

The East Branch replaced the old East Library in 2014. The remodeled Tippecanoe Branch opened in 2015, looking completely different then its original 1969 building. The Good Hope Branch opened in 2020, replacing the Mill Road Branch.

The Martin Luther King (MLK) Branch is the most recently redeveloped library, and took the longest to come to fruition. According to Johnson, they went through two developers before landing on the third, who was able to secure enough funding to make the project happen. The grand opening was held on September 6, 2025.

The new MLK Branch features flexible community rooms with collapsible walls, lots of natural light, and after-hours access secured by gates. It also includes a teen space equipped with a 3D printer, design software, green screens, and more.

Johnson’s vision for better libraries goes well beyond them looking nice.

“You can actually use the library to realize your full potential and empower yourself, and educate yourself,” said Johnson. “We’re responsible for our own empowerment.”

Next Stop: Capitol Library

After all of these years of planning, the Milwaukee Public Library team has one last library to redevelop: the Capitol Branch.

The Capital Branch is actually the first library they tried to revamp, but after two failed RFPs, they moved on. They are still looking for funding to start and complete the project.

Once complete, Johnson’s legacy will further be cemented in Milwaukee’s history.

“They’ve all been very successful projects; some award-winning, so we know the building program works,” said Johnson.