Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants has been providing planning and evaluation services to libraries for more than 20 years.  Since 1987, the firm has completed more than 350 projects for libraries, regional library systems and cooperatives, state and federal library agencies and library related organizations in 42 states and the District of Columbia.

Himmel & Wilson has operated under the same ownership since its founding.  Both of the firm's partners, Dr. Ethel E. Himmel and Mr. William J. Wilson hold graduate degrees in librarianship and worked for many years as practitioners before working as consultants.  Ethel served as the Deputy Director of the La Crosse (WI) Public Library and Bill served as Wisconsin's State Librarian before embarking on their full-time consulting careers.

Ethel and Bill have authored several volumes including Planning for Results:  A Library Transformation Process, which was published by the American Library Association (ALA) in 1998.  The partners also compiled The Functions and Roles of State Library Agencies published by ALA in 2000 and conducted a study for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) that was the basis for A Catalyst for Change: LSTA Grants to States Program Activities and the Transformation of Library Services to the Public, which was released by IMLS in June 2009.

Himmel & Wilson's offices are located in an historic craftsman structure in Milton, Wisconsin, approximately 35 miles south of Madison and approximately 35 miles north of Rockford, Illinois.  Milton was named after John Milton because a settler arriving in the area in the late 1830s characterized the area as a "Garden of Eden" and referred to it as "Paradise Regained."  Milton has a fascinating history and the "Milton House," which stands to this day, was a stop on the "underground railroad."

Dr. Ethel E. Himmel                                                                            Bill Wilson