The Mitchell Street Branch, a publicly funded and managed library and an affiliate of Milwaukee Public Library (MPL), serves almost six hundred thousand residents in Milwaukee, a city in the state of Wisconsin on Lake Michigan's western shore. The Mitchell Street branch contributes to the total inventory of MPL, which maintains more than 1.8 million volumes and circulates more than 2.8 million items per year. Formally founded in 1878, MPL can be traced back as early as 1847, organized by the Young Men’s Association, starting with dues collected from members for the subscription rental of space. Today, the Mitchell Street Branch is just one of the 14 affiliate libraries under the Milwaukee Public Library (MPL), or one of 29 affiliate libraries under the Milwaukee County Federated Library System. Additionally, library administration is under the directorship of Joan Johnson.