The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation recognizes that without the support and generosity of its sponsors and partners, many Library programs would not be possible. Contact the Library Foundation to learn more about sponsorship opportunities at a variety of levels.
Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award
Each year in the fall, this award recognizes the literary contributions of three authors with strong ties to Indiana. The award is presented to one nationally known author, one author who is well known regionally, and one emerging author. Each winner receives a cash prize, as well as a grant to support their hometown Indiana public library.
Ready to Read
Ready to Read is a multi-year Library initiative designed to help children under the age of five develop the early literacy skills needed for a successful start in reading.
2012 Summer Reading Program
The 2012 Summer Reading Program will run from June 4 – July 28. This popular program, which drew more than 52,500 participants in 2011, motivates children and their caregivers to read during the summer. It is offered at all 22 branch locations, Central Library and more than 100 youth-serving agencies through the bookmobile service. Using a system of points and incentives, participants are motivated to increase the number of books and time they spend reading during the summer and are continually rewarded for books they finish.
The theme for the 2012 Summer Reading Program is “Gear Up for Good,” using the idea that reading helps youth get their brains in gear! Children will also explore gears and simple machines as part of the Library’s continued focus on science. A series of hands-on, science-based workshops will be offered at multiple branch libraries throughout the summer to create additional opportunities for learning and discovery. As an added philanthropy component, the Library is partnering with BackPack Attack, a non-profit organization that provides school supplies for children in need. Summer Reading Program participants can choose to donate their points for items like pencils, rulers or calculators to ensure all Marion County children have the “gear” they need to start school.
The 93rd annual Summer Reading Program is made possible by generous gifts to the Library Foundation from The R.B. Annis Educational Foundation and the following donors:
Job Center Mobile Lab
Every day, hundreds of job-seekers visit the Library to research employment opportunities, submit online job applications, prepare cover letters and résumés and file for unemployment benefits. Often, these patrons have limited job search and computer skills, relying heavily on the Library’s staff for support. To improve services for job-seekers, five Job Center Mobile units, each consisting of five laptops and accessories dedicated to workforce-related programming, are deployed to the following branch libraries: College Avenue, Eagle, East Thirty-Eighth Street, Southport and Warren. Computer assistants staff each lab 15 hours per week, providing support and technical assistance to patrons; a WorkOne representative is present six of those hours. A WorkOne representative is also stationed at Central Library to help job seekers six hours per week.
Science Odyssey
Science Odyssey is a unique initiative that strives to ignite young people’s passion for science subjects and careers, while strengthening their information and digital literacy skills and love of reading.
Hometown Roots Concerts
In 2012, the public will be invited to a series of four free concerts highlighting local musicians held on Sunday afternoons at Central Library. Music will vary from jazz to bluegrass to country and more. The program is intended to increase the visibility of the Library and especially encourage those who don’t visit or use the Library to do so.
iLibrary Online Databases
iLibrary is the starting point for information from reference databases made available for public use by paid subscriptions from The Indianapolis Public Library and other library funding agents. Links from this site lead to sources purchased by the library community in electronic form which are comparable to the print subscriptions held within our libraries.
Young Hoosier Book Award
Each year, thousands of students throughout the state of Indiana cast their votes for the winners of the Young Hoosier Book Award. This program of the Indiana Library Federation invites Kindergarten through 8th grade students to participate by reading books from lists compiled by teachers, librarians and media specialists and then vote for their favorites. Since many schools have limited budgets that prevent them from providing the books, the Library purchases multiple copies of each book to meet the needs of the 6,800 students in Indianapolis who participate in the program.
Live Homework Help
Tutor.com offers those needing assistance with core academic subjects, standardized test preparation, and job searching a way to connect with a live tutor via the Library’s website. Tutors and patrons can chat using a technology similar to Instant Messenger, work together on an interactive white board using drawing and math tools, co-browse the Web and share files such as essays or résumés.
Learning Curve Media Workshop
Teens are offered the opportunity to develop their technology skills in an informal and interactive environment that breaks the mold of a typical classroom with Media Lab Workshops. The lab is an inviting space where teens can work individually during open lab sessions or make a scheduled group visit with their school or similar educational organization. Plans are underway to redesign the Learning Curve Media Workshop by creating nine dedicated workstations where teens can create a myriad of products and tackle a number of multimedia projects, such as shooting and editing their own photography with the use of Adobe Photoshop, generating 3-D animation graphics, developing interactive Flash content for the Web, or filming and editing video and audio content. Teens are encouraged to use their multimedia projects in school assignments, portfolios, or applications for jobs requiring multimedia skills.
Nina Mason Pulliam Indianapolis Special Collections Room Digitization Project
The Library is partnering with the Indiana Historical Society to conserve photographs from the opening of Central Library in 1917. The Library is also working with Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis to digitize the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce newsletters from the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s. The newsletters contain information about important community events and feature articles by prominent citizens. Programs and traveling exhibits about the collections will also be created.
Marian McFadden Memorial Lecture
This yearly lecture was established after the Library Foundation received a gift from the estate of Marian McFadden, Director of Public Libraries from 1945-1956. The lecture typically occurs in the spring and has been offered free to the public since 1978. It has featured such literary greats as: Saul Bellow, Maurice Sendak, David McCullough, Gary Paulsen, Bob Woodward and Nicholas Sparks. The 2012 Lecture will take place on Thursday, April 5 at North Central High School, and the speaker is children’s author Mo Willems. Willems, a former writer and animator for “Sesame Street,” has won three Caldecott Honors. He is the author and illustrator of “Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale,” “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” and the Elephant and Piggie series, among many others.
This year, the Library Foundation is proud to receive additional support from Friends of the Library through gifts to The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation and from the estates of Jack A. and Edith L. Hunter, whose gifts were made in memory of Edith’s sisters, Elizabeth I. Evans and Gladys Evans Grandy, teachers whose working lives were devoted to the Indianapolis Public Elementary Schools.
Sunday Arts Programs
Sunday Arts Programs are the perfect way for arts lovers to end their weekends. Patrons can visit Central Library’s Allen Whitehill Clowes Auditorium free of charge on Sunday afternoons for music, dance, lectures and films. There are 36 Sunday Arts Programs offered throughout the year.
Green Library in the Park
The Garfield Park Branch Library reopened in November 2011 after a significant interior renovation. The branch added public computers and made building improvements aimed at achieving higher energy efficiency. The second phase of the capital improvement project will elevate the branch’s green impact. Phase II exterior improvements planned for Spring 2012 include an expansive rain garden and porous pavement walkways connecting the branch to nearby Garfield Park. The rain garden and rain barrels placed nearby will relieve the sewers of water overflow from the rooftop and the parking lot. The rain garden and walkway will also serve an educational function by enhancing and/or facilitating many of the green-themed educational programs the Garfield Park Branch plans to present.
East Thirty-Eighth Street Wetland Project
The East Thirty-Eighth Street Branch has a natural wetland on its property. With major support from United Water and other generous donors, the Library enhanced this special area with a boardwalk, landscaping, and interpretive signage. These amenities will enhance the wetland’s capacity for programming designed to promote environmental awareness and lifelong learning.
Central Library Patent Workstations
The Library offers five dedicated patent research workstations, thanks to a generous gift from the patent law firm of Woodard, Emhardt, Moriarty, McNett & Henry LLP. These computers allow the Library to offer patent-related programming and better facilities for those wishing to do research.
Central Library Legal Materials Collection
The legal collection at Central Library has been expanded so patrons can have access to the legal resources they need free of charge.
Friends of the Library
Friends of the Library receive special benefits and discounts on goods and services from local businesses. Contact the Library Foundation to learn more about partnering with Friends of the Library.
Thank you to our 2012 partners:
