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Indiana Library Passport
The Indiana Library Passport, a creative digital experience that encourages everyone to visit libraries across the Hoosier state, is open to Indiana residents and outside visitors alike. The passport has more than 170 libraries and branches to explore.
Read more about the passport here. Libraries interested in joining the Indiana Library Passport – free of cost – should contact the communications director at the Indiana State Library.
Annual Celebrating Avon Festival set for Sept. 26
The annual Celebrating Avon Festival at the Avon-Washington Township Public Library will take place on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
The free, family-friendly event kicks off with a ceremonial ringing of the bell, followed by a special ribbon-cutting ceremony for the library’s new meeting rooms and gathering space, Huron Hall.
"The Avon-Washington Township Public Library is so excited to open the doors to this new building, which is made possible by the generous donation of Joyce Marie Huron Trent. Her kindness and support of the library will continue to inspire and uplift the community for many years to come," the library said in a statement.
After the ceremony, attendees are free to explore the library. Huron Hall will house artisans demonstrating their crafts - including woodworking, rosemaling, glass blowing, quilting and yarn spinning - along the Pioneer Path.
During the event, participants can visit local historian, Susie Truax, to learn about the Avon-Washington Township Public Library digital archives.
Outside of Huron Hall, attendees can enjoy Civil War reenactors, archery demonstrations, a chalk walk, a giant inflatable slide, crafts and a petting zoo. They can also play chess, checkers and putt-putt. Food will be available for purchase inside the children’s programming rooms. Music at the event will be provided by 98.9 WYRZ.
A candy drop is scheduled for 1 p.m. and the Avon Police Department will give a K-9 demonstration at 2 p.m.
The annual event is centered around community and celebrates the rich history of Avon.
Click here to read more about the event. No ticket or registration is required. The Avon-Washington Township Public Library is located at 498 N. Avon Ave. in Avon.
Teen Librarian Roundtable to convene on Sept. 24
The next Central Indiana Teen Librarian Roundtable is scheduled to take place on Thursday, Sept. 24, from 9:30-11:30 a.m., at the Greenwood Public Library.
The Central Indiana Teen Librarian Roundtable is an informal networking group for public library staff who work with teens. The roundtable offers an opportunity for attendees to connect and brainstorm with fellow teen librarians. During the September roundtable, the group will debrief 2026 summer reading, swap programming and outreach ideas, discuss school partnerships and share what is working in their libraries. Participants are encouraged to bring questions, express challenges and share ideas.
The group has met occasionally in the past, but Jessica Smith, teen librarian at the Greenwood Public Library, would like the group to meet more often.
“We've gotten together periodically over the years, but I'm hoping to make the group a little more active and to meet more regularly,” Smith said.
Those interested in attending can send an RSVP to Jessica Smith. An optional lunch will follow the roundtable.
The Greenwood Public Library is located at 310 S. Meridian St. in Greenwood.
Featured Indiana State Library kit: 'Fish'
The Indiana State Library’s Indiana Young Readers Center provides five types of kits for use by public library youth librarians and teachers across the state: Book Club kits, LEGO kits, DUPLO kits, Storytime kits and Indiana Escape Experience kits. Every other week, the Wednesday Word will feature one of these kits.
This week's featured kit is the “Fish" Storytime kit, which includes seven books connected to fish. The kit comes with a plush pelican puppet and a plush puffer fish to go with the book “Puffer’s Surprise.” Children can build with the 60 plastic connecting fish that are included in kit. The book “In the Small, Small Pond” comes with a felt board pond set that features felt fish and other pond wildlife. A music CD of fish songs is also included. Every kit includes a teacher’s or librarian’s guide full of ideas for use with groups of children.
“Another great book to share with children about fish is 'Don’t Trust Fish,' written by Neil Sharpson and illustrated by Dan Santat. The book was recently chosen as a Young Hoosier Book Award nominee and placed on the Indiana Library Federation's Read Aloud list,” said Tammie Buchanan, Indiana Young Readers Center librarian at the Indiana State Library.
Welcome to Digital Collection Highlights. Every other week, librarians at the Indiana State Library share images from the library's ever-growing digital collections. Visit the Digital Collections
page to view the latest additions.
Hillsboro Times: a rare find in digital collections
With a population of about 500 people on .31 square miles, Hillsboro is one of the smallest towns in Indiana. Despite its size, Hillsboro residents have absorbed their share of local journalism over the years, starting in 1891 with the limited run of the Hillsboro Clipper newspaper.
In 1899, the Hillsboro Times took center stage as only news source in town. The publisher kept its pages free of political leaning, relying on latent neighborhood gossip that would be considered quite personal today. Private stories were the lifeblood of early 20th century publications. In the 21st century, these anecdotes fill the coffers of historical knowledge for researchers and family tree enthusiasts.
A recent donation to the Indiana State Library included five issues of the Hillsboro Times printed between 1913 and 1916. The most impactful aspect of the acquisition is the rarity of the selection. The issues were not known to have been previously available digitally anywhere else. In early August, Catherine Hotchkiss, an intern at the Indiana State Library, processed the issues for the upload. The issues can be viewed in the Indiana State Library’s digital collections.
Allen County Public Library's Rolland Center explores Lincoln's legacy with new exhibit
The Allen County Public Library's Rolland Center for Lincoln Research is inviting the community to explore the lasting impact of Abraham Lincoln through a new temporary exhibit.
“Carrying Lincoln's Legacy” examines the life of Robert Todd Lincoln, the president's only son to live into adulthood. As the last living connection to Abraham Lincoln, Robert Todd Lincoln devoted much of his life to caring for his grieving mother, participating in memorial events and preserving his father's legacy.
"These programs continue the Rolland Center's mission of making Lincoln scholarship engaging and accessible for everyone," said Jessie Cortesi, senior Lincoln librarian at the Allen County Public Library. "Whether visitors explore Robert Todd Lincoln's remarkable life in our gallery or join us online to examine one of the Civil War era's pivotal moments, they'll gain a deeper understanding of the people and events that shaped our nation's history."
The exhibit will be available through the end of 2026 at the Rolland Center for Lincoln Research in the Allen County Public Library's downtown location at 900 Library Plaza in Fort Wayne.
