The Mount St. Helens volcanic eruption

Posted on by

Located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Skamania County, Washington, Mount St. Helens is a stratovolcano and part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area known for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

On Sunday, May 18, 1980 at 8:32 a.m. Pacific Time, Mount St. Helens erupted. An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale preceded the eruption. The eruption lasted nine hours, causing landslides and mudslides, along with the devastation of the forests, lands, vegetation, wildlife, residences and roads in the area. In addition, volcanic ash dust traveled across 11 states and even some areas of Canada several days after the eruption. A total of 57 people lost their lives. After the Mount St. Helens Eruption, the United States Army Corps Engineers began recovery and construction efforts.

In August 1982, the United States Congress passed the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Act. The act was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan, officially establishing the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument where the public could visit the area and for scientists to conduct research.

In May 2025, the United States Geological Survey Library commemorated the 45th anniversary of the volcano’s eruption with a special exhibit at the United States Geological Survey National Center in Reston, Virginia.

The Indiana State Library has several titles in its federal documents collection relating to the Mount St. Helens Eruption:

"The Eruption of Mount Saint Helens" federal document cover.

“The Eruption of Mount Saint Helens: May 18, 1980.” ISLM C 55.2:ER 9

"Volcanic Eruptions of 1980 at Mount St. Helens" book cover.

“Volcanic Eruptions of 1980 at Mount St. Helens: The First 100 Days.” ISLM I 19.16:1249

"Observations of Eruptions" document cover.

“Observation of the Eruptions of July 22 and August 7, 1980, at Mount St. Helens, Washington.” ISLM I 19.16:1335

"Mount Saint Helen Hearings" pamphlet cover.

“Disaster Assistance Pacific Northwest – Mount Saint Helens Eruption, Fiscal Year 1980: Senate Hearings Before the Committee on Agriculture, 96th Congress, First Session.” ISLM Y 4.AP 6/2:D 63/7 1980 and “Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Area Act of 1982: Hearings … Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, 97th Congress, Second Session … Washington, D.C., March 12, 1982; Kelso, Wash., April 7, 1982.” ISLM Y 4.EN 2:97-93

Here are transcripts of additional hearings on the eruption of Mount St. Helens:

“Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Area: Joint Hearings … Committee on Agriculture … Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives … 97th Congress, Second Session … March 11, 1982, Washington D.C.; April 3, 1982, Vancouver, Wash.” ISLM Y 4.AG 8/1:97-III

“Recovery of Forest Resources from the Greater Yellowstone Wildfires, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, and the Mount St. Helens Eruption: Hearing … Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives, 100th Congress, First Session, April 10, 1991.” ISLM Y 4.AG 8/1:102-8

“Mount St. Helens Impact: Hearing Before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate, 96th Congress, Second Session … June 13, 1980.” ISLM Y 4.C 73/7:96-108

“Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Completion Act: Hearing … Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, 100th Congress, First Session … October 29, 1997.” ISLM Y 4.EN 2:9S. HRG. 105-377

Other historical societies and government agencies have online resources about the eruption:

Footage of the Mount St. Helens Eruption via the Smithsonian Channel

Mount St. Helens Erupts and USACE Responds
United States Army Corps of Engineers

Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
United States Forest Service

The Volcanoes of Lewis and Clark: Mount St. Helens, Washington Summary United States Geological Survey

“What Was Lost: Reminiscences of the 1980 Eruption of Mount St. Helens”
by Sarah Stroman, Oregon Historical Society

“World of Change: Devastation and Recovery at Mt. St. Helens”
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

This blog post was written by Michele Fenton, monographs and federal documents catalog librarian.

Summer Lecture Series returns to State Library with programs on DNA, medical history and probate records

Posted on by

The popular Summer Lecture Series will return to the Indiana State Library this year with programs on DNA, medical history and probate records. The presentations will take place on the second Saturday of June, July and August.

Decorative.On Saturday, June 13, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., the Indiana State Library will present “Unlock Your Family’s DNA Story,” a DNA workshop. Professional genealogist Angela Guntz will help attendees understand their DNA results, break through DNA mysteries and connect the dots in their family history. Sessions include “Understanding the DNA Testing Landscape,” “Solving Mystery Matches You Can’t Easily Place” and “Breaking Through Brick Walls: A DNA Case Study.” Click here to read more and to register.

On Saturday, July 11, from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., author Chris Flook will present “A Famine of Cadavers: Inside Indy’s 1902 Graverobbing Syndicate.” Flook will examine a prolific graverobbing ring operating across central Indiana in the fall of 1902 when “ghouls” robbed graves for cadavers needed by the city’s medical colleges. Flook is a public historian from Muncie who has published books of public history, including “Ghost of Old Muncie” and “Lost Towns of Delaware County.” In 2016, he co-authored and edited “Beech Grove Cemetery Comes to Life.” Click here to read more and to register.

On Saturday, Aug. 8,  from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., John Barr, owner of Old Northwest Genealogy, will present “Combining Land and Probate Records to Get the Full Story.” Barr, an active member of the National Genealogical Society and the Association of Professional Genealogists, will explore a case study of the Hoffman family using probate records that led to land records citing unindexed probate records. He will also discuss types of probate indexes and records and types of deed indexes and deeds. Click here to read more and to register.

All sessions are eligible for LEUs for Indiana library staff. Registration is required for each program. An option to attend virtually is available for each program.

This post was written by John Wekluk, communications director at the Indiana State Library.

2026 Indiana Great Read youth and adult selections announced for National Book Festival

Posted on by

The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress is a community of 56 Affiliated Centers existing to promote reading, libraries and literacy across the country. There is an Affiliate Center for the Book in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and Northern Marianas. These Centers elevate and advocate for each state’s unique literary heritage – developed by writers whose works reflect distinctively American places. Their stories, novels, essays, poems and other written works, rooted in the nation’s extraordinary diversity of people and geography, are often featured in the programs supported by the Affiliated Centers for the Book. These Centers engage, inspire and inform diverse audiences through author talks, web-based programs, podcasts, videos, writing challenges for young people, book festivals and other events designed to advance appreciation of the written word.

Decorative National Book Festival logo. The Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book is housed at the Indiana Young Readers Center at the Indiana State Library. The Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book (ICB) has several exciting programs that Hoosiers can get involved with to promote literacy. We jury the Firefly Early Literacy Book Award; we have interactive displays and kiosks to teach about the Library of Congress and literacy; we host the Indiana Statehood Day writing contest and the Letters About Literature writing contest; we manage a program to offer storytime, STEAM, book, Lego and escape experience kits for teachers and librarians across the state; we host events and author visits; we created the Indiana Literary Places Map; and we support a collect of materials for young people written and illustrated by Indiana Authors and Illustrators.

Each year, the Affiliated Centers for the Book participate in the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. Each Center for the Book Affiliate will staff a booth in the Festival’s Roadmap to Reading area to promote reading, libraries and literacy in their state. Annually, these Affiliated Centers for the Book select Great Reads from Great Places. Each affiliate chooses two titles. In most cases, these books – one for youth and one for adults – are written by authors from their state or territory, take place in their state or territory and/or celebrate local culture and heritage. In addition, this year, in honor of America’s 250th Semiquincentennial, affiliate centers were encouraged to choose a title that connects to that theme in some way. The Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book works with Indiana Humanities to select titles.

The Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book is delighted to announce its Great Read titles for 2026! The Center has chosen “Imogene’s Last Stand” written by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter for the 2026 Great Read Youth Selection. This book fits perfectly with the America’s 250th Semiquincentennial. It highlights how young people, like Imogene, can make a difference in their communities as we read about Imogene fighting to preserve history and save the local historical society from demolition.

Imogene's Last Stand book cover. “The Last Adieu: Lafayette’s Triumphant Return, the Echoes of Revolution, and the Gratitude of the Republic” by Ryan L. Cole is the 2026 Great Read Adult Selection. This book also fits perfectly with the America’s 250th Semiquincentennial. When the Marquis de Lafayette returned to the U.S. in 1824, the aging hero of the American Revolution was defeated politically and distraught over the fate of liberty in Europe. He set sail one last time from France for America after an absence of 40 years. He was welcomed with the grandest celebration the young republic would ever stage as he traveled to every state in the Union and met with parades and delirious crowds.

The Last Adieu book cover.

The Great Read books are recognized each year at the National Book Festival. The Library of Congress will host the 2026 National Book Festival on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Washington Convention Center. Check out the Library of Congress website for details.

The Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book invites Hoosiers to read “Imogene’s Last Stand” and “The Last Adieu,” available at your local library.

For more information, visit the Indiana Center for the Book website and check back for local “festivals near you” events this fall, right here in Indiana!

This blog post was submitted by Indiana Young Readers Center librarian Tammie Buchanan.

Indiana Voices at the Indiana State Library

Posted on by

Did you know that the Indiana Talking Book and Braille Library produces audiobooks via Indiana Voices at the Indiana State Library?

Audiobook aficionados know that a storyteller’s voice can create tangible experiences. Narrating is not just the task of reading out loud, but the art of inviting others into the story. For patrons of the Indiana Voices program of the Indiana State Library’s Talking Book and Braille Library, volunteer narrators do just that.

Together with Indiana State Library staff, volunteers bring Hoosier words and voices to people who cannot use standard printed materials due to a visual, physical or reading disabilities, and live in the state of Indiana or across the country. Cozy mysteries, local history, true crime, authors from Indiana and more are recorded in the program, but what goes into the process of recording an audiobook?

Picture of recording studio. Narrators begin work on their titles outside of the studio, reading ahead for thorny sentences and unfamiliar pronunciations. Once they are confident in their preparation, they arrive at the downtown Indianapolis studio to narrate for an hour. A monitor outside the booth follows along in the text to catch mistakes and alert the narrator.

It may take months to finish a title, but when the back cover is eventually closed, the audiobook is sent to a volunteer reviewer for a final examination. Reviews are tasked with finding any error that the monitor may have missed. Corrections are recorded, mistakes are edited out and the finished book is made available to Talking Books and Braille Library patrons.

Reading out loud may sound easy, but each title represents up to four times as many behind-the-scenes hours as the total runtime of the audiobook. It takes dedication to bring an author’s words to life!

In 2026, Indiana Voices has already completed six books:

  • “Bird Girl: Gene Stratton-Porter Shares Her Love of Nature and the World”  By Jill Esbaum. Juvenile nonfiction, biography, nature – DBC17873
  • “The Lucky One” by Lori Rader–Day. Fiction, suspense, thriller –  DBC17842
  • “I’ll Storm Hell: A Biographical Novel of ‘Mad Anthony’ Wayne” by Noel B. Gerson.  Historical fiction, Revolutionary War, war stories – DBC17823
  • “Oliver P. Morton and the Politics of the Civil War and Reconstruction” by A. James Fuller. Biography, Civil War history, war nonfiction, U.S. history – DBC17822
  • “The Improbable Wendell Willkie: the Businessman who Saved the Republican Party and his Country and Conceived a New World Order” by David L Lewis. Biography, U.S. history, presidential candidates – DBC17820
  • “Tales from the Indianapolis 500: A Collection of the Greatest Indy 500 Stories Ever Told” by Jack Arute and Jenna Fryer, forward by A.J. Foyt. Biography, sports biography, automobile racing – DBC17874

Picture of log sheet.

Volunteers are needed to do all of these task. Opportunities are open to join the work of providing Indiana-related titles to audiobook readers. Indiana is made up of many individual voices, representing different Hoosier communities, identities and experiences, all of which contribute to authentic interpretations of Indiana books. Volunteers from all the different communities and cultures in the state of Indiana are invited to apply. Volunteers are expected to work at least one hour every other week.

For those interested in learning more about volunteering with Indiana Voices as a narrator, monitor or as a reviewer, please visit the Indiana Voices website or contact Judy Gray, Indiana Talking Books and Braille Library supervisor, via phone at 317-232-0609 or via email.

Patrons interested in receiving audiobook materials from Indiana Voices should contact the Indiana State Library’s Talking Book and Braille Library at 317-232-3684.

This blog post was written by Judy Gray, Indiana Talking Books and Braille Library supervisor.

‘The Lost Photographs of Osbert Sumner’ now at the Indiana State Library

Posted on by

Steven J. Schmidt and Danita L. Davis have generously donated two copies of their latest book, “The Lost Photographs of Osbert Sumner 1898-1903, Irvington Historical Society Edition,” to the Indiana State Library’s Indiana collection. The book chronicles an extraordinary discovery made in an Irvington home: a box filled with old glass negatives. Many of the negatives were damaged, but a handful remained intact, just enough to begin unraveling the mystery of who took the photographs, and what stories they captured.

Book cover in black and white showing man sitting down. In addition to presenting the recovered photographs, the book explores the life of Osbert Sumner, the man behind the lens. Readers will learn about the camera he used, and some of his family history.

You can now explore the results of this fascinating exploration in the Indiana State Library’s collection.

This blog post was submitted by Michelle Sharp, collections and outreach manager at the Indiana State Library.

Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book celebrates National Library Week with Library of Congress card catalog kiosk at Indiana Young Readers Center at the State Library

Posted on by

The Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book has received one of 56 card catalogs brought out of retirement by the Library of Congress and distributed through its Center for the Book affiliate network. All 50 states and six territories have received a catalog. The card catalog has been transformed into a Library of Congress information kiosk to help remind library patrons – especially during National Library Week – that the Library of Congress is a library for all.

Photo of card catalog.

The kiosk in the Indiana Young Readers Center is one of 56 distributed throughout the U.S. and its territories.

Every card catalog kiosk features signage indicating the card catalog was once in active use at the Library of Congress and explaining its history and original purpose. The front of each drawer includes the name of a Library of Congress service or program. Inside each of the 15 drawers is a card containing a brief description of the featured initiative, along with a QR code leading to the page on the library’s website that contains more information.

The 15 Library of Congress services and programs highlighted are:

“We’ve had many people stop by and look through the drawers and share that there are many things that they didn’t realize the Library of Congress did or offered,” said Tammie Buchanan, Indiana Young Readers Center librarian and director of the Indiana Center for the Book. “The kids have enjoyed using a parent’s phone to scan the QR codes and then they discuss what they find. It’s great way to celebrate National Library Week!”

About card catalogs
Card catalogs were a familiar sight to library users beginning in the middle of the 19th century and lasting for decades. Every drawer contained hundreds of individual cards that featured information about each item in a library’s collection. Arranged by title, author and subject, the cards helped people find materials and helped libraries to keep track of their collections. In the 1970s, the digitization of library catalogs began, and soon the physical card catalogs cases were retired. The Library of Congress catalog – once held in card catalog cases – is now available online.

About National Library Week
National Library Week was established in 1958 by the American Library Association to encourage, support and promote library use while acknowledging the essential contributions of libraries and staff in strengthening communities. National Library Week runs April 19-25. This year’s theme is “Find Your Joy.”

About the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the U.S. – and extensive materials from around the world – both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Researchers can explore collections and reference services, plan a visit, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information and register creative works of authorship.

About the Library of Congress Center for the Book
The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress is a community of 56 Affiliated Centers, promoting reading, libraries and literacy through the Library of Congress and its Affiliated Centers across the country. These Centers also elevate and advocate for their state’s unique literary heritage – developed by writers whose works reflect distinctively American places. Their stories, novels, essays, poems and other written works, rooted in the nation’s extraordinary diversity of people and geography, are often featured in the programs supported by the Affiliated Centers for the Book.

There is an Affiliate Center for the Book in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and Northern Marianas.

These Centers engage, inspire, and inform diverse audiences through author talks, web-based programs, podcasts, videos, writing challenges for young people, book festivals and other events designed to advance appreciation of the written word. They also play a role in the annual Library of Congress National Book Festival by naming a book to the Great Reads from Great Places program, and they send representatives to the festival to promote their state’s literary heritage to thousands of festivalgoers. In addition, they help to promote the activities and initiatives of the Library of Congress, the Center for Learning, Literacy and Engagement, as well as those of the other Affiliated Centers for the Book.

“We are very grateful for the Library’s Affiliate Centers for the Book,” said Lee Ann Potter, director of Professional Learning and Outreach Initiatives at the Library of Congress. “Not only does this community of 56 organizations regularly help the Library of Congress promote reading, libraries and literacy across the country, but all of them played an important role in finding fabulous homes for the card catalog kiosks in their states or territories. The responses we are getting from the Affiliate Center directors have been inspiring.”

About the Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book
The Center for the Book promotes interest in reading, writing, literacy, libraries and Indiana’s literary heritage by sponsoring events and serving as an information resource at the state and local level. The Center supports both the professional endeavors and the popular pursuits of Indiana residents toward reading and writing.

Indiana’s card catalog kiosk
The Indiana card catalog information kiosk can be found at the Indiana State Library in the Young Readers Center. The State Library is at 315 W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis. The library is open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and on some select Saturdays. Email or call 317-232-3700 for more information about the kiosk. Click on the links for more information about the Indiana State Library, the Indiana Young Readers Center and the Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book.

This blog post weas submitted by the Library of Congress and edited by the Indiana State Library.

The great San Francisco earthquake of 1906

Posted on by

April 18, 2026, will be the 120th anniversary of the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. The earthquake began on the morning of April 18, 1906, at 5:12 a.m. Pacific Time. It is estimated that the magnitude of the earthquake was between 7.9 and 8.25. Over three days, the city and surrounding areas experienced several fires and aftershocks. San Francisco, the epicenter of the earthquake, sustained the most damaged. An estimated 3,000 people lost their lives in the earthquake.

The U.S. Army sent around 4,000 troops to assist local authorities with evacuation, debris removal and to stop riots and looting. The Army also helped build temporary shelters for people whose homes had been destroyed in the earthquake. Funds for disaster relief and reconstruction were approved by the U.S. Congress. It took over nine years for San Francisco to be rebuilt.

A centennial celebration was held in 2006. Among the attendees were several survivors of the earthquake, the oldest survivor being 113.

The Indiana State Library has several resources in its collection about the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906:

Inside of book reading "The San Francisco Earthquake."

“The San Francisco Earthquake” by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan Witts. ISLM F869.S3 T44.

Inside of book showing map of San Francisco.

“The Great Earthquake and Fire: San Francisco, 1906” by John Castillo Kennedy. ISLM F869.S3 K4.

Inside of book reading "The San Francisco Relief Survey."

“San Francisco Relief Survey: The Organization and Methods of Relief Use After the Earthquake and Fire of April 18, 1906” by The Russell Sage Foundation. ISLM 361 O15s.

Book cover reading "Facing the Great Disaster."

“Facing the Great Disaster: How the Men and Women of the U.S. Geological Survey Responded to the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake,” by Elizabeth M. Colvard and James Rogers ISLM I 19.174:3 Online access only.

Book cover reading "The Art of War: A Legacy of Ashes: The US Army and the Destruction of San Francisco."

“A Legacy of Ashes: The U.S. Army and the Destruction of San Francisco” by Erik C. Alfsen. ISLM D 110.18:SA 5. Online access only.

In addition to the titles listed above, the Indiana State Library has transcripts of hearings held by the United States Congress regarding the earthquake. Here are a few:

“Relief for San Francisco: Message from the President of the United States.” Report from Secretary of War William Howard Taft submitted by President Theodore Roosevelt to the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. ISLM p.d. 328 I9t, vol. 49, no. 714.

“Government Buildings Damaged in San Francisco, etc. Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury.” Secretary of the Treasury Leslie Mortier Shaw’s report to the U.S. House of Representatives. ISLM p.d. 328 I9t, vol. 50, no. 778.

“Government Buildings Damaged in San Francisco, etc. Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury.” Secretary of the Treasury Leslie Mortier Shaw’s report to the U.S. Senate. ISLM p.d. 328 I9s, vol. 7, no. 433.

Other scientific and government agencies also have resources about the earthquake:

California Academy of Science.
Library of Congress – Chronicling America.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
National Archives.
National Parks Service.
United States Geological Survey.
University of California-Berkley Seismology Laboratory.

This blog post was written by Michele Fenton, monographs and federal documents catalog librarian.

Public library audits in Indiana

Posted on by

Like other public entities (such as townships and schools), Indiana public libraries are subject to regular financial audits, typically every three to five years. During the audit examination process, the Indiana State Board of Accounts (SBOA) applies a prescribed process where an auditor works in conjunction with the library’s director, treasurer and bookkeeper (if applicable) to review the library’s financial records and practices.

In the past, auditors would physically visit the public library and sift through paper and electronic physical records, which could take weeks. In recent years, the State Board of Accounts has been able to harness available reporting technology to complete part of the audit remotely using information the library has already reported via the Indiana Gateway for Government Units. If reports have been submitted correctly and regularly, this can greatly reduce the time needed for an audit.

Decorative clipart graphic showing people performing an audit. As legislation and SBOA procedures are updated, financial best practices and audit requirements can also change over the years. Recent changes within the past decade involve a requirement that libraries must have internal controls in place. Internal controls are a set of rules and procedures involved in money handling. Some controls are specified by SBOA and others are set locally, based on the library’s staffing and cash handling model. All staff who handle money, from desk staff who collect fines and copier coins, to the library’s director who handles the library’s banking and budget, are required to complete training and follow their library’s procedures to prevent any instances of fraud or misappropriation.

Another recent change is that Indiana libraries are required to track all capital assets – items the library owns that meet a certain cost threshold. These may include land and structures possessed by the library, equipment or vehicles (like bookmobiles). Even the books in a library’s collection, as a total, are considered a capital asset, and when completing the annual financial report, a library is responsible for estimating the value of their collection as a whole and any depreciation or additions that may have occurred within the previous year. The purpose of reporting on capital assets is to make sure these most costly things are examined and reported annually.

At the completion of an audit, libraries receive a written report either confirming there were no exceptions found (a “clean” audit), or a report listing any exceptions (issues) that need to be addressed. Libraries have a chance to provide a written response explaining any issues or any corrective actions already taken. Subsequent audits will monitor for any previous exceptions. Copies of audits are also sent to the Indiana State Library’s Library Development Office for review. Most audits contain no issues or only a few minor exceptions, but this audit process has occasionally uncovered cases of fraud and mismanagement of public funds which were followed up on accordingly.

A library is responsible for the cost of their own audit. Libraries are assessed an hourly rate and the amount billed by SBOA is deducted from a future tax draw (as approximately 90% of Indiana public library funding comes directly from taxes). Good recordkeeping and reporting can help reduce the time spent and amount assessed for the audit, but some libraries are structurally more complex than others depending on number of locations, staff, complexity of their funds accounting, financials, etc. Additionally, some libraries have disputed that their audit process was inordinately lengthy or complex despite their best efforts.

All library audits are a public record and most recent audits may be viewed on the State Board of Accounts website.

This blog post was written by Jen Clifton, Library Development Office and Professional Development Office director.

Are Indiana public libraries “youth program centers?” What recent law changes mean for libraries

Posted on by

Indiana libraries are increasingly asking whether they qualify as “youth program centers” under state law, and what that means for library operations. Even though libraries aren’t named directly in the statute, several parts of Indiana law suggest they likely fall into this category.

Decorative.Indiana Code defines a youth program center as any place that regularly provides programs or services for people under 18. Public libraries routinely offer story times, teen events, summer reading programs and other youth activities. Because of this, they likely meet the definition. This matters because certain laws apply to these locations. Offenders convicted of crimes against children generally cannot live within 1,000 feet of a public library. Sexually violent predators and offenders against children cannot work or volunteer in a public library. An Indiana Court of Appeals case, Sewell v. State (2012), supports this interpretation. The court held that a church was a youth program center simply because it held weekly youth activities.

What Senate Bill 119 changes
Senate Bill 119, recently passed by the Indiana General Assembly, adds two new rules related to where certain sex offenders may be present. The bill makes it a felony for certain offenders to work or volunteer at facilities or events directed primarily at children. For libraries, this change has little practical impact because existing laws already restrict who may work or volunteer in a library. A more notable change is that serious sex offenders cannot knowingly enter a facility where children’s programming is happening. This means entering a library during a children’s event could be a felony if the person knows the event is in progress. The law does not create new obligations for libraries. The responsibility remains with the individual offender.

Optional steps libraries may consider
While not required, libraries may choose to post a temporary sign on the door that says something to the effect of: “Children’s programming in progress” during events. Library staff may also contact law enforcement if staff become aware that a sex offender is present during children’s programming. Enforcement decisions remain with law enforcement, not library staff.

Could these rules be challenged?
A federal case from the 10th Circuit, Doe v. City of Albuquerque, ruled that a total ban on sex offenders in libraries violates the First Amendment because it is too broad. However, Indiana’s law is narrower. It limits access only during children’s events, meaning other access remains available. Because of this, it is more likely to withstand constitutional scrutiny.

Bottom line
Indiana law likely treats public libraries as youth program centers based on existing definitions and court decisions. Senate Bill 119 adds new limits for serious sex offenders during children’s programming but does not add new duties for libraries. Libraries can continue their mission of serving the whole community while staying informed about how state law affects their operations.

This blog post was written by Sylvia Watson, library law consultant and legal counsel, Indiana State Library.

Digitized genealogical resources at the Indiana State Library

Posted on by

To help with your family history research, the Indiana State Library has digitized many items from our collections to make them more widely available. Our digital collections contain a variety of records and documents that can provide more details about your family and the world in which they lived.

Family Bible records
Historically, it was very common for families to record genealogical information in the family Bible. Some Bibles were even published with dedicated pages for birth, marriage and death details. These records often pre-date civil vital records, providing researchers with information that is not available anywhere else.

Family Bibles are often a treasured family heirloom. However, we have acquired copies of Bible records over the years and have digitized many of these records so that they are available to researchers everywhere.

Scan of family bible record.

These Bible records from the Genealogy Division document family history from the 1840s to the 1920s.

Scan of family bible record.

These Bible records from the Genealogy Division document family history from the 1840s to the 1920s

Maps
Maps are incredibly useful to genealogists. They present information in a different format than the written word, providing a different perspective on the people and places being researched. They can help researchers visualize what a place looked like in the past.

Looking at historic maps shows how a place looked at a specific point in time. This can illustrate how geography affected people’s lives, including where natural features such as rivers and lakes were located, or where a person lived in proximity to stores, places of worship and friends and relatives.

Maps can also illustrate boundary changes and land ownership, which can help you find where people lived and where places were located that may no longer exist today.

Scan of plat map.

This segment of a plat map shows landowners in Washington Township, Elkhart County, in 1892.

Photographs
Family photographs cover a wide variety of subjects, from formal posed portraits to casual vacation snapshots. These images show not only what people looked like, but also how they dressed, where they lived and the sights they would have seen during their life.

Because of this, family photographs are wonderful research tools, whether they depict your family or people from a similar time period or geographic area. Especially once personal cameras became widespread, photographs show so much of ordinary life that was often not captured in other media.

Black and white photo of woman with child.

Family photographs like these show reunions, babies, family businesses and many other aspects of peoples’ everyday lives.

Black and white photo of people in front of a business.

Family photographs like these show reunions, babies, family businesses and many other aspects of peoples’ everyday lives.

Black and white photo of large family.

Family photographs like these show reunions, babies, family businesses and many other aspects of peoples’ everyday lives.

Documents
Personal documents like letters and cards also show how people lived at a given point in time. Since letters were often used to connect family members living far apart from each other, they contain many details about the family and updates on local news and events. Letters may also give perspective to major historical events. In addition to letters, greeting cards are a fun way to experience the art and culture of the past just like the people who lived then did.

Scan of list of architects.

Documents like professional memberships, birth records and letters show various aspects of life in the past.

Scan of handwritten information.

Documents like professional memberships, birth records and letters show various aspects of life in the past.

Scan of handwritten journal page.

Documents like professional memberships, birth records and letters show various aspects of life in the past.

Official documents, such as government publications and vital records, provide information on individuals and in the aggregate that help document peoples’ lives and the world in which they lived. These documents may include birth and death information, details on historical events both big and small and local information that is not readily available elsewhere.

This blog post is by Jamie Dunn, Genealogy Division supervisor.