Ways for libraries to partner with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources

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The Indiana Department of Natural Resources would like to share four ways that Indiana libraries can partner with the agency.

Indiana State Parks partners with libraries for the Adventure Backpack Program. Libraries can purchase up to five laminated letter passes which will travel with each backpack and will be shown at a property entrance gate along with the backpack. Participating libraries supply the backpack and its contents. The letter pass and backpack is returned to the library. Each letter pass is $50 and is good for one calendar year beginning on Jan. 1.

A new One-Day Pass is a card that can be given as a prize for reading programs or used as giveaways in contests or at events. The card allows recipients to visit the state park of their choice any day of the year. Similar to the annual pass, the One-Day Pass allows the cardholder and all persons accompanying the cardholder in a single private, family-type non-commercial vehicle to any property administered by the Indiana DNR for one day only, where entrances are designated and fees are charged. It is not valid for entrance to state historic sites or Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center. The cost is $7 per pass with a minimum purchase of 10 passes. The card may be used at any time, including holidays and weekends, and expires Dec. 31, 2025

The One-Day Pass is an effective and useful option to promote and reward! It can be used for:

  • Summer and winter reading programs.
  • Adult learning programs and book discussions.
  • Attending health and wellness or nature programs.
  • Computer classes and reading challenges.
  • Patron engagement in annual events.
  • Guest speakers.
  • Employee recognition.

Bradt Natural Area, Versailles State Park.

As nonprofit organizations, libraries may request a donation in the form of a buy one, get one free Annual Entrance Pass. Both the purchased and donated passes must be entered in an event to raise funds, or as prizes for reading programs. The cost is $50 with each pass good for one calendar year beginning on Jan. 1. Those interested in the Adventure Backpack Program letter passes, the One-Day Pass or the Annual Entrance Pass should email Julie Plank, program director with the Indiana DNR, and include their contact information and the number of passes they would like to purchase. Purchasers will be contacted by phone for credit card information and emailed an itemized receipt immediately after credit card has been accepted and the order is completed. Passes are placed in the mail within 24 hours of purchase.

Library staff may also request copies of the 2025 Indiana Recreation Guide. The colorful recreation guide provides patrons with information about state parks, state forests, fish and wildlife areas, nature preserves and off-road state recreation areas. Each page displays activities available at each location, such as boating, fishing, camping, golf, swimming and more. The guide is free of charge. To receive a carton of 100 guides, send a request via email with a contact name and the name and address of the library. Include the number of requested cartons. No P.O. boxes. The 2026 Indiana Recreation Guide will be released in February of next year.

Please note that libraries are not permitted to purchase state park passes for circulation. Indiana State Parks shall not replace lost or stolen passes and will not refund or exchange passes.

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

Understanding the role of librarians in legal information services

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Each day, patrons visit the library seeking guidance on a wide range of topics, including legal matters. Whether it’s locating a rental agreement form, understanding divorce proceedings or researching local ordinances, public libraries are often the first stop for individuals facing legal challenges.

Given that libraries have a longstanding reputation as a trusted source of information, it is only natural that members of the public turn to librarians for help in navigating the complex world of law. However, while librarians are well-equipped to assist with legal research and information access, there are strict ethical and legal boundaries that govern how far that assistance can go.

Close up of law books. It is helpful for patrons to understand what librarians can and cannot do in terms of legal reference assistance in the library in order to minimize frustration and maximize a positive outcome. While librarians are not attorneys and do not offer legal advice, they can provide a wide range of support within the scope of their professional role. Librarians can help patrons locate relevant laws, regulations, ordinances and court opinions. Whether its federal, state or local law, librarians can direct users to authoritative sources, both in print and online. Library staff can also demonstrate how to use legal research tools such as Westlaw and Lexus Nexus, as well as secondary sources like legal encyclopedias and self-help guides. Some of these resources require subscriptions so the resources available could be limited based on what databases or services the library pays for. Librarians can point patrons to trusted sources of free information including legal aid websites, government portals and non-commercial databases that provide reliable up to date content. This is particularly important in an era where misinformation is easily encountered online. Libraries sometimes even collaborate with legal aid organizations and community partners to host clinics, workshops and informational events. Librarians can inform patrons about upcoming programs, eligibility requirements and how to schedule appointments with qualified legal professionals.

While library staff play an important role in facilitating access to legal information, there are clear ethical and legal limits designed to protect both the patron and the librarian. These restrictions are in place to prevent the unauthorized practice of law. Librarians are not authorized to analyze how a particular law may apply to an individual specific situation. They can provide access to legal texts but they cannot offer interpretations or recommended courses of action. While librarians may assist patrons in locating the appropriate legal forms they patron may need, the librarian cannot help the patron complete the form or provide suggestions about what to include in any particular section. Doing so would constitute legal advice. If a patron asks if they should “plead guilty,” “file a motion” or “appeal a case,” these types of questions fall squarely within the realm of legal advocacy and must be directed to a licensed attorney.

Patrons need to understand that the limitations placed on librarians are not a reflection of unwillingness to help but are grounded in the professional and legal standards that protect all parties. Librarians are trained to provide neutral and objective assistance. By observing the boundary between legal information and legal advice, librarians ensure that patrons are not misled or inadvertently harmed by well-meaning but unauthorized guidance. Maintaining these boundaries also upholds the library’s reputation as a trustworthy and unbiased institution. When legal issues arise, patrons can rely on the library as a starting point for research and resource navigation and they can be confident that any further recommendations will be directed to qualified professionals. The law can be intimidating for individuals who are unfamiliar with legal systems, terminology and procedures. Libraries help lower the barrier to legal access by offering free resources, research support and community connections.

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

Vision Expo returning to the Indiana State Library

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On Saturday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., the Indiana Talking Book and Braille Library will present Vision Expo, an event that provides resources and information for individuals with vision loss, families of individuals with vision loss and service providers. This year, many returning, as well as several new vendors and organizations, will be available for attendees to meet.

Vision Expo 2025 logo.A new addition to this year’s event is the game room. The room will be set up so participants of Vision Expo will be able to play some of the new accessible games that the Talking Book and Braille Library now has in its collection. These games include braille-adapted versions of Monopoly, Scrabble and Uno, in addition to large print and braille playing cards. Soon after Vision Expo, these games will be available for library patrons.

Presentation in a meeting room. Vision Expo takes place every other year at the Indiana State Library. Founded in 2006 by former Talking Book librarian Carole Rose, Vision Expo was designed to connect interested consumers with the resources available to support and promote independent living for individuals experiencing vision loss. In 2023, the event had more than 150 participants.

The Indiana State Library is located at 315 W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis. Attendees may also enter via the Senate Avenue door on the east side of the building. There is no registration required for this free event.

Please visit the Indiana Talking Book and Braille Library website for updates about Vision Expo as they becomes available, including information about speakers, vendors and exhibitors.

This post was submitted by Indiana Talking Book and Braille Library staff. 

2025 Public Library Budget Workshop recap

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On Thursday, May 29, the Indiana State Library hosted the 2025 Public Library Budget Workshop. This workshop, primarily for an audience of public library directors, bookkeepers, treasurers and trustees, focuses on helping public libraries get ready for the budget planning season for the next fiscal year. We bring together the Department of Local Government Finance and the State Board of Accounts to help guide libraries through this process and any changes that may be coming. This year we were also joined by special guest Sandy Petrie, director of the Noble County Public Library.

The morning started with a presentation by Ryan Burke, assistant budget director of the Department of Local Government Finance. Burke highlighted DLGF’s webinar on new legislation that would be coming up, important dates coming up on the budget calendar, as well as resources on the DLGF website. He reminded libraries of their maximum budget for non-binding review and the process of binding review by fiscal body resolution. Finally, he gave a sneak peak of what they are calling Budget 2.0 – a streamlined and improved application for submitting budget forms in Gateway that is scheduled to launch in 2026 and is already intriguing many of the folks that attended that day.

The afternoon began with a presentation by Beth Goss and Mitch Wilson, government technical assistance and compliance directors at the State Board of Accounts. They touched on new legislation that impacts public libraries, including increased thresholds for local public works projects, changes in retainage requirements for public works projects over $200,000, additional instances where executive sessions may be held by the board and changes for the receipt of FIT and CVET distributions. SBOA reminded libraries that Gateway is not intended for document storage, so to make sure they had copies of their documents as they will be removing some of the older files on Gateway. There was a spirited discussion on accounts payable and receivable, electronic payments and the disbursal of funds.

Following SBOA’s presentation, Noble County Public Library director Sandy Petrie spoke about the importance of understanding cash flow and shared the method and spreadsheet she uses to keep track of expenses and revenue. The day was finished with announcements from Jennifer Clifton, Library Development Office director at the Indiana State Library.

This post was written by Hayley Trefun, public library consultant, Library Development Office, Indiana State Library.

Ex libris: On the topic of bookplates

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Bookplates, also called ex libris, are a peculiar sort of bookish ephemera. In Latin, “ex libris” literally means “from the books,” but the term came to denote a decorative label identifying a book’s owner, generally pasted inside the front cover. The concept of marking ownership of a written work is not a new one. The earliest known example of a book label belonged to Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye of Egypt around 1350 B.C.E. and was likely affixed to a box of papyri. However, such labels differed from ex libris because they were simply textual, lacking the artistic and personalized element of bookplates.

Three bookplates belonging to (left to right): J. Baglis, after 1899, depicting of an F.C. Barcelona footballer; artist Juliette May Fraser of Hawaii, featuring Hindu and Egyptian mythological elements, ca. 1910; Nils Sjöberg, showing a man before an apple tree with a sign reading “kunskapen träd” (tree of knowledge) in Swedish, ca. 1900. Indiana State Library.

Bookplates first emerged in Germany as early as the late 15th century, shortly following the invention of Johannes Gutenberg’s movable type printing press. Bookplates are typically printed themselves, rather than hand drawn. The earliest examples were created using woodcuts – reliefs carved into blocks of wood which were hand painted or inked and pressed to paper to create a reverse image. Later bookplates were commonly created using engraving or etching, where the design was cut into a metal plate rather than wood. As bookplates are primarily artistic, numerous artists and artisans – such as German painter Albrecht Dürer, American silversmith Paul Revere, and Dutch graphic artist M. C. Escher – tried their hand at the craft.

 

Until the 19th and 20th centuries, literacy was a mark of privilege and books – even after the invention of the printing press – were prohibitively expensive for the masses, even if they could read them. Preventing the theft of these prized and costly possessions was paramount. Therefore, personalized bookplates were primarily commissioned and used by affluent individuals with private collections, or by institutions with sprawling libraries like universities and monasteries. Institutional libraries continued to use bookplates in their collections well into the 20th century.

Three bookplates from (left to right): “The Australian Ex Libris Society” by Ernest Warner, 1923; “Knights of Columbus Library,” Denver Council No. 539, ca. 1900; “Library of the Old Northwest Genealogical Society” by Winifred B. Mackenzie, 1904. Indiana State Library.

Before barcodes and RFID tags, bookplates helped identify which volumes were the library’s property and could ensure their safe return in the case of loss or theft. Bookplates could also be used to record specific collectors and donors. Here at the Indiana State Library, catalogers pasted bookplates into new acquisitions until the late 20th century. Below you can see two examples of leftover generic bookplates and a third that was used to indicate volumes which were part of the Darlington Collection.

Three bookplates from (left to right): “Frank Graef Darlington” by Sidney Lawton Smith, 1909; “Indiana State Library” with an illustration inspired by the Indiana state seal; “Indiana State Library” by Franklin Booth, 1933. Indiana State Library.

Bookplates are unique and highly customized, tending to reflect the personalities, interests, vocations or even faces of their owners. They included the owner’s name, which makes bookplates crucial to establishing the provenance of books, and help us understand who read them and how they were used. Books, being a valuable commodity, often change hands as they are passed down, gifted or sold. It is commonplace, therefore, for bookplates to be layered atop each other with each new owner, establishing a line of origin. As works of art, the style, technique and subject matter can also assist in dating for provenance. By the late 19th century, the use of bookplates among individuals had grown more democratic, thanks to the rise of literacy and fall of book prices.

 

Bookplate collecting, thanks to the artistry and personality of the object, emerged as a popular hobby in Europe and North America by the late Victorian era. Flora Gardiner Kling, born in 1857, of Mount Vernon, Indiana, was one such collector. During her life, she experienced periods of inactivity when she was homebound after an interurban rail accident injured both her legs and ankles in 1908. A vivacious and social person, she normally hosted and attended social gatherings, played the piano in musicales and traveled around Indiana visiting her many friends. Collecting bookplates through correspondence kept Kling occupied and connected to the outside world during that period. She wrote to many people requesting their bookplates, including authors, poets, actors, politicians, scientists, musicians, artists, engravers and other collectors. Three fruits of her laborious inquiries are seen below.

 

Kling, like many collectors and bibliophiles, had her own bookplates, one of which was designed by well-known American engraver Timothy Cole. Most of the bookplates in this post originate in Kling’s collection in Rare Books and Manuscripts. More selections from her collection will be on display from June to September 2025 in the Manuscripts Reading Room at the Indiana State Library.

Two bookplates of Flora Gardiner Kling, the first of which was designed by Timothy Cole, 1915, and the second likely depicts Kling herself in her later years. Indiana State Library.

Sources:
Allen, Charles Dexter. “Ex Libris: Essays of a Collector.” Boston and New York: Lamson, Wolffe, and Company, 1896. Google Books.
Bowdoin, W. G. “The Rise of the Book-plate; Being an Exemplification of the Art.” New York: A. Wessels Company, 1901.
Castle, Egerton. “Book-plates.” In Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th ed., vol. 4. Cambridge, UK: University of Cambridge, 1911.
Cheesman, Tara. “The Lost Art of the Bookplate.” Foxtail Books and Library Services. Accessed May 6, 2025.
Jones, Louise Seymour. “The Human Side of Bookplates.” Los Angeles: Ward Ritchie Press, 1951.
Keenan, James P. “The American Society of Bookplate Collectors and Designers.” Fellowship of American Bibliophilic Societies, June 25, 2023.
Patel, Neha. “Ex Libris: A History of Bookplates.” Book Riot, January 21, 2021.
Slater, J. Herbert. “Book Plates and Their Value.” London: Henry Grant, 1898. Internet Archive.
Trustees of the British Museum. “Book-label; Plaque.” British Museum. Accessed May 5, 2025.

This blog post was written by Rare Books and Manuscripts librarian Brittany Kropf. For more information, contact the Rare Books and Manuscripts Division at 317-232-3671 or via “Ask-A-Librarian.”

Helen Eaton Jacoby collection

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A recently processed collection at the Indiana State Library from Helen Eaton Jacoby contains not only research and correspondence, but numerous interesting and well-composed photographs documenting both the Eaton, Jacoby and other related families and their descendants in the United States. Most photographs are of individuals or family groups, but there are several photographs that document the places where their families lived and worked. A selection of these photos were digitized and are available on the Indiana State Library’s digital collections page.

Helen Eaton Jacoby was born May 28, 1888, in Indianapolis, to Elias and Julia Eaton Jacoby. Her parents were both from Ohio and met each other at Ohio Wesleyan University.

Elias Jay Jacoby graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1884 and came to Indianapolis to be the assistant of Charles W. Fairbanks. Elias was an attorney for several railroad companies. He also was the attorney and director of the Railroadmen’s Building and Saving Association and, by 1931, he was elected the president and named to the board of directors. Elias J. Jacoby was the potentate of the Murat Shriners from 1907 to 1912. He helped oversee the construction of the Shrine in 1909.

The Indianapolis News, Dec. 23, 1922.

Julia Lillian Eaton graduated Ohio Wesleyan in 1884 and taught painting and music. Her voice and paintings were complimented several times in the Indianapolis papers.

Helen E. Jacoby graduated from Charles E. Emmerich Manuel Training High School in June 1905. While in high school she also took art classes at the Herron Art Institute. One of her instructors at Manual was Otto Stark who also taught a summer course at Herron.

Helen attended the University of Chicago, graduating in winter of 1909 with a degree in Art. She later took classes at the Pratt institute. She enjoyed art and design and entered her works in several local and regional exhibitions. Helen also designed the murals in the Egyptian Room, a 1922 addition to the Murat Shrine in Indianapolis. Her father Elias J. Jacoby was the potentate of the Murat Shriners from 1907 to 1912. He helped oversee the construction of the Shrine in 1909.

A birthday gift to Fidelia Anderson is one example of her work. Inside the book is a letter of appreciation with drawings of flowers she was familiar with. She also inserts fanciful illustrations of insects and fairies into the book.

Helen Eaton Jacoby card with letter to Fidelia Anderson. Indiana State Library digital collections.

Helen was a member of many clubs and organizations, including the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Fortnightly Club, both organizations to which her mother also belonged.

The Eaton and Jacoby families were both interested in their families’ genealogy and history. Elias and Helen would correspond with relatives – and possible relatives – to see what information they could provide on their shared ancestors and other family members. They would also travel to visit relatives and the places their ancestors once resided.

In a series of photos from 1922 and 1925, the family documents the parcels of land in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania that their ancestor John Jacoby once owned. The well composed images show both the land and the older buildings possibly built by John. They also took pictures of the current farm on the property along with the wife of the current owner.

Old homestead of John Jacoby. Indiana State Library digital collections.

On one of their visits to Pennsylvania, they photographed part of the town of Summit Station and the nearby area of Summer Hill. One of the images taken in Summer Hill is of a Union church that burned down a year after the photograph was taken.

Summer Hill. Indiana State Library digital collections.

Summit Station. Indiana State Library digital collection.

They traveled back often to Ohio to visit family, and while there they documented the homes of family members and the places they worshiped and were buried. The images of the home of James Eaton in Delaware County, Ohio, along with the burial of the Eaton and Caulkins families, are significant because both the houses and original burial sites were lost to the creation of a reservoir in the 1970s.

James Eaton home. Indiana State Library digital collections.

Caulkins family tombstones. Indiana State Library digital collections.

Eaton family tombstones. Indiana State Library digital collections.

Eaton family tombstones. Indiana State Library digital collections.

The home of Michael Jacoby, located in Marion County, Ohio, may have survived, as there is still a similar shaped home on the same site as the original, but the landscape of the surrounding area has changed due to the subdivision of property as the farmland was sold off and outbuildings were removed.

Michael Jacoby farm and Riverside cemetery. Indiana State Library digital collection.

In June of 1940, Helen Jacoby married Harold W. Evard. When he died later that year, she adopted her stepchildren and raised them. Helen J. Evard died in 1967 at the age of 79 in Indianapolis.

If you would like to see more from the collection, please visit the Indiana State Library’s  digital collection site, or visit the Genealogy Division in the Indiana State Library, located at 315 W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis.

Blog written by Sarah Pfundstein, genealogy librarian, Indiana State Library. For more information, contact the Indiana State Library at 317-232-3689 or “Ask-A-Librarian.”

Indiana newspapers: Where to get statistics and titles

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Before you embark on newspaper research, take a moment to assess which publication titles will be helpful to you. Start by discovering which newspaper titles were available in the place and time of your topic. As you go back into the past, you will often run into the following scenarios:

  • In the same town, two or three newspaper publishers will print the exact same title, each of them printed by different people in different periods. Common titles like News, Times and Tribune are examples.
  • Titles often merge over time, resulting in new titles with completely different names, but with an updated coverage area.
  • Titles were often published for less than a decade before disappearing. Although some newspapers have survived for centuries, this is rare.
  • At any given moment during the lifespan of a title, the editor or manager could be replaced many times, with no announcement except for a theme change.
  • A title’s readership or circulation is often not included in the copy either, although publishers typically track this information for their business.

Knowing these roadblocks in advance can give you an idea of where to search. It can also inform you whether the information you desire can be found in a neighborhood newspaper or if you need to expand your circle of research. Where can you find the newspaper data to clear this fog? The Indiana State Library is here to help! Here are two sources that supply the backstory and statistics for local newspaper titles. Together, these two indexes provide information regarding management, editorship and circulation numbers for every Indiana title – and for every calendar year.

“Indiana Newspaper Bibliography” by John W. Miller

Published by the Indiana Historical Society in 1982, this book furnishes the beginning and ending dates of every Indiana title up to that time, the founders and editors over different periods and the places where preserved copies existed in 1982. The book was also designed to tell the stories of publishing staff and title histories, conveying the themes on which they were based and the reasons why changes were made over time. Obviously, this source won’t help much if you are looking into the recent past. For searching newspapers printed from 50 years ago and beyond, it addresses mergers, title founders and even awkward moments when an owner grabbed the printing press and hightailed it to another community. County sections in the book are subdivided by town. At the end of each county section, an index of local titles lays out where prints and microfilms could be found in 1982.

“Indiana Newspaper Directory” by the Hoosier State Press Association

Published annually, these softback books are packed with statistical information for every Indiana title, broken down by daily or weekly categories. The titles in each category are presented in alphabetical order. For each one, the yearly circulation is listed, as well as names of managers and editors. More recent annual issues include each title’s birth year and the weekday publication schedule. Each title is listed as a morning or evening paper as well. Analyzing these statistics over a period of years, the researcher can discover the exact dates and times when papers changed publication strategies and ownership. You can also track a title’s popularity over time. The yearly population of each title’s town or county is provided, so that circulation can be calculated as a percentage. The data was originally shared by publishers statewide to focus efforts and bolster local support for the HSPA and the legacy of titles it represents. The Indiana State Library currently holds issues of the newspaper directory published from 1948 through 2006.

When you are comfortable with the locations, dates and titles that will inform your project, the Indiana State Library Legacy database can help.

This newspaper microfilm index is searchable by town, county or title name. Once you have opened a list of titles that will work for you, check the available date range by clicking on ones of interest. Repeated, merged and closed titles are documented along with the date ranges available in the microfilm cabinets, to help guide you along the way.

This post was submitted by David Pleiss, newspaper librarian with the Indiana Division of the Indiana State Library. 

The Indiana Fever at the State Library

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May in Indiana has always revolved around the Indianapolis 500 and car racing. However, it also marks the beginning of the Women’s National Basketball Association season, and with the Indiana Fever becoming one of the most popular sports teams in the nation, the drivers in Speedway are sharing the spotlight with the women playing in downtown Indianapolis at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Founded in 1999, the Indiana Fever became the state’s first professional female basketball team. The team’s inaugural season was 2000, only three years after the founding of the WNBA. In the following 25 years, the Fever made the playoffs 14 times, winning three Eastern Conference championships and one WNBA championship in 2012.

Foldable pocket schedule from the inaugural 2000 season (ISLO 796.32 no. 12).

Indiana has always had a strong affiliation with the game of basketball and the name Fever is a reference to the perceived mania people in Indiana feel about the sport.

One of the first stand-out players on the team was Tamika Catchings. After an illustrious career at the University of Tennessee, Catchings was drafted by the Fever in 2001. During her tenure in Indiana, which lasted until 2016, she amassed a championship and multiple WBNA awards and is the only player to have her jersey number retired.

Children’s book written by Catchings (ISLI 927 C357d).

The WNBA’s popularity slowly increased and by 2023, attendance and viewership were up. In that year, the Fever drafted Aliyah Boston from the University of South Carolina and she would go on to win the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year award.

Aliyah Boston and Damris Dantas on the cover of the Fever’s game program (ISLO 796.32 no. 16).

The following year, in 2024, the Fever drafted Caitlin Clark from the University of Iowa. An extremely popular player in college, Clark’s addition to the team caused its growing fanbase to explode. After a slow start, the Fever finished the season 20-20 but still managed to make the playoffs after an eight year post-season drought. Like her teammate Boston the year before, Clark won the Rookie of the Year Award.

Children’s book about Caitlin Clark. ([IYRC] ISLI 927 C592d).

Going into the 2025 season, the Fever have completely revamped their roster around their young stars and have taken on a new coach, Indiana native and Purdue alum Stephanie White. Expectations for the team are high and opposing teams are moving their home games against the Fever to larger venues to accommodate the increased interest in watching the Fever play.

Fortunately, there is no scheduling conflict between the Fever and the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 25.

The Indiana State Library strives to collect materials on all Indiana sports teams, both current and from the far past. To discover more, please visit our catalog.

This blog post was written by Jocelyn Lewis, Catalog Division supervisor, Indiana State Library. For more information, contact the Indiana State Library at 317-232-3678 or “Ask-A-Librarian.”

Genealogy for Night Owls returns to the Indiana State Library on May 21

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The Indiana State Library is once again hosting its popular Genealogy for Night Owls event on Wednesday, May 21, from 4:30-8 p.m.

The after-hours research event at the State Library will feature a library tour, a presentation on unique items in the library’s collections and Ask-an-Expert sessions with representatives from various local historical, genealogical and lineage organizations.

The schedule is as follows:

  • 5:10 p.m. – Library tour.
  • 5:30 p.m. – Presentation – “Unique Items from the Library Collections.”
  • 5:45 p.m. – Ask-an-Expert sessions begin.
  • 7 p.m. – Ask-an-Expert sessions end.
  • 8 p.m. – Program conclusion.

The tour and Ask-an-Expert sessions are optional. Attendees may spend the entire evening conducting their own research if they prefer. The Ask-an-Expert sessions are 15 minutes in length. Attendees should have questions prepared in advance. The library tour is roughly 20 minutes in length and will cover materials available for genealogy researchers at the Indiana State Library.

Genealogy Division librarians will be on hand to answer questions about the collection. They will also answer research and reference questions and assist in locating materials. The second floor microfilm area will be open and staffed by librarians from the Indiana Division. The Rare Books and Manuscripts and Reference Divisions will not be open during Genealogy for Night Owls. Librarians will not be able to retrieve manuscript collections during this event.

Registration is free and required. Click here to register.

The Indiana State Library is located at 315. W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis.

Please contact Jamie Dunn, Genealogy Division supervisor at the Indiana State Library, with any questions.

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

My journey with therapy dogs

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I have been involved in library therapy dog programs since 2007, when I became the head of the Children’s Department at the Crown Point Community Library. CPCL had an ongoing program called Read to the Dogs, and they partnered with a therapy dog group in Lake County called “Power Paws for Kids.” Certified and trained dogs would come to the library and children would pick out a book and “read to a dog.” Dogs are excellent listeners and provide a safe, non-judgmental environment for kids to practice their reading skills. Children don’t feel pressure to read to a dog because the dog won’t judge them if they mispronounce a word or skip a page. From a large Bernese Mountain Dog to a small Chihuahua in a wheelchair, there was a dog for everyone. Most of the children would read but some just wanted to pet the therapy dogs. Others would come to each Read to the Dogs program because they had their favorite dog and wanted to visit them and give them a treat. I watched the group for a few years, and eventually thought my Yorkshire Terrier Gigi could do it.

I remember a person came to the library when the Read to the Dogs program was happening and said, “Cool, so I can bring my dog to the library and get it read to?” We had to explain, “No, the dogs needed to be trained and certified and the dogs were part of the therapy dog group.” There is a lot of training involved before a canine is ready to be in a therapy dog program. Gigi was the first dog that I trained. We went to puppy class, and we needed to retake it because I flunked. These classes are more about training the person. You need to be consistent with the commands you give your dog, and you need to have a lot of patience. It also takes time, and you need to put the time in when training your dog. I did not realize that at the time I was working with Gigi.

To get into the therapy dog group, one needs to pass the Canine Good Citizenship test. There are 10 skills needed, and the test completion needs to be signed off by an American Kennel Club-approved Canine Good Citizenship evaluator:

  • Accepting a friendly stranger.
  • Sitting politely for petting.
  • Appearance and grooming.
  • Walking on a loose leash.
  • Walking through a crowd.
  • Sit and down on cue/stay in place.
  • Coming when called.
  • Reaction to another dog.
  • Reaction to distractions.
  • Supervised separation.

I received extra help from a member of the dog training club. They worked with me one on one on the skills we were weak on. It wasn’t an easy process, as Gigi had trouble not pulling on her leash and she would pop up and not stay in place for the required three minutes. Gigi finally earned her Canine Good Citizenship title and membership in Power Paws for Kids in August 2013 and we were involved visiting many libraries, until we moved back to Grant County in 2014.

Grant County has a different therapy dog group called Love on a Leash. In Indiana, there are six chapters. The Heartland Chapter covers Grant and Miami Counties. Other areas in the state are Terre Haute, Columbus, Hamilton County, Indianapolis and Kokomo. I needed to go through the Love on a Leash evaluation process and discovered that the local Mississinewa Valley Obedience Training Club had an evaluator. Gigi and I took a few classes to brush up our skills. The Love on a Leash evaluation is very similar to the Canine Good Citizenship test but includes a few extra factors about your dog’s demeanor. Factors such as does your dog exhibit apparent aggression, or do they keep their composure if someone approaches in an erratic manner. We passed the Love on a Leash evaluation. Love on a Leash has an extra step that the Lake County group did not have. We needed to do 10 supervised visits with a Love on a Leash evaluator. These need to be completed within a year after you pass the Love on a Leash evaluation. After that, your completed paperwork is turned into the national Love on a Leash group as well as a membership fee.

Gigi and I would go to the Marion Public Library for their Read to the Dogs programs and to Indiana Wesleyan University before their finals at Christmas Break. I had a very heartwarming interaction with a college student at their “Dogs and Donuts” event. A student came up to me and I asked her if she wanted to hold Gigi. She nodded “yes” and she hugged Gigi close to her as tears streamed down her face. She said this was her first time away from home and she missed her dog. It’s hard to keep your composure in situations like those.

Sadly, Gigi passed away in 2021 and I really missed going to Love on a Leash events. Our other Yorkie, Ozzy, did not have the right demeanor to be a therapy dog. He is set in his ways and does not like others not “living in his pack.” I was now on the lookout for another dog who could possibly be a therapy dog. In April of 2023, my stepdaughter happened to see a puppy who was up for adoption. A 10-week-old Morkie – a Maltese/Yorkshire terrier mix – needed a home. I was out of town for my job when I saw a picture of the puppy and I immediately called about him. When I met him, I had a feeling that he might make a great therapy dog. He is so friendly, and he has such a happy look almost like he is smiling. We got him on the spot later that evening and changed his name to Rocky.

I knew that I wanted to get Rocky into training classes as soon as I could. Rocky needed to go through the proper vaccination schedule before he could take the Mississinewa Valley Obedience Training Club classes, which are seven weeks long. We started with the puppy class. We worked on walking on a leash and healing and sitting as well as the commands: leave it, stay and come. The next level is the basic level, where we learn more commands: sit stay, down stay, weave between other dogs, recall, stand and turns. After passing the basic class, we could become members of Mississinewa Valley Obedience Training Club. This lets you get the first pick on other classes that are given, and you get a discount. This got us prepared to take the Canine Good Citizenship class.

We passed the Canine Good Citizenship test and the Love on a Leash evaluation on the same night. This meant that we could start with the next task of doing the 10 supervised visits. I was able to get all 10 visits completed by going to a couple of libraries in Grant County, Taylor University and a retirement facility. The final step is to fill out the Love on a Leash paperwork. For each visit, the evaluators sign a form and comment on how you and your dog did. For example, “Do you have your dog under control?,” “Are you talking with the program participants?,” “Is your dog well-groomed and clean?,” and “How does your dog react to the other dogs?” One comment I got from an evaluator was “Rocky did well with the little girl with the beads in her hair.” I did not think about it when it happened, but Rocky did not flinch or try to bite at the beads. Those beads might be a trigger for other dogs to either be afraid of or to try to play with them.

Dogs in the therapy group need to be on their best behavior and be under control. They must show no aggression with people or other dogs and they must be fine with sudden movements or sounds. Rocky has been to the Lowe’s home improvement store many times and he has a fan club there. We take him for car rides. He has spent a lot of time with my young nieces and nephews. It is apparent that he loves adults and children. I’ve also tried to get him used to other sounds – like taking the trash can from the curb to our house. This helps him get used to sounds he might hear at a nursing home with wheelchairs.

Having a therapy dog is amazing on so many levels. With the school-age children, they get to practice their reading skills, and they get to learn about different dogs and how to treat them. College students need to de-stress during finals, or they need some comfort when they are far from home and missing their family and pets. At a nursing home, the residents may not have family close by and they really miss their pets. It took me a couple of years to get Rocky officially in the Love on a Leash group. It is such a joy to share Rocky with others and it is worth all the time, effort and training that is involved.

This post was written by Northeast regional coordinator Paula Newcom of the Indiana State Library Professional Development Office.

Links
https://www.powerpawsforkids.org/
https://www.akc.org/products-services/training-programs/canine-good-citizen/
https://www.loveonaleash.org/