In the Library Development Office (LDO) we occasionally hear from an Indiana resident who has moved into an unserved area. An unserved area is an area where there is not a library district. Though you may be in an unserved area, there are options for library service through a contract or non-resident fee. A one-stop guide highlighting the locations of Indiana libraries is the library districts map issued by Indiana Business Research Center. The map is found here.

If you are not a resident of a library district, non-resident cards are available from each of the 237 public libraries. The fees vary based on the library’s per capita expense for the service population. For service, choose the library closest to you and find out the non-resident fee. As mentioned, fees vary, but average between $56 to $70 per year.

Sometimes a township has contracted with a nearby library for service, which means the township may take on part, or all, of the cost of the library card. Please contact your local officials to see if they offer library cards to a nearby library.

This blog post was written by Karen Ainslie, library development librarian and Professional Development Office (PDO) librarian. For more information, contact the Library Development Office (LDO) at (317) 232-3697 or email statewideservices@library.in.gov.