At The Indianapolis Public Library, our vision is to be at the center of knowledge, community life, and innovation to the neighborhoods we serve. But our commitment to our community extends beyond our collection of books and materials. We have a respect for sustainability and resilience throughout our operation. From the design of our physical buildings to proactive energy conservation and robust recycling initiatives, we strive to not just enrich the minds of our visitors—but enrich a sustainable environment for all. Here are some sustainability initiatives we are proud of at the Library.
EV Stations
Electric Vehicle (EV) Stations make available charging equipment that connects an electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrids to a source of electricity to recharge. You can find EV Stations at the following Library locations:
Solar panels at the new Glendale location will provide power for a substantial portion of the building’s energy needs and the building will include other energy-efficient systems.
Fort Benwas designed with a roof-top solar photovoltaic system.
West Perry was designed to utilize solar panels to generate 75% of the annual electricity needs for the building.
Our Bookmobiles are designed with solar panels to help recharge the batteries used to run the vehicles' interior lighting and electronics.
Recycling & Preservation Initiatives
Glendale Preserving Natural Resources & Green Space The new Glendale branch is built on the 5.5-acre site of the former John Strange Elementary School. The property includes established heritage trees that were preserved and open green space, which was retained.
Indy Library Store Indy Library Store receives materials that are discarded by The Indianapolis Public Library and generous donors in our community to stock regularly scheduled book sales. Unsold materials are responsibly recycled. See Indy Library Store's book sale schedule.
Michigan Road Repurposing Natural Resources When we set out to build Michigan Road, we wanted to preserve as many of the trees as we could from the land. Watch how Indy Urban Hardwood helped make our vision a reality.
Community Programs
Free Lead Screening In partnership with Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Center for Urban Health, Indianapolis residents can screen their homes and yards for lead by picking up free lead screening kits at all locations. Simply drop by the Library location closest to your home, pick up a kit, collect samples, then return your kit with those samples to The Library. Learn more about this program.
Seed Library The Seed Library is a service that allows visitors to take home a large variety of free vegetable, herb, and flower seeds, at all locations from Mid-March through September.
Lights Out Indy Lights Out Indy is an initiative of the Amos Butler Audobon Society of Central Indiana (ABAS). ABAS works with building managers in the city of Indianapolis to prevent bird deaths and save energy by promoting bird-safe buildings and reduce nighttime lighting. Learn more about Lights Out Indy.
Awards and Recognitions
U.S. Green Building Council Award for Sustainable Design The West Perry Branch was honored with the 2023 Green Building of the Year Award in the LEED for Building Design and Construction category by the U.S. Green Building Council's East North Central Region. This prestigious award recognizes The Library's commitment to sustainable design.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certifications LEED is a green building rating system that provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings and is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement.
