“The Library is my link to the world’s cultures. It provides information on topics that I’m curious about: literature, movies, travel, music — everything that makes life more meaningful and richer. I’ve always believed that if you can read, you can learn anything new. And with our Library, that new knowledge is just down the street for everyone to access!”
Irvington“We love our Library! The Fort Ben and Glendale branches are beautiful. We can get holds quickly, and there’s a plethora of resources for anything you can imagine. From learning a new language to pulling up free movies on Hoopla, there’s something for everyone. It’s an integral part of the community.”
Fort Ben“I raised my five children going to the College Avenue Branch, walking from our home with a laundry basket filled with books. Now I take my 10 grandchildren to different branches for all the wonderful programming that The Indianapolis Public Library provides for children. The Library is free, educational, and FUN!”
Michigan Road“The Indianapolis Public Library is the best of America! I’m so grateful to have a place where our children are welcomed and safe—a place where they can start on their homework, study, or even just sit quietly after a long day.”
Lawrence
About the Library
For more than 150 years, The Indianapolis Public Library has continuously adapted and expanded to serve the evolving needs of our city and its residents. The Indianapolis Public Library strives to be indispensable to our growing number of visitors and stands as a vital public resource to our community. The Indianapolis Public Library has more than 280,000 cardholders and in 2025 a total annual circulation of 8,737,602 at our 25 branch locations and bookmobile.
Mission
The Indianapolis Public Library enriches and supports communities by inspiring lifelong learning through stewardship and engaging service.
Vision
To be a premier urban public library that delivers world-class service and champions equitable access to knowledge and resources for all.
Momentum, Impact, and Meaningful Growth
That is how we summarize 2025 at The Indianapolis Public Library.
In 2025, we introduced our new strategic plan, Equitable Access, with important goals to support learning, belonging, and wellbeing within our community while also becoming a workplace of choice for our staff and volunteers. Meanwhile, The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation echoed the Library’s revised mission, vision, values, and goals within a new Foundation strategic plan. We are unified and strong, working together as we connect, engage, support, and champion lifelong learning in our community.
Together, we made progress on our strategic plans as we proudly share in this report. We elevated our public spaces to improve community connection. For example, we reopened our popular Pike and Nora Branches after extensive renovations, unveiling features such as comfort rooms, enhanced community rooms, more study rooms, spaces for teens, and our system’s first podcast recording studio.
At Central Library, we continued to refine and rebrand our spaces for children and teens and opened a new café for visitors. Also, thanks to donor generosity, we expanded our Central Authors Project — dramatically adding to the elegance and educational value of our beautiful atrium with the addition of 12 new author names who represent a vivid literary tradition across the globe. By widening the scope of authors immortalized in our decor, Library visitors are introduced to names and works that endure from a range of countries, cultures, and languages.
Simply put, a public library is free and open for all. Accessibility remains a strategic imperative. In partnership with Tangram, an organization that supports people with disabilities, we’ve installed universal changing stations at four branches, expanding access and fostering greater independence for individuals with disabilities and the families who support them. These thoughtfully designed tables provide a safe, sanitary, and dignified restroom option for people who cannot comfortably or safely use standard facilities — enhancing comfort, inclusion, and overall quality of life while visiting and spending time with our inspiring collections.
The Library deepened our role as a cornerstone for community wellbeing through mutually beneficial partnerships. Our partnership with the American Heart Association brought free blood pressure hubs to every Library branch. Collaborations with organizations such as the Community Alliance of the Far Eastside, helped expand job readiness. And beyond our walls, Newfields and The Indianapolis Public Library partnered to bring a permanent StoryWalk to The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park, blending literacy and nature.
Our staff continued to bring powerful voices to Indianapolis, from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Timothy Egan to librarian and literacy advocate Mychal Threets. We uplifted local talent through art exhibits, fashion shows, musical performances, and local author events that honored the creativity and diversity of our city.
Our commitment to supporting our community extends inward, too. Through The Indianapolis Public Library’s Career Development and Mentorship programs, we invest in growing talent from within, supporting library professionals as they build skills for career advancement and leadership roles.
Here in Indianapolis, we see every day how deeply our citizens love their neighborhood public library. It is because of our community that we work hard to protect our Freedom to Read while expanding our free programs, books, databases, and other vital resources.
The momentum, impact, and meaningful growth we made in 2025 is made possible by the dedication of our staff, volunteers, partners, donors, community leaders, and taxpayers. We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing access that empowers every Indianapolis resident to thrive. We Love Our Library. And thank you for loving us in return.
Mr. Raymond J. Biederman |
Mrs. Roberta Knickerbocker Jaggers |
Strategic Plan Progress
Learning
In 2025, the Library inspired curiosity and lifelong learning, helping our community explore new ideas and experiences that were as joyful as they were meaningful.
Our Shared System, a service of The Indianapolis Public Library that helps schools meet students’ and teachers’ demand for current, high-quality fiction and informational texts, continued to grow. In April 2025, we reached a major milestone for education and literacy: all Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) students gained access to The Indianapolis Public Library’s extensive collection of books, databases, and learning materials. This expansion marked the culmination of a decades-long partnership between IPS and the Library. By the end of 2025, the Shared System served 91 schools, representing a 5.8% increase from 2024.
We also celebrated a record-breaking Summer Reading Program. Overall participation increased by 16.34% compared to 2024, with participants logging an extraordinary 26,927,914 minutes. A major driver of this success was a 62.65% increase in adult participation, resulting in 5,517 adult participants alongside 24,903 youth participants.
The Library continued to expand unique collections such as Quick Reads, short books and stories designed for adults and teens building reading skills, and Playaways, pre-loaded audiobook players that require no apps, downloads, or Wi-Fi.
Our commitment to early literacy and language access also grew. We presented 120 Storytime programs in non-English languages. Our early literacy initiative, Reading Ready, reached 61,320 attendees through both in-person and recorded virtual programming. We supported STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education by hosting 1,405 programs with 30,666 attendees.
Educational impact extended beyond youth. In 2025, we supported adult learners, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit leaders. The Small Business Resource Center assisted 230 community members through one-on-one appointments, while Small Business programs also drew 230 attendees. We offered 43 programs focused on small business development and digital resiliency that were bilingual or presented in Spanish, attracting 180 participants and expanding access to critical resources.
Workplace of Choice
The Indianapolis Public Library fosters a workplace culture that values collaboration, connection, and continuous learning. We actively equip our staff with the tools and training needed to deliver exceptional service to our community.
This focus on employee wellbeing and professional growth has earned us recognition across Indiana and the nation. The Indianapolis Public Library was honored with the Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health by Mental Health America, the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to promoting mental health and wellbeing. We were also designated as an Achieve WELL 4-Star organization by the Wellness Council of Indiana, recognizing our success in creating a workplace culture that supports employee health and wellness.
The Library also launched Neurodiversity and Disability Inclusion Training for all staff. This initiative empowers our employees to better support the needs of our community.
We invest in employees through Career Development and Mentorship Programs that build internal talent, support career growth, provide guidance, skill-building, and dedicated time with mentors.
Belonging
The Indianapolis Public Library responded to our community’s need for belonging and connection by cultivating inclusive spaces, collections, and experiences that invited people to gather, explore, and feel at home.
We continued to invest in welcoming physical spaces by updating the Pike and Nora branches, ensuring community members had modern, comfortable environments designed for connection. We added study rooms at Nora, Pike, and study pods at East 38th Street, resulting in an increase of study room bookings by 9,093 from the prior year.
Also, we refreshed and expanded our collections to better reflect the interests and needs of our community. One exciting addition was the introduction of the Library of Things, a special collection that allows community members to check out non-traditional items including birdwatching kits, pickleball sets, fishing poles, and more.
The Library of Things launched with a soft opening in September 2025 at five pilot locations and experienced strong interest, with 173 items checked out. The most popular items included the button maker machine kit, sewing machine, swivel seat, and bocce ball set.
Library staff also relaunched the Book Club in a Bag program, providing do-it-yourself kits that include 10 copies of a title, discussion questions, and a six-week checkout period. With more than 650 titles available, these kits were borrowed 275 times, supporting meaningful conversations and shared reading experiences across the city.
Our digital collections continued to grow and evolve, expanding access to Indianapolis’s history and stories. The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, a free online resource and definitive repository of local knowledge, published features such as “A Deathbed Testimony: Madge Oberholtzer and the Downfall of the KKK.”
Digital Indy, the Library’s digital archive containing more than one million items related to the culture and history of Indianapolis, also continued to expand. In 2025, new features included the digitization of Arts Indiana magazine.
Outreach staff stepped outside of our walls to bring our services directly to the community, for a total of 21,339 visits.
Wellbeing
In 2025, the Library’s Social Work Program continued to support individuals and families by connecting them with area resources. The social work staff host resource tables at different branches to provide access where it is needed the most.
Beyond our social workers, the Library is also known for a wide range of programs focused on socioeconomic, mental, and physical wellbeing, including financial education workshops, community yoga, and nutrition classes.
In total, we offered 1,052 health and wellness programs in 2025, welcoming 12,497 attendees and reinforcing the Library’s role as a trusted place for care, learning, and connection. In 2025, five new branch locations began their journey toward becoming Certified Autism Centers. Branch staff will complete autism and sensoryawareness training to better support autistic and sensory-sensitive visitors and their families.
Community Impact
290,180
Cardholders
50,353
New cardholders
62.6%
Active cardholders
9,277,433
Website visits
2,459,289
In-person Library visits
9,638
In-person and virtual programs
212,157
Program attendees
8,779,474
Total circulation
*electronic & physical
30.5%
Diverse collections (LGBTQ+, Disability, and Center for Black Literature & Culture)
*measured in physical fiction and nonfiction reading materials
3,494,746
Database usage
*learning platforms and other electronic materials
512,600
Access Encyclopedia of Indianapolis articles
903,366
Digital Indy views
1,095
Volunteers
91
Shared System Schools, Museums, Special Libraries
48,311
Shared System cardholders
485,529
Shared System circulation
16.3%
Summer reading program increase
26,927,914
Summer reading program minutes read by kids, teens, and adults
120
Non-English language programs
61,320
Attendees for Reading Ready
173
Items checked out from Library of Things
*a special collection of non-traditional items to check out
275
Borrowed Book Club in a Bags
21,339
Outreach library community visits
300
Unique community partnerships
2,063
Social work interactions
792
Bus passes
1,052
Health & Wellness programs
12,497
Health & Wellness attendees
“Growing up, I loved going to the Pike Branch and exploring the books and events. As an adult, I was thrilled to live so close to a Library again and be able to spend an afternoon browsing, or my morning co-working in the space. My favorite non-book feature is the puzzle library, and they make printing so easy that I’ll never need to own one again. My local Library keeps me going!”
Pike“I love The Indianapolis Public Library! It’s a space where curiosity thrives; creativity is celebrated; and community is built. Central Library isn’t just a building; it’s a living, breathing part of my life, no matter where I am.”
Central Library“The Central Library is a special place where children are respected as individuals and parents are supported. I love that!”
“I have been using the Book Club in a Bag program for my church book club for some time now. The librarians at the Lawrence Branch were helpful getting books for my group. I had been suggesting a book, and the Library got that book for everyone to use. Thanks for this wonderful service!”
Lawrence
We Love Our Library
The Indianapolis Public Library’s 2025 “We Love Our Library” Campaign invites those we serve to share their personal “library love” stories, and how the library has impacted them and those close to them.
The campaign encourages community engagement by urging people to visit their local branch, get or renew library cards, attend events, check out both physical and digital books, and utilize the variety of available services and spaces at the Library.
In addition, the campaign aims to raise awareness of the Library’s role in literacy, workforce development, and community connection — emphasizing The Indianapolis Public Library’s role as a vital public resource.
Library Financials
2025 Indianapolis Public Library Summary of Unaudited Governmental Funds
Total Revenues $87,030,477
- Property Taxes: $65,216,650 (74.9%)
- Miscellaneous: $10,545,788 (12.1%)
- Intergovernmental: $9,541,340 (11%)
- Charges for Services: $1,426.782 (1.6%)
- Fees: $299, 917 (0.3%)
Tax Rates
2024 Tax Rate Total 0.122
- Debt Service: 0.0317
- Library Operations: 0.0903
2025 Tax Rate Total: 0.1217
- Debt Service: 0.0318
- Library Operations: 0.0899
Total Expenses $90,458,833
- Personal Services: $37,286.708 (41.2%)
- Other Services and Charges: $18,466,251 (20.4%)
- Debt: $21,024,363 (23.2%)
- Capital: $6,797,226 (7.5%)
- Library Materials: $4,471,241 (4.9%)
- Supplies: $2,413,044 (2.7%)
Revenues and expenses are actual year to date December 31, 2025.
For details please see the audited 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report at indypl.org when available in the second half of 2026.
Top Circulating Items for 2025
The Women
by Kristin Hannah
Fiction e-Book or e-Audiobook:
Onyx Storm
by Rebecca Yarros
Nonfiction Book:
A Fever in the Heartland
by Timothy Egan
Biography:
Careless People
by Sarah Wynn-Williams
Teen Fiction Book:
Sunrise on the Reaping
by Suzanne Collins
Children’s Fiction Book:
Dog Man 13: Big Jim Begins
by Dav Pilkey
Picture Book:
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
by Mo Willems
- Helen L. Norris Distinguished Service Award
Melinda Mullican
Manager, Wayne Branch
- Beth Tindel Award
Mike & Deb Ehret
Indy Library Store Coordinator & Supervisor Librarian
- Lillian Childress Hall Scholarship
Flo Schick
Public Services Associate, Floater
- Laura Bramble Award
Kathleen Stewart
Outreach Librarian
- Outstanding Leadership Award
Brandi Winston
Manager of Central Services, Central Library
- Exceptional Experience Award
Elizabeth Tarr
Youth Multimedia Learning Specialist, InfoZone
- Exceptional Experience Branch Award Starting in the second half of 2025, CEO Gregory A. Hill, Sr. launched a new award honoring exceptional customer service, based on positive
visitor survey data.
Southport Branch, 3rd Quarter
East Washington Branch, 4th Quarter
Indianapolis Public Library Board of Trustees
Mr. Raymond J. Biederman, President
Dr. Khaula Murtadha, Vice-President
Dr. Patricia A. Payne, Secretary
Dr. Luis A. Palacio, P.E.
Dr. Lisa Riolo
Dr. Eugene G. White
Ms. Natissa S. Woodard
Foundation Accomplishments
The Foundation serves as the fundraising arm of the Library. Our mission is to elevate The Indianapolis Public Library by activating the community’s generosity.
Gratitude for Incredible Generosity
An outpouring of community generosity in 2025 strengthened the Foundation’s capacity to support the Library. As a result, we are well on our way toward achieving our goal in our 2025-2027 strategic plan of raising at least $7.2 million and investing at least $7.4 million in the Library between 2025 and 2027.
Our staff and board made the following accomplishments in 2025:
- The Foundation invested $2.2 million in Library programs that advance learning, belonging, wellbeing, and workplace of choice.
- We were proud to welcome 487 new donors, as well as to retain our existing donors at rates well above the industry average.
- More than 1,460 donors contributed $3.6 million, making 2025 our best fundraising year since 2016
- We approved our 2025-2027 strategic plan with the following goals: Grow and engage the Foundation’s current and future donor base, sustain a mutually supportive, collaborative, and strategically aligned relationship with the Library and prioritize growth opportunities for the Foundation’s staff and board, as well as the Foundation itself.
“I know that my gift will be used to help fund priority programs such as the Summer Reading Program, Meet the Artists, and so many more of the gems that make The Indianapolis Public Library such a special place to work.” — Library staff member and donor to The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation
Harrison Connor Strader Wood Memorial Fund Established
Harrison Connor Strader Wood loved stories, loved books, and loved the library. He played with his friends and explored the Glendale Branch with his Mommy every week. In 2023, Harrison’s friends and family raised a gift that established Harrison’s Orbit in the new Glendale Branch of The Indianapolis Public Library — a tribute to Harrison that helped create a fun space where children can learn, grow, and feel safe. In 2025, Harrison’s family led a fundraising effort to create a permanent endowment in his memory. The proceeds from the endowment will continue to support Library programs in perpetuity. Each year, the Foundation will recommend a use for Harrison’s Fund based on the Library’s needs and the priorities of Harrison’s family.
Foundation President Roberta Jaggers receives the Outstanding Professional Fundraiser Award
The Library Foundation’s President, Roberta Knickerbocker Jaggers, was named the 2025 Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Indiana). Working for more than 20 years at the Library Foundation, Roberta has led the Foundation as president since 2016. Throughout her career, she collaborated with numerous colleagues to raise $17.5 million to support children’s literacy, the Central Library expansion, and lifelong learning opportunities for adults. “To say that I am humbled and honored would be the world’s biggest understatement. Fundraising is very much a team sport, and all of ‘my’ accomplishments were really made possible by an amazing team of colleagues and board members — past and present. I thank AFP Indiana for this honor,” Roberta said in her acceptance speech. You can read Roberta’s full speech.
Foundation Financials
Statement of Financial Position
Balance Sheet
Assets
- Cash & Equivalents: $4,318,474
- Receiveables & Other: $282,559
- Inventory, Prepaid and Fixed Assets-Net: $139,511
- Investments: $24,761,560
Total: $29,502,104
Liabilities & Net Assets
- Accounts Payable: $32,299
- Accrued Liabilities: $25,767
- Net Assets: $29,444,038
Total: $29,502,104
Statement of Revenue, Support & Expenditures*
Revenue/Support
- Contributions/Grants/Planned Giving: $3,591,070
- Book Sales: $211,668
- Investment Income: $471,882
- Realized/Unrealized Investment Gains/(Losses): $1,018,111
- Change in Value of Beneficial Interest in Assets Held by Others: $1,523,361
Total: $6,816,092
Expenditures
- Library Projects/Programs/Materials: $2,277,361
- Lectures: $53,198
- Recognition/Training: $32,741
- Fundraising: $751,913
- Management & General: $396,326
Total: $3,511,539
*Accrual basis of accounting
Foundation Donors
2025 Donors
The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation gratefully acknowledges the individuals and organizations who made contributions in 2025. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this listing, but if you notice any oversights, please contact the Foundation at 317-275-4700 or foundation@indyplfoundation.org.
A complete list of individual donor names can be found at 2025 Annual Reports (.pdf).
Named Endowment Funds
The Library Foundation is fortunate to have endowment funds that help support our mission in perpetuity. Many thanks to all donors who established or contributed to these funds. Contact the Library Foundation if you would like to learn more about contributing to an existing fund or establishing a new fund.
Legacy Society Planned Gift Giving
The Legacy Society recognizes those who have made planned gifts to the Library Foundation. Planned gifts include several vehicles of giving, ranging from a bequest to the Foundation in a will, to designation of the Foundation as a beneficiary of a retirement plan, to arrangements that provide some income for donors during their lifetime.
Staff Member Support
Thank you to the Library and Library Foundation staff members who supported us in 2025.
Memorial & Tribute Gifts
These generous gifts were given to the Foundation in memory of or in tribute to friends, loved ones, family members, and respected members of the community.
- Mr. Brad Holtz, Chair
- Ms. Keri Jeter Lewis, Vice Chair
- Dr. Amparo de la Peña, Secretary
- Mr. Berthran Ugeh, Treasurer
- Ms. Angela Mager, Immediate Past Chair
- Mr. Raymond Biederman
- Ms. Debora Brown
- Mr. Marcio Donatelli
- Mr. Bruce J. Glor
- Ms. Michaela Graham
- Ms. Denise Herd
- Dr. Sherri C. Lauver
- Mr. Vishal Lodha
- Dr. Suzann Lupton
- Mr. Paul Peaper
- Ms. Robin Reagan
- Dr. Lisa Riolo
- Ms. Elizabeth Schuerman
- Ms. Katy Strader
- Mr. Zach Wills
- Mr. Gregory A. Hill, Sr., CEO, The Indianapolis Public Library
- Ms. Roberta Knickerbocker Jaggers, Library Foundation President