150 Indiana libraries receive funds for materials addressing racial injustice

INDIANAPOLIS (AUG. 27, 2020) – Libraries, schools, universities and nonprofit organizations across Indiana are receiving grants to purchase highly sought-after books, digital materials, and films addressing racial injustice in America to add to circulating collections in their communities.

In the wake of the murder of George Floyd and ensuing protests, many libraries were overwhelmed by requests for materials, and library patrons faced long wait times for the most popular books and other resources related to racial equity. Indiana Humanities’ Advancing Racial Equity Collection Development Grants—ranging from $290 to $1,000—will go to 150 nonprofit organizations in 60 Indiana counties to enable them to meet increased demand for materials to circulate in their communities. (A full list of grant recipients follows.) The project was made possible by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.

“It is encouraging to know that so many Hoosiers have turned to literature, history, commentary and other products of the humanities to wrestle with the systemic racism facing our nation,” said Keira Amstutz, president and CEO of Indiana Humanities. “We’re grateful to Lilly Endowment for recognizing this need and providing us with funds to help our state’s libraries address this demand and equip Indiana residents with additional resources that can catalyze and contextualize our conversations.”

Schools, community organizations and libraries across Indiana were invited to apply to Indiana Humanities for funds to add digital or physical resources addressing systemic racism, inequitable policing and/or protest through a humanities lens. Indiana Humanities worked with the Indianapolis Public Library (IndyPL) Collection Management Team to develop the list of eligible resources. Also consulted were the Central Indiana Community Foundation’s “Tools for Accountability” and resource lists provided by Booklist (a publication of the American Library Association). The list was also reviewed by IndyPL’s Diversity & Inclusion and Center for Black Literature & Culture staff, Indiana Humanities staff and humanities scholars.

Lilly Endowment provided Indiana Humanities with a grant to distribute $134,264 to libraries and add books to the Indiana Humanities Novel Conversations statewide lending library. Lilly Endowment also awarded IndyPL $140,000 to purchase titles about racial equity for libraries within its system.

Recipients of the Advancing Racial Equity Collection Development Grants

Ancilla College, Donaldson, $993

Arlington Heights Elementary School, Bloomington, $431

Attica Public Library, Attica, $999

Aurora Public Library District, Aurora, $1,000

Avon Washington Township Public Library, Avon, $1,000

Bartholomew County Public Library, Columbus, $981

Bartholomew County Youth Service Center, Columbus, $764

Barton Rees Pogue Memorial Public Library, Upland, $994

Bedford Public Library, Bedford, $923

Ben Davis High School, Indianapolis, $500

Berne Public Library, Berne, $1,000

Bloomington High School North/Monroe County Community School Corp., Bloomington, $934

Bloomington High School South, Bloomington, $787

Brown County High School, Nashville, $1,000

Brownsburg Public Library, Brownsburg, $1,000

Calumet College of St. Joseph, Whiting, $999

Cardinal Ritter High School, Indianapolis, $500

Center for Inquiry 2, Indianapolis, $1,000

Center for Inquiry 27, Indianapolis, $831

Center for Inquiry 84, Indianapolis, $985

Center for Inquiry 70, Indianapolis, $1,000

Churubusco Public Library, Churubusco, $1,000

College Park Elementary School, Indianapolis, $1,000

Covenant Christian High School, Indianapolis, $1,000

Crawfordsville District Public Library, Crawfordsville, $1,000

Crown Point Community Library, Crown Point, $995

Decatur Central High School, Indianapolis, $991

Decatur Elementary Learning Center Library, Indianapolis, $285

Decatur Middle School, Indianapolis, $882

Delphi Public Library, Delphi, $934

Dubois Branch Library, Dubois, $1,000

Eagle Creek Elementary School, Indianapolis, $993

Eastbrook Elementary School, Indianapolis, $995

Eastern Hancock Community School Corporation, Charlottesville, $948

Eckhart Public Library, Auburn, $354

Edgewood Junior High School Media Center, Ellettsville, $908

Eman Schools, Fishers, $940

Evansville State Hospital, Evansville, $997

Fairview Elementary, Bloomington, $990

Fayette County Public Library, Connersville, $1,000

Flora Public Library, Flora, $1,000

Frankfort Community Public Library, Frankfort, $1,000

Franklin Central High School, Indianapolis, $1,000

Franklin County Public Library District, Brookville, $970

Fulton County Public Library, Rochester, $1,000

Good Samaritan Episcopal Church, Indianapolis, $999

Goshen Public Library, Goshen, $1,000

Grant Line Elementary, New Albany, $290

Greensburg Decatur County Public Library, Greensburg, $1,000

Greenwood Public Library, Greenwood, $1,000

Guerin Catholic High School, Noblesville, $509

Hamilton Heights Middle School, Arcadia, $992

Hanover College Duggan Library, Hanover, $986

Harold and Wilma Good Library Goshen College, Goshen, $982

Harris Academy, Brownsburg, $998

Harrison County Public Library, Corydon, $990

Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, $881

Heritage Christian School, Indianapolis, $1,000

Holy Name of Jesus Catholic School, Beech Grove, $995

Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library, Zionsville, $1,000

Indiana School for Blind and Visually Impaired, Indianapolis, $1,855

Indiana Women’s Prison – Indiana Department of Correction, Indianapolis, $493

Indianapolis Metropolitan High School, Indianapolis, $1,000

IPS/Butler Lab School 55, Indianapolis, $1,000

IUPUI University Library, Indianapolis, $1,000

Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis, $1,000

Ivy Tech Community College, Kokomo, $929

Ivy Tech Community College, Madison, $1,000

Ivy Tech Community College, Sellersburg, $994

Jackson County Public Library, Seymour, $991

Jasper County Public Library, Rensselaer, $995

Jay-Randolph Developmental Services, Inc., Portland, $342

Jeffersonville Township Public Library, Jeffersonville, $1,000

Johnson County Public Library, Franklin, $1,000

Kennedy King Memorial Initiative, Indianapolis, $998

Knapp Elementary School, Michigan City, $961

Knox County Public Library, Vincennes $917

Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, Indianapolis, $761

La Porte County Public Library, La Porte, $999

Lake Ridge Schools, Gary, $1,000

Lapel Elementary/Middle School Library, Lapel, $861

Lawrenceburg Public Library District, Lawrenceburg, $1,000

Legacy Foundation, Merrillville, $1,000

Ligonier Public Library, Ligonier, $1,000

Logansport Junior High School, Logansport, $1,000

Loogootee Public Library, Loogootee, $322

Madison Correctional Facility – Indiana Department of Correction, Indianapolis, $578

Marion Ivy Tech Community College, Marion, $876

Marion Public Library, Marion, $1,000

Marlin Elementary School, Bloomington, $417

Jackson Creek Middle School, Bloomington, $1,000

Melton Public Library, French Lick, $1,000

Merrillville Community Schools, Merrillville, $1,000

Miami Correctional Facility – Indiana Department of Correction, Indianapolis, $1,000

Michigan City Area Schools, Michigan City, $996

Monon Town and Township Public Library, Monon, $1,000

Monroe County Public Library, Bloomington, $742

Moreau College Initiative at Holy Cross College, Notre Dame, $1,000

Morgan County Public Library, Martinsville, $941

MSD Pike Township—Guion Creek Elementary, Indianapolis, $999

Muncie Public Library, Muncie, $1,000

New Augusta Public Academy – South Library, Indianapolis, $1,000

Noblesville West Middle School, Noblesville, $962

North Central High School, Indianapolis, $997

North Manchester Public Library, North Manchester, $992

Orchard Park Elementary, Indianapolis, $560

Owen County Public Library, Spencer, $1,000

Owensville Carnegie Public Library, Owensville, $568

Pendleton Heights Middle School, Pendleton, $1,000

Pike County Public Library, Petersburg, $995

Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library, Plainfield, $711

Purdue University Black Cultural Center, West Lafayette, $1,000

Putnam County Public Library, Greencastle, $981

Randolph Eastern School Corp. Union City, $878

Rensselaer Central High School, Rensselaer, $448

Rockville Correctional Facility – Indiana Department of Correction, Indianapolis, $478

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, $993

Rousseau McClellan, Indianapolis, $993

Rushville Public Library, Rushville, $569

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, St. Mary of the Woods, $1,000

School on Wheels, Indianapolis, $997

Shelby County Public Library, Shelbyville, $994

Shelbyville High School, Shelbyville, $987

Sheridan Public Library, Sheridan, $1,000

Silver Creek High School Library, Sellersburg, $988

Southwest Indiana Regional Youth Village, Vincennes, $663

Speedway Public Library, Indianapolis, $456

Springs Valley Community Schools, French Lick, $994

St. Joseph County Public Library, South Bend, $999

Stephen Decatur Elementary, Indianapolis, $285

Study Elementary School, Fort Wayne, $1,000

Taylor School Corporation, Kokomo, $1,000

The Trustees of Indiana University, Bloomington, $1,000

Tippecanoe School Corporation (High), Lafayette, $1,000

Tippecanoe School Corporation (Middle), Lafayette, $994

Tipton Community Schools, Tipton, $954

Tri-North Middle School Library, Bloomington, $1,000

Tyson Library Association, Inc., Versailles, $1,000

University Elementary School, Bloomington, $997

Valley Mills Elementary, Indianapolis, $285

Vigo County Public Library, Terre Haute, $1,000

Walton Public Library, Walton, $108

Warren Central High School, Indianapolis, $956

West Lafayette Public Library, West Lafayette, $1,000

West Newton Elementary School, West Newton, $285

Westfield Washington Public Library, Westfield, $1,000

Westlake Elementary School, Indianapolis, $999

Westville-New Durham Township Public Library, Westville, $852

York Elementary Media Center, Bristol, $956

Zionsville Middle School, Zionsville, $998

To view the list of materials that could be purchased with the grants, visit https://indianahumanities.org/racialequity.  Shop the booklist here.