By Susan Fisher, PR Supervisor at Muncie Public Library—
MUNCIE, IN—Muncie Public Library (MPL) is celebrating 150 years of providing library services to the Muncie and Center Township community. MPL will mark its sesquicentennial throughout 2025 with a variety of events for the public, including parties, programs focused on MPL’s history, a unique anniversary library card, and the creation of a new long-range plan to chart the future of MPL.
“I am relatively new to MPL,” said Alan Kornblau, MPL Library Director, who has led the library system since March of 2024, “but it is obvious to see the rich history of this organization and the important role it serves throughout this community.”
Kornblau also noted that a sesquicentennial celebration is often jokingly referred to as a “sasquatch centennial” and MPL will include some fun sasquatch surprises at each of the planned events. “We will also have a passport-type card for participants to get stamped at each of the anniversary activities to earn a souvenir item at the final event.” Kornblau added that MPL’s Connection Corner, a high-tech resource center, recently added a sublimation machine to create imprinted items, allowing the souvenirs to be created in-house.
For historical context, MPL began in 1875 as a reading room inside the Muncie City Building. The Muncie Weekly Newsreported on the opening and noted that, “The reading room of the Muncie Library opened last Saturday morning, January 9, 1875 at 8 o’clock.” The report included the names of the citizens who were the first visitors. It also reported on the misbehavior of young boys in the library and chastised them with the following, “Boys who visit the room are supposed to go there for the purpose of reading, and as such will enter quietly and orderly and remain so as long as they remain in the room.”
In 1901, the City of Muncie received $55,000 from industrialist and philanthropist, Andrew
Carnegie. The foundation for the new Carnegie Library was built in 1902 with that date carved into the stone foundation. The Carnegie Library was dedicated and opened on January 1, 1904. It is Muncie’s oldest public building and has been in continuous use as a library for 121 years. Remodeled in 2001, many of the building’s historic architectural elements were preserved, including exterior Ionic columns carved from Indiana limestone, grand interior columns, and a beautiful stained-glass dome.
Today, Muncie Public Library is a system of four libraries: Carnegie Library, Connection Corner, Kennedy Library, and Maring-Hunt Library. The MPL mission is to provide accessible and innovative services responding to the reading, informational, educational, and enrichment needs of the community. MPL is a public (local government) organization primarily supported through Center Township property taxes and a variety of grants, partnerships with other community resources, private donations, and the fundraising efforts of the Friends of Muncie Public Library.
Each branch will host an event each quarter of the year to showcase their facility, and the services provided. The year will culminate with a party at the historical Carnegie Library and will coincide with the November 2025 First Thursday event.
Kennedy Library (which is also celebrating its own 60-year anniversary) will kick off the celebrations on Friday, February 7 from 4-6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and will feature an open house, music from America’s Hometown Band, displays, and light refreshments.
More information about the events and opportunities for public input regarding a new MPL long-range plan will be made available through the library website at www.munpl.org. For imprinting information, call Connection Corner at (765) 747-8216.