The Ellettsville Branch was recently awarded a Growing Together mini grant of $1,500 in association with Purdue Extension–Monroe County!

Ellettsville Branch Garden

The garden was created as part of the Branch’s 2019 renovation. The garden was funded in part by a grant from the Smithville Charitable Foundation to install raised garden beds and a bench and provide resources to begin gardening programming.

In the first growing season of 2019, four raised beds and a grow tower produced tomatoes, basil, squash, green peppers, and various micro greens! The produce was donated to Pantry 279, a local food pantry serving the Ellettsville community.

The garden was closed in 2020 due to the pandemic, but reopened in 2021 to produce a harvest of tomatoes and basil!

  Read more about Ellettsville Branch Awarded Gardening Grant

In March we asked children to create original artwork using the theme of our summer reading games––Oceans of Possibilities! As usual, you did not disappoint, submitting over 70 pieces of artwork to the contest!

Our staff members were pleased to receive so many creative and imaginative entries.

“It certainly made the decision tough––we ended up choosing six winners!” said Ginny Hosler, a librarian, and the contest’s programmer.

The six winning pieces will be made into collectible summer reading prize bookmarks. Children who participate in the games will receive a bookmark as their 10-point prize.

But we’re not stopping there! “There were so many great submissions that we decided to showcase all of the entries at the Downtown Library this summer. We hope everyone will come and see just how creative our community is!” Hosler said. Read more about Youth Art Month Contest

On Saturday, February 5 from 7–8:15 PM, The Friends of the Library and Monroe County Public Library will host award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater as part of the biennial “Power of Words: Changing Our World One Author at a Time” programming series. The talk is free and open to the public. 

Listen to the internationally acclaimed author, who gives voice to African American life through more than 30 books, ranging from children’s picture books to young adult literature to adult novels. Woodson is a National Book Award Winner for Young People’s Literature for her New York Times bestselling memoir “Brown Girl Dreaming”, among many other awards. The doors will open at 6:30 PM and tickets are not required. Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test is required per the Buskirk-Chumley Theater’s policy. Read more about Celebrating Black Voices: Jacqueline Woodson & Coretta Scott King Awards Exhibit

November is National Family Literacy Month––an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the important role that families play in the education of their children. This month we encourage you to explore our literacy resources and visit the Library with your family!

Family Literacy Month Giveaway

One of our favorite sets of children’s book characters is the timeless Frog and Toad. Arnold Lobel wrote and illustrated countless children’s books and received several awards for his work, including a Caldecott Medal, two Caldecott Honors, and a Newbery Honor.

In support of Family Literacy Month, we’re giving away 40 copies of the classic early reader, Frog and Toad are Friends. We are also giving away two gift cards for a pair of one adult and one child tickets to Cardinal Stage's upcoming production of A Year with Frog and Toad! Read more about Family Literacy Month

Spooky season is upon us and we’re here for it! This October our calendar is packed with Halloween events for all ages. Join us for a month of creepy crafts, murder mysteries, and lots of haunting stories! Read more about Halloween Fun at the Library