Indiana State Library and Historical Building

Infobox_nrhp | name =Indiana State Library and Historical Building
nrhp_type =


caption =
location= Indianapolis, Indiana
lat_degrees = 39 | lat_minutes = 46 | lat_seconds = 10.55 | lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 86 | long_minutes = 9 | long_seconds = 49.66 | long_direction = W
area =
built =1934
architect= Pierre, Edward Dienhart Joseph; Wright, George Caleb
architecture= Classical Revival, Art Deco
added = March 03, 1995
governing_body = State
refnum=95000207 cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]

The Indiana State Library and Historical Building is a public library building, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the largest public library in the state of Indiana housing over 60,000 manuscripts. Established in 1934, the library has gathered a large collection of books a vast variety of topics.

History

The Indiana State Library and Historical Building,has been open to the public since 1934.

The first attempts to have a state library started when Indiana was still a territory with its capital in Corydon, making it the oldest agency of the Indiana government. [ [http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/isl/history/islhist.html The Indiana State Library and Historical Building ] ] However, the first actual Indiana state library would not be opened until the capital had moved to Indianapolis, starting on February 11, 1825, with the secretary of state acting as librarian. In 1867 the library's law books were transfered to the Supreme Court to begin the Supreme Court Law Library which has grown to seventy-thousand volumes. [cite web|url=http://www.in.gov/judiciary/library/about.html|title=Supreme Court Law Library|publisher=IN.gov|accessdate=2008-08-08] The library became its own institution in 1841. The State Board of Education gained control of the library in 1895, with the Department of Education gaining control in 1933. Between 1895-1933, the library amassed more material than it had in all its previous existence. Originally, the Library was only for the use of state employees and government officials. After assigning a two-cent tax to attain funds in 1929, and having architects send proposals for a new building in 1931.

In 1934, when the current building was opened, the public in large were allowed to use it. The building is made of Indiana limestone, sandstone, and walnut. Interior features include brass accents, fanciful murals, walnut-paneled walls, stained glass windows, and woodcarvings.

The library has six main divisions: Braille, Genealogy, Government Services, Library Development, State History, and State Demographics.

A 1993 inventory of the library's holdings included 60,000 books and pamphlets, 3,500 collected manuscripts, 1,500,000 images, and 1,000 maps. Some of this included not only the history of Indiana, but that of the Old Northwest as well. [Bodenhamer, David. "The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis" p.739, 740]

It has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1995.

The Indiana Historical Bureau has a home at the library. Founded in 1915 as the Indiana Historical Commission, its initial purpose was to prepare for the centennial of Indiana's statehood. The Bureau largely concentrates on the placement of new historical markers across Indiana and encourage education in Indiana history. The bureau runs a gift shop at the Library.

References

* [http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/index.html Official Site]

External links

* [http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/indianapolis/index.htm Indianapolis, a National Park Service "Discover Our Shared Heritage" Travel Itinerary]