This workshop will walk participants through the full lifecycle of a successful community placemaking project, from grant award to ribbon cutting. Jaime Pitt, Director of the Marion Public Library, and Kelsey Winters, Project Lead, will share their firsthand experiences obtaining a Community Placemaking Grant and partnering with Project for Public Spaces (PPS) to reimagine the library’s outdoor courtyard. Presenters will discuss the project process from design to implementation, and how meaningful community engagement and collaboration shaped this public space from start to finish. The session will conclude with lessons learned and insights on celebrating the completed project with the community, offering practical guidance and takeaways for libraires and organizations undertaking similar placemaking initiatives.
Date Recorded: 5/13/2026
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenters: Jaime Pitt, Director and Kelsey Winters, Head of Museum Services & Special Projects / Marion Public Library & History Center
Resources:
- From Grant to Gathering Place pdf of slides
Join director Nicki Kirchoff on a recorded tour of her new library, inside the Love Community Center of Rushville, Indiana. This event will be hosted by Meg Pool from the Indiana State Library, and the tour will showcase the new Rushville Public Library, the Love Community Center’s other services inside the building, and the Love Community Center’s background. As we navigate the future, Nicki will share why this special opportunity to be part of Rushville’s community center was the best decision for them, and how it has impacted the community they serve. Come join us, and bring your questions!
Hear about the programs that have influenced one library’s community, including diversifying collections, creating spaces for different age groups, implementing food security programs, getting outside of library walls, implementing 24-hour book pickup, and offering take-home crafts, all on a small budget in a small building. You’ll look at how some of the programs were planned and work together as a team to share successful programs and identify other ways to make big changes with small adjustments.
Rebuilding and serving after catastrophic events at the Eckhart Public Library in 2017.
With energy prices constantly on the rise, it can be difficult to plan for the financial stability of the library. How can you make headway without cutting staff or essential collections and services? Let the sun help! Going solar is an environmentally sustainable way for your library to stabilize energy expenses and benefit cash flow. Join Stori Snyder from the Brown County Public Library and Lynn Hobbs from the Pendleton Community Public Library as they walk you through their solar projects. Learn how to secure funding and design a project that can put a significant dent in your energy costs, or maybe even get rid of them entirely.
Are you a new library director? Do you find yourself with suddenly more responsibilities for your systems facilities? Join this panel of directors for a discussion about facilities management for libraries of all sizes and regions of Indiana.