Beyond books: IndyPL branches out across neighborhoods

Indianapolis Public Library opened its new stand-alone Glendale Branch in Broad Ripple March 30, 2024. Originally the country’s first full-service library in a major shopping mall, the Glendale Branch closed its doors at the Glendale Mall in February 2024 and broke ground on a new 24,000-square-foot facility at the site of former John Strange Elementary School. RELATED: Misty Copeland addresses next generation of dancers at McFadden Memorial Lecture “I think it’s a wonderful thing that they found use for this space, and it’s so big. My son and I wanted to see the new library and see what events and services they have, since he’s growing up and he’ll be in middle school soon,” said Samantha Knox, a Broad Ripple resident. She has brought her son to numerous library openings because they love visiting libraries. The library has been a safe space for Knox to help her son learn new things and expand his horizons through more than just books. Knox is hoping that the stand-alone library becomes her son’s new safe space, since it is right up the street. Within the last three years, new branches have been popping up across different neighborhoods in the city, offering different areas...