Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library Has Much to Celebrate
May 2022
The year 2022 is a monumental year for the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library (HMMPL). The HMMPL Foundation will host its popular Book Ball event, marking 60 years since the original Book Ball fundraiser was hosted by Psi Iota Xi to benefit the library. Formalized as a 501(c)(3) in 1998, the HMMPL Foundation’s sole purpose is to support HMMPL and its vast array of programs and services.
To date, the foundation has surpassed $1 million in grants to HMMPL and continues to donate thousands of dollars each year to support technical, logistical and outreach initiatives.
This year’s Book Ball will feature many ways to support HMMPL, including a yet-to-be-determined Fund-a-Need item specifically for the library’s new second location, currently under construction.
Meeting the Needs of a Growing Community
HMMPL is immensely proud of its offerings that it provides to its cardholders throughout its service area and is excited about the expansion of that service area with the forthcoming grand opening of its new branch located in Worth Township.
I spoke with both Sarah Moore, executive director of HMMPL, and Jamia Alexander Ball, Whitestown branch manager at HMMPL, about the current status of the Whitestown Branch that is located at 6310 East Albert S. White Drive in Whitestown. The Whitestown branch grand opening is projected to take place during the summer of 2023. Meanwhile, HHMPL is providing a diverse menu of programs, including its summer reading program, Dive Into Reading, that runs from May 25–July 23.
“When I first came to HMMPL, one of my major goals was to put into the forefront of our conversations that we are a place where people can gather, connect to each other and provide resources for the community,” Moore said. “We were working on our current strategic plan [2020–2023] back in 2019, and we talked with the community about what they wanted and needed. That ‘connection’ piece came up again and again. We’re making sure that we’re meeting people where they are, meeting the diverse needs of our community, and we’ve put a lot of effort into doing that. We want everyone to feel more connected to each other, and that’s part of what we do—we help develop those connections.”
Alexander Ball added, “We’re going to have a lot of programs in conjunction with the summer reading program, and we will have other large events throughout the summer before our finale at the end. So, we’ve got lots of things planned that include a book signing with [Zionsville resident] Rob Harrell, who will come to both the Zionsville location and to the Whitestown Boys and Girls Club. That will be exciting to have him come, and we’ll do some fun activities along with the book signing of his latest book.”
In addition to these events, Alexander Ball shared, “Our finale is going to be a Touch-a-Truck [event]. Everyone loves Touch-a-Truck. We’re going to have Grace Food Truck, and people will be able to purchase breakfast and lunch for that.”
An Age-Old Institution Offering Modern Amenities
As the libraries throughout our nation continue to evolve and find new ways to connect their communities as well as remain a repository for timeless and treasured collections, HMMPL is thrilled to bring the library to people via its Bookmobile.
“We are going through our entire service district: Eagle, Union and Worth Townships,” Moore shared. “We’re hitting more places in Worth and Union [Townships] because those are areas that aren’t so near to us, and it’s helping to get the awareness out about what we’re doing and that the [Whitestown] branch is coming!”
Moore and Alexander Ball spoke about how HMMPL is partnering with the respective towns’ parks and recreation departments, collaborating with them on programing and looking at how they can participate at community events such as farmers markets and Earth Day celebrations, etc.
If your organization, HOA, senior community or educational center would like the HMMPL Bookmobile to visit you, please contact the staff at HMMPL and let them know. They are looking for more areas to visit this year!
As we spoke about the new branch and what it will offer the community upon its completion, Alexander Ball shared that the trails and outdoor spaces will be a treasure trove for new and creative programing that the branch in Zionsville is limited on providing due to its small footprint. Alexander Ball mentioned that she is looking forward to the Whitestown Branch offering ecological programs, citizen science programs and other community-minded and innovative programs.
“We can do a ton of things in that open space and along the trails,” Alexander Ball said. “We can host outdoor movies and utilize the outdoor space in creative ways. The back porch area is going to be a great place to just read and host book clubs out there. This is all going to be really exciting.”
Save the Date
Tickets are now available for this year’s Book Ball that will take place on Aug. 20, 2022! Please join us in supporting the HMMPL Foundation, which supports HMMPL’s programs and services!
Purchase tickets online at https://www.hmmplfoundation.org/events-1.
Writer:
Janelle Morrison
Photography:
Submitted