Who’s Awesome! – Julia Phipps
Congratulations, Julia Phipps!
Julia Phipps, affectionately known by staff as Julie, is HCPL’s first Who’s Awesome! winner. Julia works as a reference assistant and was one of twenty-two staff members nominated in January.
Tiffany Thieneman, public services manager, nominated Julia for the award stating, “Julie was awesome when we had a patron in reference who had a medical issue. Julie’s nursing experience came in handy as she assessed the patron’s condition. Julie stayed calm and was able to provide EMS with information regarding the situation. I was glad Julie was there to help!”
Julia joined the reference staff at Main October 25, 2021.
Each month a winner will be selected by random drawing. A quarterly winner and nominator will receive a small prize in addition to the recognition.
Other staff members nominated in January were Amanda Applegate, Nikki Esarey, Ann Allen, Eden Ransdell, Sandy Harbeson, Melissa Schellenberger, Ann Crecelius, Vee Colantonio, Lynn Hardesty, Bethany Banet, Savannah Wallace, Seren Lindsey, Debbie McClanahan, Steven Schifcar, Liz Dennis, Trevor Smith, Kelly Powell, Alisa Burch, Jessica Stroud, Sarah Dorton and Pat Schwartz.
Article by Alisa Burch, Director
The Results Are In! Read to Feed Harrison County 2023
Harrison County Public Library is excited to announce that 30,418 books were read for the #WinterRead2023 Read to Feed Harrison County Winter Challenge during the month of January. This is more than three times the original goal of 9,500 books! 1,789 readers participated, including 1,428 students.
Thanks to the hard work of the community, Harrison County Community Services will receive 100 cases of chicken from Tyson, $1,000 from Duke Energy, $200 from REMC, and a $75 gift from Walmart.
Missed out on the challenge? 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is always open for children from birth through Pre-K. Track your reading with Beanstack or pick up a memory book from any library branch. Try out HCPL’s new app to access eResources and more.
If you have participated in a reading challenge with us before, you already have a Beanstack account. The library will assist you if you have any difficulties logging on.
TALK – Text and Learn for Kindergarten
TALK is made possible by the Indiana State Library and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Harrison County Public Library is excited to provide TALK – Text And Learn for Kindergarten to our residents. TALK is an early literacy texting program for parents and caregivers of young children. Diana Lasky of Youth Services stated, “Our director Alisa Burch has always looked for ways to encourage early literacy practices at home. This is the perfect way to put early literacy tips directly into the hands of all caregivers. Anyone can use TALK, no library affiliation is required.”
Interested adults may sign up to receive 2 messages per week with fun activities to do at home to help prepare little ones, ages 5 and under, for school success.
To register, simply:
- Text TALK to 75547 or go to TALK
- Provide the child’s birthdate and zip code
- Choose your language: English or Spanish
(2 children maximum per phone number)
You’re all set! You may opt out at anytime.
HCPL staff are happy to help if you need assistance with registration.
Feel free to contact the library at 812-738-4110 for assistance or information.
Gingerbread Man Puppet Show & Fun – Dec. 3, 2022
by Diana Lasky
Harrison County Public Library Palmyra Branch employee Nikki Essary and her family presented The Gingerbread Man Puppet Show at the Harrison County Boys & Girls Club. Many puppet characters chased the runaway “naughty” cookie hoping to be the one to get a bite. After the puppet show, children visited fun stations where they could make a puppet, decorate a cookie and decorate a gingerbread playhouse.
HCPL Corydon Youth Services Assistant Ann Allen helped children decorate and make a gingerbread man marionette puppet. It was amazing to see all the gingerbread puppets dancing and running away!
R.S.V.P. volunteer Charlotte Adams helped children decorate and cut out paper candies to decorate the gingerbread house. The children enjoyed playing in the house as much as decorating it! Visit the Corydon Branch to add more decorations to the house or to play and read in the house.
Teen volunteer Zada Taul and Diana Lasky of HCPL monitored the cookie decorating stations where children were very creative with their frosting and candies. The cookies were delicious however, not many cookies made it out the door. It was a fun-filled day to kick off the holiday season.
Read to Feed Harrison County 2023
Want to help out your community this New Year? Sunday, January 1 is the first day of #WinterRead2023 – READ TO FEED HARRISON COUNTY! The challenge is open to all ages, January 1 – 31. The goal is to read 9500 books as a community. If the goal is reached, Harrison County Community Services will receive 100 cases of chicken from Tyson, $1,000 from Duke Energy, $200 from REMC, and a $75 gift from Walmart. Canned food will be collected at all branches.
During the Winter Reading Challenge, everything counts! Books, eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines can be used from any source, library or personal. Try out HCPL’s new app to access eResources and more. Track your reading with Beanstack to earn emoji-themed badges and explore fun activities. You are challenged to read at least 10 books in the month of January to unlock the badges.
If you have participated in a reading challenge with us before, you already have a Beanstack account. The library will assist you if you have any difficulties logging on. If you do not want a Beanstack account, the library will be happy to log your reading for you. Just stop in at any library branch to pick up a Winter Read bookmark. HELP READ TO FEED HARRISON COUNTY!
Day of the Death Notices (and more!)
by Kathy Fisher, Head of Genealogy
During October, staff at the Frederick Porter Griffin Center have been diligently celebrating Family History Month.
Didn’t make it in to see us? Don’t worry – you can continue the celebration anytime, any day by visiting the FPG Center for Genealogy and Local History page. 
Be sure to check out our newly-updated Master Obituary Index! We’ve added over 100 pages of new entries spanning all years pre-1900 up to 2020, made many clerical corrections, and streamlined the “Unknowns” section at the beginning (so even if you have previously unsuccessfully searched for a person in the Index, be sure to check again)! The improved “Disclaimer, Key, and Tips” at the beginning offers assistance to better navigate the document.
We also recently uploaded new digital content including Heth and Jackson Township Justice Dockets and Group Photos.
Coming Up Soon: Keep an eye out for the next digital collection featuring Posey Township Teacher’s Registers from the early 1900s!
Keep digging!
Elizabeth Branch Celebrates 10th Anniversary
The Elizabeth Branch of the Harrison County Public Library will be celebrating their 10th anniversary October 31 – November 5. The Elizabeth Branch held their open house on Sunday, October 28, 2012 with cake, balloons, and a grand 
celebration for our community. The following day, Monday, October 29, 2012, the branch opened to the public and patrons were able to sign up for library cards and check out materials at the Elizabeth Branch for the first time.
Highlights from our 10 years include: honoring our military at Memorial Day and Veterans Day every year with our Hero Wall and Hero Tree, celebrating the town of Elizabeth’s bicentennial, all of the delicious Cooking Academy creations with Ms. Pat, book signings with our local authors, weekly Storytime fun with Ms. Sara, many fun Summer Reading themes (our favorites: Libraries Rock!, Indiana Bicentennial, Oceans of Possibilities), solar eclipse party, and Christmas family photo days.
Services provided by the Elizabeth Branch of the Harrison County Public Library stretch far beyond books. The Elizabeth Branch has 8 patron computers, copy machine, fax machine, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, audio books on CD, notary services, children and teen materials, children’s storytime, and so much more. At the Elizabeth Branch we are happy and proud to serve our patrons in the southern part of Harrison County. Stop in and visit the Elizabeth Branch today and help us celebrate our 10th anniversary!
Self-checkout station now available at Corydon Branch
The self-checkout station at the Corydon branch was made possible by a grant from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Harrison County Public Library installed a user-friendly station near the entrance of the Corydon branch to enable users to check out their own materials.
To check out, simply:
- Scan your library card or user barcode in the HCPL app
- Scan the HCPL barcode on each item
- Scan the QR code provided to print your receipt
You’re all set!
HCPL staff are happy to help if you would like assistance using the self-checkout station, or if you would prefer that they check out your items at the circulation desk.
A few guidelines for using the self-checkout station:
- You may use only your own card for self check.
- DVD’s and hotspots must be checked out by staff at the checkout desk.
- If you have available holds, please see the staff at the checkout desk so that they may pull them and check them out to your account.
Don’t yet have your Harrison County Public Library card? Apply for a library card or renew your existing card online or at your local HCPL branch.
A Monstrously Fun Storytime!
Our library friends had a monstrously fun time singing and dancing at Move & Groove Storytime last week. Check out the amazing shape monsters we designed! If you’d like to make a shape monster of your own, the program will repeat on Thursday, October 20 at 6 p.m. You can sign up online or by calling the library at 812-738-4110.
