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About The Library

Shelby County Public Library with a classic facade, dome, and columns, against a blue sky.
Shelbyville Branch

Mission Statement of the Shelby County Public Library

The Shelby County Public Library is a community resource committed to promoting life-long learning and facilitating discovery.

A quaint, white storefront with large windows, under a clear sky.
Carnegie East Wing

Value Statement

We will be a partner in the community where all residents can thrive in an inspiring and welcoming environment. We will strive continuously to improve services and maintain a secure place for study, research, work, reflection, and interaction.

Values

  1. Access: All information resources should be readily, equally, and equitably accessible to all library users.
  2. Community Connections: The library will partner with other community agencies to support our community.
  3. Diversity: We strive to provide a full spectrum of resources and services to the communities we serve.
  4. Innovation: The library will strive continuously to look for the best new and different ways to service our community.
  5. Intellectual Freedom: We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor the library resources.
  6. Preservation: We support the preservation of information published in all formats.
  7. Professionalism: The library shall have qualified personnel who have been educated in library practices.
  8. Service: The library strives to train staff to have excellent customer service skills and to provide services of varied interests.
An old postcard of the Carnegie Public Library in Shelbyville, Indiana, with classical architecture and steps leading up to it.
An old postcard of the original Carnegie Library.

About Shelby County Public Library

  • The Shelby County Public Library is a Class A Library and a member of the Evergreen Consortium. We have two branches; one in Shelbyville and one in Morristown. The Shelbyville library was built in 1903, and we added the Morristown Branch in 2012.
  • We have 11,831 issued cards as of the end of 2022. There are 34,905 residents 18+, which means 34% of County residents have been issued a card since 2012.
  • We circulate roughly 3,000 items per month. About half of those are fiction, one-third are non-fiction, and one-sixth are other media such as BluRay/DVD/CD.            
  • The population of Shelby County is 45,039; of that, 77.5 % are 18 + years of age, meaning 34,905 residents are age 18+.
  • Shelby County is made up of the city of Shelbyville, surrounding smaller towns, and rural areas.
  • A branch location in Morristown, Indiana, serves a population of about 1,300.
  • The Shelby County Public Library staff is currently composed of about 35 people among three buildings on two campuses.
  • Shelby County Public Library offers many programs for adults, teens, and children, ranging from story times, book discussions, and how-to programs. Also offered are entertainment programs.
  • Services include faxing, copying, scanning, notary services, genealogy searches, outreach/homebound deliveries, room rentals, and more.