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Main & South
Mon-Thu:
Fri-Sat:
Sun:
9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m
2:00p.m.-5:30 p.m
Russiaville
Mon/Tue/Thu:
Wed:
Fri/Sat:
Sun:
9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
Closed
9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
2:00p.m.-5:30 p.m

*Russiaville is closed Wednesdays

Hours Today

Main & South:

Russiaville:

There’s an old saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder. The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library is finding that to be true right now.

The bad news is that due to COVID-19, KHCPL is closed temporarily; however, the good news is that many people in the community are realizing just how much they miss us and our services.

“We’ve had people ask us if there’s a way they can get a KHCPL card online so they can be taking advantage of all the wonderful digital resources we have while they’re home from school and work,” said KHCPL Director of Marketing Lisa Fipps. “Whereas up until now we’ve required people to show identification and come to a KHCPL location in person to get a card, we’re suspending that, temporarily.”

So, if you want a card, but do not have one, you can now get one by going to khcpl.org/ecard and filling out the NEW! GET A KHCPL LIBRARY CARD ONLINE form. You need to live in one of the following townships in Howard County: Center, Taylor, Howard, Clay, Ervin, Harrison, Honey Creek, or Monroe. KHCPL will send you a library card and PIN number, and then email it to you. The card will be good for 60 days. Upon KHCPL’s reopening, we invite you to come by the library to show your identification to keep the card active.

“KHCPL, like all businesses and organizations, is finding all kinds of ways to adapt in this unprecedented time and still stay customer-focused,” Fipps said. “We appreciate Kayla Skiles, Head of Circulation, and the IT Department for making this happen.”

To stay abreast of KHCPL news and resources, make sure you follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

As a reminder, here are some other changes KHCPL’s made, to date, to serve you:

  • We have extended to May 1 the expiration date of any cards that will be expiring while we’re closed so that you can continue to download books, music, magazines, movies, and more without any disruption in service.
  • Also, to serve you better, if your KHCPL card expired in 2019, and you didn’t get to the library to renew it before we had to close temporarily, that’s not a problem. All cards that expired in 2019 have been automatically renewed until May 1 – even if you have fines or your account is in collections.
  • We have also extended the due date to Monday, April 20, for all items currently checked out.
  • Also, to serve the community better during this challenging time, we are temporarily increasing the number of HOOPLA items you can check out per month per library card to 15. HOOPLA is a digital streaming service for library cardholders to access ebooks, audiobooks, music, movies, and TV shows using portable devices, such as smartphones and tablets. You can do that from anywhere.
  • KHCPL’s partner vendors, such as Scholastic, are responding to the COVID-19 crisis and offering services as well. For example, Scholastic Learn at Home provides day-by-day projects, based on grade level, to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing with cross-curricular journeys. Each day includes four separate learning experiences, each built around a story or video. Kids can do them on their own or with their families. You can access that with KHCPL’s website, KHCPL.org.

KHCPL offers a great deal of FREE resources, in addition to HOOPLA and Scholastic, that people can access from home using their KHCPL card. Just go to KHCPL.org and click on “Research” and then “All databases” to see the full list.

Here are some of the more popular ones:

  • Overdrive: It allows you to borrow ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and streaming videos free from KHCPL library to enjoy on your mobile device or computer. You can read, listen, or watch instantly, or download the materials for later offline usage.
  • Lynda.com: It’s a library of over 4,000 different video courses for different skill levels. Subjects covered include business, photography, information technology, and web and social media.
  • Creativebug: It offers more than 1,000 award-winning art and craft video classes taught by recognized experts and artists. Classes including using a Cricut, sewing, drawing, jewelry-making, painting, and more.
  • Flipster Magazine and RBdigital Magazines: Both of these allow you to browse magazines online. FREE!
  • Freegal Music: You can download free music, up to three songs per week. Songs are yours to keep and can transfer them to any portable device.
  • Howard County Memory Project: If you like researching your ancestry, this provides digital access to the historical, genealogical, and personal memories associated with Howard County.
  • Mango Languages: Learn a new language FREE. It prepares learners for realistic conversations and strengthens everyday communication skills in over 70 world languages, including English.
  • National Geographic Kids: It offers kids accurate and age-appropriate content focusing on science, nature, culture, archaeology, and space.
  • Universal Class: It provides unlimited access to continuing education courses, covering a broad range of topics.
  • ChiltonLibrary: It provides access to repair, maintenance, and service information on the most popular cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs on the road today, as well as many new vehicles.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email Fipps at lfipps@KHCPL.org or contact us via social media.