SIL - Jan/Feb 2019

Libraries have provided a myriad
of resources throughout the
years, enabling patrons to become
knowledgeable about everything
from alchemy to Zanzibar. Past methods
for attaining information included digging
through card catalogs to locate the
right book or periodical to suit our needs.
Yet with the advent of modern technology
and personal computers, tablets, smartphones
and the Internet, people have
moved away from heading to their local
library and do a majority of research from
the comfort of their own home.
But it’s rather diffcult to accomplish
projects at your kitchen table if you can’t
get a reliable wireless connection. And
that’s the case in certain areas of Southern
Indiana. Many of the residents in the rural
spots of Floyd and Clark counties aren’t
able to receive a satisfactory wireless connection,
and even struggle to get proper
cell service. Thankfully, the Floyd County
Library System has come to the rescue
with a new location.
On Sept. 8, the community welcomed
the Galena Digital Library. Here,
patrons can easily access the Internet and
download books, movies, music and audio
files to their personal devices. They
can also check out tablets and use them at
the library, and they even have good oldfashioned
books, too.
The digital library is on U.S. Highway
150 in a quaint, historic two-story
house built in 1843. The home has the
ambiance of a cute gingerbread cottage
where your great-great-great grandparents
might have lived. Though the house
is 175 years old, the interior is fit for modern
times. The completion of this project
is due to the dedication of Floyd County
Library director Melissa Merida and Galena
Digital Library lead Brenda Kennedy-Snyder,
along with their team of hardworking
employees. The library started
as a dream and evolved into an amazing
reality.
“We’ve tried to think out of the
box, and how can we provide services to
the community and really identify their
needs,” Merida said. The digital branch
fell right in line with their objective to
reach more patrons.
“When I first came to the library system,
I knew that we had a very large issue
with our population that live where I call
‘up the hill’ — our rural areas that don’t
have connectivity,” she said. “Even in the
major subdivisions, they cannot get the
connection that they need because of the
geographic layout of the land.”
Her goal was to find a way to combine
connectivity and deliver resources.
“Libraries aren’t just books and mortar
anymore,” Merida said. “We have a lot
of digital services, but if you can’t connect
to the Internet, then you can’t even
utilize the digital services.” For example,
the library has 92 databases available, but
those without Internet are missing out on
this benefit.
Building a new library would have
been costly, but by utilizing the historic
home (which was donated to the library),
along with existing library resources and
monetary contributions, the project was
on a trajectory toward success.
“The county funded the remodel of
the building and getting it ready for us,”
Merida said. “We also had a bequest to
the library from the estate of June P. Cutler,
and that amount was enough to completely
outfit the branch. Every time I tell
the story, I get goosebumps.”
Cutler worked for New Albany
High School for more than 40 years as the
principal’s secretary and was very well
known in the education community. She
left her estate to the humane society, to
start a scholarship fund for nursing students
and to the library.
“It was just a wonderful bequest that
we had no idea was headed our way,” Merida
said. “They gave us $70,000 to do the
project. We were able to buy all of the furniture
and the equipment.”
Merida said that the first time she
saw the house on a cold, icy day in the
winter, she thought the place looked pret-
The digital library is on U.S.
Highway 150 in a quaint, historic
two-story house built in 1843.
The home has the ambiance
of a cute gingerbread cottage
where your great-great-great
grandparents might have lived.
Jan/Feb 2019 • 31