Nappanee Public Library Releases 2021 Annual Report
News Release
NAPPANEE — Nappanee Public Library, 157 N. Main St., celebrated its centennial year in 2021, having first opened its doors Feb. 5, 1921.
When the library first opened, it had 200 books in the collection while serving a population of 2,678. A century later, Nappanee Public Library has more than 80,000 items in its collection and serves a community of more than 10,000.
During 2021, the Nappanee Public Library saw 84,983 items borrowed, a 15% increase, including 40,789 children’s items, 11,811 digital items and 869 interlibrary loans borrowed.
The library issued 570 new library cards to new users. Door counts showed there were 75,188 visitors, a 21% increase over 2020.
In reading challenges there were 806,611 total minutes read by 521 active readers.
The library had 3,432 followers on social media while there were 56,525 total wireless internet users, a 129% increase, and 57,734 website visitors, a 107% increase.
“Evies History Bytes” podcast had 824 total listens. The library hosted 351 programs, 154 kids programs. Those programs had 4,509 patrons in attendance with 2,990 kids in attendance of children’s program. There were 719 take and make activities distributed.
The library also celebrated the grand opening of the Doug Grant Family Gallery, featuring artist Emma Schrock, which opened on July 24, at the Evelyn Lehman Culp Heritage Collection, located at 302 W. Market St., Nappanee.
At the end of 2021 and its centennial year, the Nappanee Public Library commissioned a time to be built. The time capsule sits in the library and will be opened in 2121.
Library staff have their eyes on a bright future as they create a library to serve the community for the next 100 years.