Local History & Genealogy Center

A Unique Library

Beginnings

Construction and Opening

Architecture and Design of the Building

The Library's Collection

Closing

Sources

A yellow building with a brick foundation, the middle section has a triangular roof while the two sections that sandwich it have a rounded roof. The doors are in the middle section and above the door reads, "Muncie Public Library, Local History and Genealogy Center."

A Unique Library

Although the Local History and Genealogy Center (LHG Center) was only open from 2003 to 2009, the branch had a big impact on the community, and many still remember and ask about it to this day. It was very rare for a public library system to have a dedicated building for local history and genealogy collections, and the facility was so popular that it saw about 1,000 to 1,500 people per month by 2007.

“‘We built the Local History and Genealogy Building because we believe values are learned,’ Nilles said. ‘Unless we teach people to value their heritage – and both their built and natural environments – they walk away and think nothing of tearing up or tearing down. The byproduct of teaching people to value their heritage and community is pride and respect for them and for everyone; for who we are as a people.’” (Prime Years, Jul 2003, p. 14)

Beginnings

Althea Stoeckel and student hold books found in the courthouse prior to it being demolished.

Althea Stoeckel and a Ball State History student work to save the courthouse records from the old Delaware County Courthouse, which was demolished in 1966 (Photograph courtesy of Ball State Archives and Special Collections, Digital Media Repository).

It began as the brainchild of former MPL director Ginny Nilles who believed that Muncie Public LIbrary had a responsibility to preserve the community’s heritage. She took steps to do just that and provide greater access to researchers. In 1997, Muncie Public Library signed an agreement to store the Delaware County court records (all 400 boxes of them) and begin the process of digitizing and indexing them. In 2001, MPL initiated the transfer of county records from Ball State University’s Archives and Special Collections to its own library collections. These records were discovered in the attic of Delaware County’s third courthouse by Althea Stoeckel just prior to the building’s demolition, and she worked towards saving them from destruction. Carnegie Library, where the genealogy collection was held, did not have the storage space for the new collections unfortunately and was then in the process of undergoing renovation. Therefore, the time seemed ripe to expand MPL’s facilities, and this gave Nilles the impetus to create a Local History and Genealogy Center within the system. Plans for the new branch began to take shape by the end of the year.

Construction and Opening

When Carnegie Library closed in February 2002, the local history and genealogy collection was moved temporarily to the Canopic building at 221 E. Jackson St. for the rest of the year. This was the first time these sorts of materials were housed together outside of a traditional library setting. Construction on the LHG Center began later that year, and the building opened on August 17, 2003 with a Grand Opening Celebration and activities over the course of the next week.

The frame of the Local History and Genealogy Center is under construction. It sits across the street from a church, which can be seen in the background.

The new Local History and Genealogy Center starts to take shape at the corner of Adams and Jefferson Streets behind Carnegie Library (MPL Archives, 09-2002).

Mary Lou Gentis, who retired from Muncie Public Library in 2024, talks about placing a time capsule in the old Local History and Genealogy Center.

Architecture and Design of the Building

Designed to grab people’s attention, the LHG Center’s two arching roofs reflected the dome of Carnegie Library as well as other nearby buildings. The middle, gabled roof, on the other hand, mirrored the First Baptist Church across Adams Street. The building looked to be two stories on the outside, but in fact, it was just a single story with high ceilings meant to “provide inspiration, visual interest, and a sense that ‘the sky’s the limit’” (Star Press, 06-07-2003, p. 1). The interior of the building featured warm hues like Terra Cotta, Jamaican Sun, and Viva Blue, designed to attract customers. It also included a cozy reading nook with a fireplace, adding to the inviting atmosphere.

Mary Lou Gentis pulls up the covering to reveal one of the fireplaces in the Local History and Genealogy Center.

Mary Lou Gentis, the first branch manager of the Local History and Genealogy Center, shows off the fireplace in the new library (Star Press, 06-07-2003, p. 1).

Empty, industrial shelving in the Local History and Genealogy Center

Interior of the Local History and Genealogy Center before the records were moved from storage (Star Press, 06-07-2003, p. 1)

Ginny Nilles stands behind a desk in the Local History and Genealogy Center speaking with a microphone nearby. A man is standing in the background, looking down.

Ginny Nilles, Former MPL Director, speaks to a gathered crowd for the opening of the Local History and Genealogy Center. The image highlights some of the colors used in the design. (MPL Archives)

The Library's Collection

The collection at the LHG Center included Delaware County courthouse records such as marriage records, deed, civil and criminal cases, naturalization, probate, insane, and poor relief records; vital records; death records in the form of funeral records, cemetery listings, and obituaries; family histories; microfilmed newspapers; a reference collection that has locally published materials; county histories; and more. Staff at the LHG Center have continued the digitization of genealogical materials, a project that began in 1997, with the goal of expanding access to these records. Visitors to the location could watch the process and ask questions.

Groups of people are seated around tables set up for the Night Owl's program. A red-headed woman with glasses looks into the camera.

Customers enjoy an evening at the Local History and Genealogy Center's program Night Owls (MPL Archives).

Sara McKinley, Carnegie Library Branch Manager and MPL Archivist, talks about an area of the old Local History and Genealogy Center where customers could see the process behind digitizing local records.

Closing

Due to property tax caps and budget cuts within the library in 2009, MPL administration made the difficult decision to close both the Local History and Genealogy Center and the Conley Library Branch, hopefully temporarily. In order to ride out the crisis, MPL had hopes to lease the Local History and Genealogy Center so that they could hopefully open again at a later date. However, this plan did not work out and Muncie Public Library sold the building to the county in 2010. It is now the Delaware County Emergency Management Center. The collections at the Local History and Genealogy Center were moved to Carnegie Library, which is currently the Local History and Genealogy branch of Muncie Public Library. Carnegie’s circulating collection was moved to Kennedy and Maring-Hunt Libraries.

Delaware County Emergency Operations Center (12-30-2024)

Stacks of courthouse records in Carnegie Library

Many of the old courthouse records now reside at Carnegie Library, MPL's Local History and Genealogy Center, located at 301 E. Jackson Street in downtown Muncie, Indiana.

Did anyone else, like Sara, enjoy seeing the digitization process for the court records at the old LHG Center? What did you like about the research center? Let us know by clicking here.

Sources

Gentis, Mary Lou. (2002). Departmental Reports. MPL Archives. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

“Grand Opening.” (Summer 2003). MPLNow, Vol. XXXV, No. 3. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

"Groups in the Process of Making Historic Records Available to Public Online." (07-05-2001). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Kenworthy, Jay. “Carnegie Library Has a New, Modern Look.” Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Leiker, Joy. “Library Looks at Leasing Building.” (03-27-2009). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

MPL Archives. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

MPL Scrapbook. (Jul 2003). Prime Years. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Nilles, Virginia. "'New' Library Puts Emphasis on Access." (07-07-2003). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Roysdon, Keith. “Architect Hired for Move into New 911 Building.” (12-07-2010). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Roysdon, Keith. "County Buys Former Library Building." (11-13-2010). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Roysdon, Keith. “County Eyeing Former Library.” (11-10-2010). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Roysdon, Keith. "County Records Becoming More Accessible to All." (08-11-2005). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Roysdon, Keith. "Old Property Records Latest to Be Preserved By Library." (09-14-2003). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Slabaugh, Seth. “Newest Library a Mirror That Stands Out.” (06-07-2003). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Slabaugh, Seth. “‘Wow’: That’s the Reaction Officials Want for the Renovated Library.” (06-07-2003). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Spath, Constantina L. “At Your Fingertips: Records of All Sorts Are Available at MPL Center.” (03-03-2007). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Wenger, Karen. "For the Records." (05-21-1997). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Werner, Nick. “Libraries to Close.” (01-22-2009). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

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